Raw file conversion ...issue

[Leonardo]

Hi All, recently I have started to take pics by using the RAW format.

I have to say that it's so nice how easy is to adjust pics that otherwise needs to be deleted or need a lot a work in PS.
Of course there is also the other side, the bad one. Too much time in front of the PC... , and I'm really wondering if this is worth the trouble.

The reason of this thread is because I need advice on the workflow process, since I'm loosing to much quality and details when converting in JPEG and resize.

Here the the worflow I'm using : RAW file (9 M) -> convert to JPEG (6 M) 3898 x 2613 px -> Resize to post in CS JPEG (90 K) 459 x 656 px (to resize the pics I usually move with PS).
The quality and details are still ok from RAW to JPEG (6 M), but as soon as I move with the resize is a disaster!

Can someone help me with this? What I should do to keep an acceptable quality and details even resizing the pics? Is this related with the original RAW format?

Tks in advance. Cheers

[ExplorerZ]

eh how do you expect a 459 x 656 jpg to contain the same amount of detail from a 3898 x 2613 jpg? as for quality if you save the resized jpg with pretty high setting, it shouldn't be that bad. imho, saving @ quality 8 in photoshop CS shouldn't be much of a problem with quality, but normally i save using 11 .

[Squid]

Already PMed you on your question about workflow

[Leonardo]

Originally Posted by ExplorerZ eh how do you expect a 459 x 656 jpg to contain the same amount of detail from a 3898 x 2613 jpg? as for quality if you save the resized jpg with pretty high setting, it shouldn't be that bad. imho, saving @ quality 8 in photoshop CS shouldn't be much of a problem with quality, but normally i save using 11 .

Hi ExplorerZ tks for your time.
I agree with you that smaller file canno't contain the same info and details as a bigger one.
But when saving in jpg the result is a file with the size according to the quality that has been selected.

In most of the cases, when I whant a pic for CS I canno't use 8 or greater quality because the output will result as a file bigger than 100K (that is a limit for posting in CS. Isn't it?).

So what I can do in order to resize the pic but still keep a reasonable level of details & quality? Or alternatively is it possible to post file bigger than 100 K (about 400 x 600px)?

Tks. Cheers

[Leonardo]

Originally Posted by Squid Already PMed you on your question about workflow

Hi Squid tks for contribution. Already answered to your PM.
Cheers

[ExplorerZ]

Originally Posted by Leonardo Hi ExplorerZ tks for your time. I agree with you that smaller file canno't contain the same info and details as a bigger one. But when saving in jpg the result is a file with the size according to the quality that has been selected. In most of the cases, when I whant a pic for CS I canno't use 8 or greater quality because the output will result as a file bigger than 100K (that is a limit for posting in CS. Isn't it?). So what I can do in order to resize the pic but still keep a reasonable level of details & quality? Or alternatively is it possible to post file bigger than 100 K (about 400 x 600px)? Tks. Cheers

for some simplier image i think it is possible to get below 100kb, but most file doesn't really fit and the only way i can think of going around it would be to use other hosting site like imageshack

[Prismatic]

If you have been doing your processing in PS, you might want to try flushing your EXIF data. Sometimes EXIF data can take up quite a chuck in the picture file (in addition to whatever XML tags PS adds in to the file).

459 x 656 px seems like an odd size, why don't you try 600x400px. It's still a reasonable size for 17" monitors.

[Leonardo]

Originally Posted by Prismatic If you have been doing your processing in PS, you might want to try flushing your EXIF data. Sometimes EXIF data can take up quite a chuck in the picture file (in addition to whatever XML tags PS adds in to the file). 459 x 656 px seems like an odd size, why don't you try 600x400px. It's still a reasonable size for 17" monitors.

Hi Prismatic tks for your advice.
What I have to do in order to save the pics file without the EXIF info? Is this really a file size saving procedure? Is this done directly in PS?

Regarding the pics size, I agree with you. Usually I select 400x600 px pr 600x400 according to the pics.
(but for the case above, perhaps I have added the border after sizing the pics. Not sure on this).

Tks. Cheers

[Leonardo]

Is it possible to upload pic bigger than 100K?
Let me say something in the range 300 - 500 K.
Anyone can comment on this? Tks

[Prismatic]

Originally Posted by Leonardo Hi Prismatic tks for your advice. What I have to do in order to save the pics file without the EXIF info? Is this really a file size saving procedure? Is this done directly in PS? Regarding the pics size, I agree with you. Usually I select 400x600 px pr 600x400 according to the pics. (but for the case above, perhaps I have added the border after sizing the pics. Not sure on this). Tks. Cheers

Well, you can't really remove your exif completely in PS I think, since everytime you open the file in PS, PS tends to add more metadata to the file. I use jhead.exe, which is widely available on the internet. It's a command line program (meaning you have to use dos prompt). I usually save my jpeg that I want to upload to CS at level 9 or 10 (around 100-150Kb). Depending on how much you have modified your picture in PS, after using jhead, I usually get a 20-30Kb trimming. Saving at level 8 should still be okay.Actually, the trimming is secondary, my main purpose in using jhead is to erase the exif.

If you want to make a border, try making it in black rather than white, since black pixels takes up less space than white pixels.

[Leonardo]

Originally Posted by Prismatic Well, you can't really remove your exif completely in PS I think, since everytime you open the file in PS, PS tends to add more metadata to the file. I use jhead.exe, which is widely available on the internet. It's a command line program (meaning you have to use dos prompt). I usually save my jpeg that I want to upload to CS at level 9 or 10 (around 100-150Kb). Depending on how much you have modified your picture in PS, after using jhead, I usually get a 20-30Kb trimming. Saving at level 8 should still be okay.Actually, the trimming is secondary, my main purpose in using jhead is to erase the exif. If you want to make a border, try making it in black rather than white, since black pixels takes up less space than white pixels.

Ok thanks for the suggestion. I'll try.

But I also noticed that some pics in the CS are really bigger than the 100K. How this is possible? For me every time I try to upload something more than 100K, there is a unique result the error message that inform me about the file size to be reduced!

Perhaps someone would like to comment on this.

Cheers

[madmacs]

Originally Posted by Leonardo Here the the worflow I'm using : RAW file (9 M) -> convert to JPEG (6 M) 3898 x 2613 px -> Resize to post in CS JPEG (90 K) 459 x 656 px (to resize the pics I usually move with PS). The quality and details are still ok from RAW to JPEG (6 M), but as soon as I move with the resize is a disaster!

change your workflow to

raw -> resize -> sharpen -> convert to srgb -> save as jpeg

if you want small filesizes, use "save for web". thats the easiest without getting out of photoshop.

[madmacs]

Originally Posted by Leonardo Ok thanks for the suggestion. I'll try. But I also noticed that some pics in the CS are really bigger than the 100K. How this is possible? For me every time I try to upload something more than 100K, there is a unique result the error message that inform me about the file size to be reduced! Perhaps someone would like to comment on this. Cheers

hmm... cs gallery limit seems to be 200k.

[ExplorerZ]

Originally Posted by madmacs hmm... cs gallery limit seems to be 200k.

200kb or more are only for subscriber like you... normall user only get 10MB of space + 100kb upload limit iirc.

[madmacs]

Originally Posted by ExplorerZ 200kb or more are only for subscriber like you... normall user only get 10MB of space + 100kb upload limit iirc.

oh is it?

anyway i always use "save for web". my 640x480 or 800x600 jpegs are usually less than 100k.

[9uowei]

Originally Posted by Leonardo Hi All, recently I have started to take pics by using the RAW format. I have to say that it's so nice how easy is to adjust pics that otherwise needs to be deleted or need a lot a work in PS. Of course there is also the other side, the bad one. Too much time in front of the PC... , and I'm really wondering if this is worth the trouble. The reason of this thread is because I need advice on the workflow process, since I'm loosing to much quality and details when converting in JPEG and resize. Here the the worflow I'm using : RAW file (9 M) -> convert to JPEG (6 M) 3898 x 2613 px -> Resize to post in CS JPEG (90 K) 459 x 656 px (to resize the pics I usually move with PS). The quality and details are still ok from RAW to JPEG (6 M), but as soon as I move with the resize is a disaster! Can someone help me with this? What I should do to keep an acceptable quality and details even resizing the pics? Is this related with the original RAW format? Tks in advance. Cheers

Hi,
To share with you my workflow.

Shoot in RAW > Adjust in PS and save as TIFF > Final adjustments > Resize > Save in JPEG.

1. You can create macros in PS for repeated actions. Saves tons of time
2. Avoid saving too many times in jpeg. The quality deteriorates each time you do it.

[jeanie]

first, i'm a newbie so pls take it ez with me k?

second, read from ken rockwell website that there isnt really much diff shooting raw and jpeg can enlighten me?

thirdly,usually when u shoot in raw, do you guys go back, convert to jpeg, and save this into your HDD or u usually saw it as raw?wouldnt it take up alot of space?

[madmacs]

Originally Posted by jeanie first, i'm a newbie so pls take it ez with me k? second, read from ken rockwell website that there isnt really much diff shooting raw and jpeg can enlighten me? thirdly,usually when u shoot in raw, do you guys go back, convert to jpeg, and save this into your HDD or u usually saw it as raw?wouldnt it take up alot of space?

i always save the raw since that is the original. can always save to any-size jpeg anytime. you will lose bits of detail every time you from jpeg to jpeg. anyway hdd space is relatively cheap nowadays.

[ak6110]

Originally Posted by Leonardo Hi ExplorerZ tks for your time. I agree with you that smaller file canno't contain the same info and details as a bigger one. But when saving in jpg the result is a file with the size according to the quality that has been selected. In most of the cases, when I whant a pic for CS I canno't use 8 or greater quality because the output will result as a file bigger than 100K (that is a limit for posting in CS. Isn't it?). So what I can do in order to resize the pic but still keep a reasonable level of details & quality? Or alternatively is it possible to post file bigger than 100 K (about 400 x 600px)? Tks. Cheers

You cannot get details when you resize to such a small pic, so I go to other site where it can upload the full size without me doing any resize, the site will resize for you, I use www.Fotki.com. Check it out.....

[Leonardo]

Originally Posted by 9uowei Hi, To share with you my workflow. Shoot in RAW > Adjust in PS and save as TIFF > Final adjustments > Resize > Save in JPEG. 1. You can create macros in PS for repeated actions. Saves tons of time 2. Avoid saving too many times in jpeg. The quality deteriorates each time you do it.

Tks for your feedback. I'll try in this way, perhaps I can get better result.
Really appreciated.

Cheers