Best method to save for printing

[Rangie]

Hi everyone. I would like to ask fellow members what would be the best way to save a file from CS to a format where you can send it to the printers to have it printed on A3-5?

I know saving it in PSD won't be recognized by the Fuji machines so help would be appreciated. I used to do it in JPEG highest quality but some have told me this is not a good option.

[biggmalique]

at 300dpi, save it as .tiff.

My personal recommendation.

[kex]

at the size,most lab will convert to jpeg b4 printing anyway..

just send in jpegs

[neves_atk]

I don't think saving a tiff from a jpeg will realli help printing quality. U might wanna revise ur workflow. Shoot in raw then convert to tiff at 350dpi. Work all subsequent PS on the tiff version.

Had tried printing 2A0 poster from such conversion (MP:8.2). Perfectly fine.

[catchlights]

If just one or few files only, can send it in tiff format.

But if you have many files, you can save the file as best quality jpg, but this copy is just for printing use, you should keep a PSD or tiff file for future editing.

you can test on both file format with a same image, to see whether you able to tell the different results.

[theRBK]

for regular something-R sized printing, like 4R, 8R, etc, or even small posters, just give them jpg at 300dpi and proper format (aspect ratio) will do...

if printing large format with files less than 300dpi, like large posters at say 150dpi or 75dpi, ask the printer their preferred format...have had people telling me to give them tiff, eps, pdf before...

[Rangie]

Thanks guys. I shoot only in RAW, and edit on CS. Sometimes, I crop and resize, also do some other PS stuff like converting to Mono, than I save it to JPEG Highest Quality and burn to a disc. When I sent it to the printers, they come back with all black on the photographu, or the pic on landscape has moved to the left side of the photo leaving 75% black etc... and cropped images don't get to print at all Portraits of my wife were not flattering

So I was recommended not to save on JPEG but TIFF.

[theRBK]

if images are cropped to proper dimensions should not have problem printing...in any case, it is not a factor of whether the file is saved as jpg or tiff that the alignment is off...maybe you want to make sure the dimensions...maybe give us some examples

[hanqiang1011]

Convert to tiff. first... Then save another copy into another storage media where you bring to the print shop. That extra copy save it as tiff, but flaten the layers...

My opinion.

[CantikFotos]

If you're serious about the quality of your images, do your own printing. I've got an Epson 2100 and use QuadToneRIP for printing b&w. QTR only works with .tiffs so I save everything as a 300dpi .tiff.

http://www.quadtonerip.com/html/QTRoverview.html