Saving huge JPEGs

Is there any benefit in saving huge JPEG files around 12-15meg files? I am new printing and these files are taking forever to upload to the printing website. I shot an event with a more experienced photographer and his hi res JPEGs are only 5-6 meg. I figured the larger the file the more quality it would keep but like I said I am new to printing digital files so if anyone could explain it to me for future stuff that would be great. Thanks

How are you "saving" these files? What camera are you using and what software are you using?

A high quality jpeg will have various file sizes depending on the camera (resolution), the amount of detail in the image, and then the steps you take to produce it -- whether you resize it to a particular size and a particular ppi resolution and whether you crank the Quality setting all the way up or not.

Sorry, I am using a 7D and Adobe camera raw + Cs5 and saving at 300 PPI. I did crank the quality settings all the way thinking it would make a difference for high quality prints. Using Mpix btw and trying to print kodak endura

jpg quality of about 9 or 10 (of 12) is plenty IMO.
Jpg file size depends on file size (pixels), detail in the image (incl. noise), and compression.
ppi is irrelevant, it's the amount of pixels that matters.

Your high resolution 7D files will be large at high quality settings. For smaller prints you can get away with a smaller size image, but for larger, you have to decide your own tradeoffs if you are targeting a particular print size.

For example, and 8x12 print can be done at high quality (300ppi) using a smaller file size -- (8x300)x(12x300) = 2400x3600 pixels, so a bit over 8 MPs, which would result in a substantially smaller file size. Save at the quality level mentioned above rather than the max quality and it shouldn't hurt the image.

Of course, going larger in print size means more pixel if you keep the same resolution. Just know that the 300ppi is a "target" but in reality you can go lower -- people get good results all the time from lower resolutions -- I have great prints done at less than 200 ppi that stand up to close scrutiny.

thanks for the help everyone

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