PP resolution

Quick question... when editing my raw files today, I did my pp and saved as TIF (8.72 MB). When I converted the same file to jpeg, the file went to 671 KB. Yikes. For some reason I assumed that when you edit the TIF file, the resolution would be maintained to some degree (losing a few MB) but I had no idea they'd lose that much info!

Does this sound right?

A few things come to mind:

What level of compression was the jpeg set at?

How much detail was in the image to start with?

Was the jpeg at the same resolution as the tif?

When you save as a JPEG, you get to choose the amount of compression. In the "save as" dialog box, when you select JPEG, there should be an options button to select the amount of compression.

What software are you using to convert TIFF to JPEG?

okay... not sure about compression level. I just did a "save as" "jpeg". The raw image had about 26MB to begin with. I worked on the TIF image then "saved as" to a jpeg. Does this make sense? I have just started working with raw images so i am at an entry level of understanding it all1

Okay. I just realized I was using MS Digital Pro instead of PS (forgive me) and when I did the same edits in PS and saved at the image to jpeg, it saved at 1.82MB. Thanks for the wake-up call.

Ok, ignore the fact that you were working with a raw file, the size of the jpeg has nothing to do with that.

When you save a jpeg file the app you're using should have an option somewhere to set the amount of compression being used to control quality. Try saving your file again but this time check what the quality setting is at. Try saving at the highest quality and see if the new file is any bigger.

Of course, if your image had a lot of plain areas without any detail the jpeg will be able to compress it down quite small even on a high quality setting. In simple terms jpeg makes files smaller by re-using bits of data where it can. Imagine just a plain white image. A tif stores information for every pixel, the jpeg would analyze the image and only store one bit of white and then "reference" it for everywhere else. Note this is a simplification of what jpeg does but gives you an idea of why, in some situations, the files can get so small.

That is unforgivable.

:o I knew I shouldn't have fessed up

All right all right... I am using ps now