# Best file format for printing?



## asheeants (Nov 1, 2012)

So up until this point I have been converting all of my files to JPG just bc I thought that was the norm to print.  Now that I know of the compression and loss of quality I feel like a dummy. Everyone learns at some point though, right?  So for printing what format do you guys recommend and why so I can keep my photos looking their best?

Thanks,
Ash


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## 480sparky (Nov 1, 2012)

I convert the JPEG for printing at the end of any post work.


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## MLeeK (Nov 1, 2012)

jpeg for printing. I save as a .psd for keeping on my computer. That way I can keep every layer and smart object intact in case I want to "un-do."  Once I have completely finished with a session I only save jpegs. I know a lot of the guys save in .tiff files. I don't know of any labs that do print .tiff format, but I am sure there are some... I think. Most require a level 10, baseline standard, jpeg for printing. It's the archiving that matters. If you are archiving and never going to re-edit the jpeg is just fine. If you want to open it someday in the future and have every bit of data there, then .dng, .tiff, .psd are your options.


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## direSTUDIOS (Nov 1, 2012)

You are doing just fine converting to JPG to print. It is very hard to find a print lab that takes anything other then JPG because TIFFs are so large. I have printed photos 60 inches and have seen no loss in quality using JPG. But to be sure ask you print lab what they feel is best.


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## KmH (Nov 1, 2012)

I highly recommend you visit this group of related tutorials - Tutorials on Color Management & Printing

From there you can then expand your color management and printing knowledge.


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## asheeants (Nov 1, 2012)

Ahh ok, I thought I was out of the loop on this one.  I recently started taking more portraits for people and I am not as up to speed as I'd like to be with re sizing and saving for printing. Reading about "lossy compression" made me question, bc obviously I don't want to lose quality. Being as I put all images on a disc for peeps to print doesn't really give me any better option I suppose. Thanks guys!


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## Garbz (Nov 2, 2012)

Whatever the lab asks for. In my experience with many labs they'll specify what format to deliver the files in.


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## Big Mike (Nov 2, 2012)

It is true that the JPEG format is a 'lossy' process.  It basically tosses out information that it doesn't really need and compresses the data to make the file size smaller.  
That sounds bad, but unless you really crank up the compression level (lower on the quality scale) it hard or impossible to really tell anything has been done to the image.  

The thing to avoid, is saving an image as a JPEG, then opening it up again (maybe working on it) then saving it again, then opening it again....and so on.  That is why most people will do their work in another format, and save to JPEG as the last step.


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## warwick (Nov 3, 2012)

Hi I do all my work in raw in Lightroom then change over to jpg for photoshop for finish  and printing.


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## unpopular (Nov 3, 2012)

PNG is a *much* better format than JPEG, and that's what I'd use if my working file is too unruly.

but, a high quality jpeg is going to be sufficient.


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