Quote:

Quote:

The good news about jpegs is that they take up less space as saved files; the bad news is that if you open and close them a lot, they lose image detail because the algorithm for compressing the file loses information each time it's opened and closed.
Jim



OK, that makes perfect sense! I had no idea about them losing image detail, does that happen even if you made no edits to the image, just the action of opening it will make it lose some detail? I shoot in jpg (am thinking about playing with raw), then I open and edit it, put a signature on it, etc, in .psp format (paint shop pro). But since the original image is jpg, would that mean each time I opened the psp file for editing I'd be losing detail also, do you know?

Thanks! Diana



Diana,

The answer is yes. Each time you open a jpg in PSP and then save it again, the file is recompressed and a small amount of data is lost. If you are shooting jpg I would recommend that you keep the original image archived and save a separate edited version for your use. Then you can always go back to the original image for any further editing. Also avoid opening and saving your images unless it's necessary.

The best way to save every byte of the original data is shooting in RAW. It is all I shoot but it adds a new layer of technologies, manipulations, and skills that requires more effort for each image. I believe it is worth it, but it is a bit of a commitment.

Geo

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