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michaelc21776769
Participating Frequently
October 23, 2022
Question

Some export jpgs pixellated - why!?

  • October 23, 2022
  • 1 reply
  • 146 views

When exporting my real estate images, I often find the single-exposure exterior shots are badly pixelated, unusable quality. The rest of the images - either HDR or Flash/ambient blends - are usually fine.

At first I assumed I'd set the file size limit too low (250kb), (and I tried the different  "Quality" settings), but my workaround proves this not to be the case - I send to PS, then export from there at Quality Level 5, and same dimensions (1024x680). These files typically come out similar size (less than 250KB) but are perfectly sharp.

The workaround is hideously time-wasting, especially as it mucks up my LR renaming preset, so I need to get to the bottom of it.

 

The interior blends from PS are TIFFs, while the exterior shots are DNGs - so I thought this might cause the anomaly... I tried opening in PS and saving back to LR (as TIFF), but this made no difference when exported as jpg.

LR Export Preset;

Resize Long Edge: 1024.

Limit File Size: 250

Resolution: 300 (pics sometimes printed)

Any help appreciated!

This topic has been closed for replies.

1 reply

Per Berntsen
Community Expert
Per BerntsenCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 23, 2022

When you use the Limit file size setting in the LrC Export dialog, Lightroom uses the quality setting to keep the file size below 250 kb. This image is sharp and detailed, which will result in a large jpg file size. So to meet a file size requirement, a very low quality setting might have have to be used. 

 

However, the Lightroom image is only 67 kb, so it's possible that something went wrong in the export, and that Lightroom used a much too low quality setting, or that you accidentally entered the wrong number.

I never use Limit file size, I prefer to be in control of the quality setting.

The Photoshop export is 286 kb, BTW.

 

 

M
michaelc21776769Author
Participating Frequently
October 24, 2022
Hi Per

Thanks so much for the response.

I had to swap those images onto my phone to upload them, so they may have
been changed in that process, but the file size on my computer of the
Lightroom one says 248KB ("size on disk 256KB"). And the PS one says 251KB
(size on disk 256KB).
(all the hundreds of other images I export at around that 250KB file size
are fine, ie. with identical Export settings)

I think when i experimented with the Quality slider it actually didn't make
much difference to the file sizes. ie. they weren't drastically smaller
with each increment.
I will try again with a very low setting, as you suggest.

I use Limit File Size because my customers said the files were too big for
their website, and around 250KB seems to be the sweet spot. So it's not a
simple question of quality.
How would you go about producing final outputs at that size?

Really appreciate the help!
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