File Size in Photoshop vs. Windows File Explorer

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
January 9, 2020
3 replies
3551 views

Hi
Can anyone please explain why a file that is 722kB in Windows File Explorer show 4.53MB in Photoshop Image / Image Size?
Carl

New user

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TheDigitalDog

Inspiring

Because Photoshop is simply estimating (and not always accurately) the size, depending on the size of the drive, the reported size alone can differ etc. And as mentioned, PS has no idea if the document will be saved as say TIFF or a JPEG, or a TIFF with or without layers etc. It's a rough guesstimate and not really worth paying attention to.

Author “Color Management for Photographers" & "Photoshop CC Color Management/pluralsight"

O

oldboysAuthor

Participating Frequently

OK. I'm trying to judge from the file size if the image has good enough quality to be enlarged and printed, is there a rule of thumb here?

TheDigitalDog

Inspiring

Depends on the output device.

"All generalizations are false, including this one".-Mark Twain

Generally speaking, from 180PPI to 300PPI is going to do the job, but depending on the size, the output device, the viewing distance this can all change. But the 'size' in megapixels or MB's tells you nothing! Work in pixels. Figure out how many you have and how many you wish to divide up into a unit like an inch.

A JPEG might have 10,000 pixels and be smaller on disk than a TIFF in 16-bits, with lots of layers so that size is kind of useless in what you're trying to determine.

There's also this:

https://www.digitalphotopro.com/technique/photography-workflow/the-right-resolution/

Author “Color Management for Photographers" & "Photoshop CC Color Management/pluralsight"

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

Image size is nothing to do with file size. It's the raw size of a flattened uncompressed image.

O

oldboysAuthor

Participating Frequently

Hi

The file is an uncompressed jpg from ab iPhone. See the pict. below.

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

There is no such thing as an uncompressed JPEG file, they do not exist. What you show is normal. These sizes will NEVER be the same, that's not what they are for. It says "image size" not "file size". File size is unknown and unknowable until you actually save the file.