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gregn29157636
gregn29157636
Known Participant
December 14, 2019
Answered

With JPEG images, saved from Photoshop, how can you tell low compression from high?

  • December 14, 2019
  • 2 replies
  • 616 views

After you save images as JPEG files in Photoshop, how can you tell the difference between images saved with low compression vs those with high or maximum compression? 

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer gener7

If you zoom in, you see "edge artifacts".  Go really low and you can see "clumping of pixels". Jpegs sacrifice image detail to save space. It's called "lossy compression." You pick a level where you don't notice as much, and treat it as a final delivery format. It is not meant for editing and re-saving.

2 replies

Stephen Marsh
Community Expert
Stephen MarshCommunity Expert
Community Expert
December 15, 2019

If you perform another save as to bring up the dialog box, if the compression level metadata is in the file it will default to that value. Don't actually resave, just cancel once you know the value. If the metadata is removed or if the JPEG is from a different vendor, then this is of course unknown.

 

Your other post also has relevant information too:

 

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop/after-you-save-an-image-as-a-regular-jpeg-file-with-a-specific-level-of-compression/td-p/10802290

    gener7
    Community Expert
    gener7Community ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    December 14, 2019

    If you zoom in, you see "edge artifacts".  Go really low and you can see "clumping of pixels". Jpegs sacrifice image detail to save space. It's called "lossy compression." You pick a level where you don't notice as much, and treat it as a final delivery format. It is not meant for editing and re-saving.

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