Best merge approach for smallest file size???

Report · Mar 13, 2016

I could do an exhaustive test, but thought I would ask here: I realize there is a minimize size save option, but occasionally I create PDF's from several files, both JPG and PDF. I want to keep the file size as small as possiblr and still readable.

Will I make the smallest file if I take each jpg and make individual PDF's and then add together in Adobe Acrobat X, or just insert the graphics into the PDF without saving as PDF first?

Thanks,

W10

Acrobat X

Photo Elements 7

Report · Mar 14, 2016

I got no replies to date, so ran my own test.

Started with a page of an 18th century ONE PAGE Will in jpg format.

jpg file size- 3.7mb grayscale

Create a Word 2007 doc with all margins 0.5 inches and inserting jpg 3 times for 3 pages. Saved as a Word doc = 3.8mb. Saved Word doc as a PDF = 0.33 mb
In Photo Elements 7, saved jpg as a PDF without resizing. Graphic is 300 dpi which is fine for printing, but over kill for the screen. Then inserted PDF 3 times in a new Adobe Acrobat X (AA10) PDF doc = 14.4mb
In AA10 inserted jpg into a new doc 3 times = 4.6mb

I was surprised how much smaller the PDF saved from Word was. Last choice would be to make PDF's in PE7 and insert into AA10. But reducing the jpg from 300 dpi would have helped. So may depend on whether one wants to just view it or print it for good quality.

I didn't try the reduced size option to any of the resulting files in AA10.

It is great that the WORD dump to PDF is smaller. I am preparing a genealogy doc in Word and the appendix will have lots of these jpg's.

Comments welcomed!