Placing a Photoshop doc into Illustrator, but the size is WAY off

[stevestrauch]

Hi Community,

I've been working in Photoshop and Illustrator for years and I've never seen this:  I've created a Photoshiop document at 2048px x 1536px @300ppi that I'm attempting to place into an Illustrator document set to the exact same size (2048px x 1536px @300ppi).  In years past, this was no problem, the image would place in exactly at the same size.  Today, the Photoshop image places in at a fraction of the original size (image attached).  What has Adobe done that has changed this very simple function?

help!

[Ton Frederiks]

If something strange happens, first try to restart your machine.

If that does not help, try resetting your preferences:

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/setting-preferences.html

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse · Accepted solution]

Creating a pixel-based document in Illustrator assumes a 72 ppi resolution despite what you think. If you are creating the file at 2048 x 1536 for a specific output (say for a digital billboard or social media image), you will be exporting this image as 72ppi. Yes, you can set the Raster Effects to 300 in the document setup, but this has nothing to do with the resolution of the document. Really, Illustrator files have no resolution, as they are device independent. In any case, pixels in Illustrator are essentially the equivalent to using points (72points/inch), so you've created a document 28.44 inches wide by 21.333 inches wide. Your Photoshop file, at 300 ppi, is being placed accordingly as 6.83" x 5.12". So if you want to place the PS file at the same size you have two options: change the resolution in the PS file to 72, OR enlarge the image in Illustrator to 416.67% (i.e 300 / 72)

[stevestrauch]

Thanks Brad! Perhaps boucing between the print universe and the digital universe is creating more confusion in my head than I'm used to! I'm working on a print based assignment now and open a new "print" file in Illustrator - the Photoshop image placed in correctly. Brain fart. Thanks again for your help on this!

[Ton Frederiks]

And what Brad said.

[stevestrauch]

Brad good 🙂

[Mike_Gondek]

In Photoshop switch to inches

Input this size in inches into Illustrator as Illustrator

Problem is Ilusttor does not consider this in making the physical size, just for the raster effects setting.