Same file - different size...WHY?? :)

[Rotem#7]

Hi,

I'm new to Illustrator (self tought) and I have a problem I can't get around. I even asked pro users with no luck.

I designed a racing trophy in Photoshop and continued to work on it in Illustrator.

Basically I made the same trophy over and over and only change the writings for each category.

The weired thing is that some of the exported PDF files are 7MB while the others are like 33MB.

Like I said I saved the same file over and over with different name and different writings with the same PDF preset.

Can someone please tell me what's going on?

Another weired thing is that the Photoshop picture file (which is the base of the design) is 18MB so I was expecting the PDF to be around 20MB. (not 33MB and for sure not 7MB)

I don't understand what's going on and how is it possible that the same file comes out in totaly different size...ohh and I don't see any difference with quality either.

Any help will be much appreciated!

Thanks guys!

[Ton Frederiks]

Many possible reasons. One is that Illustraor always uses the uncompressed version of an image. the other one is saving an PDF file with Illustrator editing capabilities On which makes the image saved twice, in the AI and PDF part of the file, as with an Illustrator file with PDF compatibilty checked.

[Bobby Henderson]

Lots of factors can be involved for varying file sizes in exported PDFs when hopping the artwork between two or more applications. The native resolution of the Photoshop image is one factor. Image compression type and severity level when creating the PDF is another factor. Illustrator is primarily a vector-based drawing program, not a pixel-based image editor like Photoshop. Still, Illustrator's raster effects setting can be a factor. Color profiles add data to the overall file size.

[Rotem#7]

First of all thanks for the replys!

I actually have a special PDF preset for these trophies. (and Illustrator editing capabilities is ticked off)

My problem is not with the size of the file as I was expextin it to be large (around 20MB), what I don't understand is how is it possible that by saving the same file (with 1 word changed) I get PDF's with totaly different sizes?

If all files were 30MB or 7MB I wouldn't be asking this. 🙂

Juat think you have a file open, you save it 2 times (only chane 1 word) and 1 file is 30MB while the other is 7MB...

I don't get it.

I know Illustrator, unlike Photoshop, is vector based and I'm trying to learn how to work with it. I'm using Google a lot to figure out how to do stuff. (ie. I changed the Documet Raster Effect Setting to 300)

Anyway, like I said the file size is not an issue, what I want to know is why 2 files end up with 2 different sizes. 🙂

Thanks!

[Ton Frederiks]

If it is the same file, saved in the same way and the filesize is changed a lot only by changing a word (same font?) that sounds strange.

[Rotem#7]

Yes, same font.

look, I have a base image I made in Photoshop which is around 18MB as the trophy size is around 37cm by 34cm and I made it in 300dpi so the file is quite large. Every time I saved it I only chaged the category name and the winner podium position plate design. (ie. Beginners and 1st place "plate like" design, Senior 2nd place, Expert 3rd place etc) 

I can upload 2 different sized files if you guys think it will help...

Thanks!

[Ton Frederiks]

I am curious, so if you want to share examples, please do.

[Rotem#7]

No problem, I will share a link as apparently it is not possible to upload PDF files.

https://mega.nz/file/CM0UWQpJ#3WDeBFhAvZ1oQKeLuQ33aERTncjhIOWMc0G4BXPWKJo

I really hope you'll be able to understand what's the deal here man, I've got nothing...

I will be waiting for your input. 🙂

Thanks!

[Ton Frederiks]

Thanks, it must be compression.

If I open the smallest pdf in Acrobat, select an image and open it in Photoshop, the image is 58,9 mb.

In Acrobat you can use preflight to check the compression, which is jpeg.

Your other files use zip for compression, which is not as efficient in making the filesize smaller.

[Ton Frederiks]

What is interesting that I cannot get the filesize down as much as your smallest PDF.

But if I remove the text in Acrobat, save the PDF, place it linked in Illustrator and add new text, I can save it as a small pdf (8,3 MB) using zip compression.

[Rotem#7]

First let me say thank you for your help man really appreciate your time.

Second, what you wrote raises few more questions 🙂

Did you see any quality change between the files I shared?

Why did you remove the text in Acrobat? 

Did you change the PDF preset before you saved it? 

And lastly, so how in God's name I managed to save it to be 7MB if you didn't manage to do it...?

Oh, and my preset is for high quality print which I changed for even higher quality. (see pics attached)

I really don't understand what I did as I saved all the files exatly the same way - Change the text, changed the podium position plate, clicked on "Save a copy", chose the preset I mentioned, wrote the desired file name and saved it - then repeat the process for the next category.

How is it possible that some files used ZIP compression and some used JPG? 

The funny thing is that I don't even know how to change between ZIP and JPG compression even if I wanted to.... 🙂 

I hope we'll figure it out, it will help me a lot in the future.

Thanks man !

[Ton Frederiks]

First let me say thank you for your help man really appreciate your time.

My pleasure, I am fascinated by these kind of questions.

Did you see any quality change between the files I shared?

Not really

Why did you remove the text in Acrobat? 

I tried it in Illustrator, but it blew up the filesize more than 5 times.

Did you change the PDF preset before you saved it? 

No.

And lastly, so how in God's name I managed to save it to be 7MB if you didn't manage to do it...?

I hope you can repeat how you created it at that size.