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fridao52166849
Participant
April 2, 2019
Question

Do I need to resize images before importing them in Adobe InDesign?

  • April 2, 2019
  • 5 replies
  • 3592 views

Hi

I will create three different InDesign-templates for print, in different sizes, with the same image placed. The resolution should be 300 dpi and printed on uncoated paper.

My question is if I need to resize and customize the image in photoshop (tiff format), or if I just can place the PSD-file and let Indesign do the resizing in the export to PDF? What is the best solution to get the best quality?

Of course, I prefer to use a PSD and only work with one file, and then just update the link when making changes, instead of always saving new tiffs.

But do I destroy the images by letting Indesign do the job?

This topic has been closed for replies.

5 replies

JonathanArias
JonathanArias
Legend
April 3, 2019

I just place my .psd in the layout and let indesign handle compression

Mike Witherell
Community Expert
Mike WitherellCommunity Expert
Community Expert
April 2, 2019

A current trend of thinking reasons that you should use the least-altered highest-pixel-count original image file (I prefer PSD, too) and place it in the InDesign document and scale it. That way, when you get to final steps of Export to PDF, the PDF-maker gets to pull from an original quality image to make its internal image in the PDF.

That is different from an older-school thinking that had us make the PSD the correct size and pixel count (300 ppi) prior to placing into InDesign.

The idea above is to provide the PDF rip the originalest, least-altered-est image to make the PDF from. I think that for a lot of bread-and-butter printing, either viewpoint can make a quality outcome.

Mike Witherell
    c.pfaffenbichler
    Community Expert
    c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 2, 2019

    The idea above is to provide the PDF rip the originalest, least-altered-est image to make the PDF from. I think that for a lot of bread-and-butter printing, either viewpoint can make a quality outcome.

    I personally do not always scale the images I place in Indesign to output size in Photoshop, far from it.

    As fas as I can tell Indesign resamples with the method Bicubic but Photoshop’s Bicubic Automatic may provide somewhat crisper results when downsampling.

    F
    fridao52166849Author
    Participant
    April 2, 2019

    Thanks for your answers!

    I came up with one more problem regarding the sharpness of the pictures.

    Since sharpness should be added to each individual size, how can I add sharpness after the PDF-export?
    I read about LinkOptimizer and Elpical Claro, but is there any other solution / program to use?

    Thanks for the help!

    c.pfaffenbichler
    Community Expert
    c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 2, 2019
    Since sharpness should be added to each individual size, how can I add sharpness after the PDF-export?

    »Should« is relative here, you do not have to sharpen the images if you are satisfied with the current results.

    As »the PDF-export« usually/often includes converting the images to a CMYK target space and saving them as jpgs the images included in the PDF should ideally not to be edited anymore. (The sprint-shop may re-separate with a stronger GCR to reduce print costs, but that is not up to you.)

    jane-e
    Community Expert
    jane-eCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 2, 2019

    fridao52166849  wrote

    or if I just can place the PSD-file and let Indesign do the resizing in the export to PDF?

    But do I destroy the images by letting Indesign do the job?

    Hi Frida,

    I moved this from Photoshop to InDesign where you will get a better answer.

    In InDesign you can drag-place your images to scale them (or scale them other ways). Watch the Links panel for the original ppi and the effective ppi. It’s the effective ppi that counts.

    If the effective ppi is too low because you resize an image larger, it’s a problem. If you scale an image smaller and the ppi is high, you can take care of it in your pdf or print settings and pull it back down to 300 pixels per inch (ppi).

    Jane

      c.pfaffenbichler
      Community Expert
      c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      April 2, 2019
      Watch the Links panel for the original ppi and the effective ppi. It’s the effective ppi that counts.

      Foe a selected image the Information Panel also displays the information.

      And with an appropriate preflight profile (created with the Preflight Panel) one can check all the images (and other elements) in an indd-file for resolution and other parameters.

      c.pfaffenbichler
      Community Expert
      c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      April 2, 2019

      can place the PSD-file and let Indesign do the resizing in the export to PDF?

      Yes, also the separation if needed.

      But keep in mind that Indesign will by default not upsample, only downsample.

      So if the image has 100ppi effective Resolution that would not be changed (except possibly in connection with Transparency Flattening).

      What is the best solution to get the best quality?

      (Theoretically) you should get better results if you scaled the images and re-sharpened them for the individually specific sizes.

      In your case that would mean creating three images additional to the original and, quite frankly, I myself quite often find it not worth the effort.

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