Virtual Copy File Size Much Smaller than Original File

[bruceb97119447]

I have been a Lightroom user for many years. The sizes of the original uncropped files and virtual copies have always been  essentially the same. I have discovered that recent virtual copies of my JPEG files are much smaller than the originals. For example: Original - 1.7 MB ; Virtual Copy - 196 KB. I have been unable to find settings that need to be changed and have not found similar problems discussed. File Settings in Export: Image Format: JPEG; Quality: 100; Limit File Size: not checked.

I have the most recent version of What am I missing here?

[dj_paige]

I assume you mean that when you export the virtual copies they are much smaller than when you export the originals.

It seems as if you have possibly changed some of the export settings when you export the virtual copies, or cropped the virtual copies before exporting. Or perhaps you have edited the virtual copy in such a way that a lot of the detail or a lot of the noise has been removed.

[bruceb97119447]

Thanks for your reply.

I expect a smaller file size when I crop. The Texture feature is somewhat new to me and I have used it in combination with clarity, but only slight adjustments on most files. I used it the same way in earlier sessions that exported all files in full size. Regardless of the editing all of the files in the same folder have been reduced as much. I haven't done anything with Noise. No export settings have changed, unless there are settings somewhere other than during the export.

[dj_paige]

Those are the three reasons I can think of why an exported virtual copy of a photo will be smaller in file size than the export of the original. Perhaps other people can think of other reasons. However, I revert back to Sherlock Holmes who said "when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth". So I know you have said it is not one of these three reasons, but I still think it is one of these three reasons, the most likely is that you have changed the quality slider when you exported the virtual copy.