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Hi All,
I am a macro photographer and utilize focus stacking. I have been problem solving at this issue for days with no resolve yet. I import RAW files into LR, then I export them into a folder. From this folder, I import them into PS for scripts to stack them. Once stacked, I save a PSD file that is uploaded into LR. At this point, the PSD file is larger than a regular RAW file. Some being around 100MB.
Now for the problem...Once I have finished editing for exposure, clarity etc in LR and save the file to my hard drive, the file size and resolution is dropping to less than 2MB in some cases with a resolution of 240, or 1xxx by 1xxx. I am saving them as jpeg with 100% quality at full size. When I have loaded these photos to print labs, I am unable to use them to print larger prints.
I am at a complete loss for understanding what is happening in this last step. When I have single image photos, it doesn't do this and retains a larger, more resolute image. Can anyone help?
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Without seeing a screen shot of the LrC Export window there is no way to tell what you are doing wrong.
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What are the pixel dimensions of the PSD when in Lightroom? And 2 MB is not resolution but rather file size.
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Jim,
Where will I find the pixel dimensions? The exif and iptc isn't showing under the historgram. I worked with Adobe for some time this evening. I showed them my process of doing this and the photo I used as an example finalized at about 30MB. I tried converting a PSD to TIF to JPEG and the TIF was 80MB and the JPEG was only 2MB.
When I load images online to the print lab, if they have been under about 5MB I have not had the option of printing larger prints.
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Pixel dimensions are always displayed in the Metadata panel in Default view, in the Library module.
Even more EXIF and IPTC information is shown if you switch to one of the other views. I leave mine set to “EXIF and IPTC” which is a rather long list of metadata.
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If you're using Lightroom Classic then pressing the letter I while in the develop module a couple of times should display an overlay that will tell you what the pixel dimensions are.
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Apart from pixel dimensions and quality setting, the file size of a jpg is largely dependent on image content.
Images with lots of busy, sharp detail (or noise) will have a much larger file size than images with large smooth, or out of focus areas.
The jpg format uses compression to reduce the file size, and sharp details are much harder to compress than smooth areas.
There is no direct connection between file size and image quality, and the only way to check the quality is by viewing the image at 1:1 (100%). If it looks OK, then it is OK, regardless of the file size.
So requiring a minimum file size for jpgs is meaningless.
The two images below have the same pixel dimensions, and were exported using the same quality setting.
Because of the image content, one has a file size almost four times larger than the other.