Opening a large PDF in photoshop gets auto-downsized

[mike_blackwater]

I sent a large PDF (390cm X 85cm) to be printed on a canvas. The PDF was to scale but the printer apparently opened it in photoshop and it auto-downsized it, it was then printed at the wrong size. I'm just wondering why this happened and how to avoid this in the future...

[JJMack]

You would need to Ask the printer what they did and why the did what they did.  Did the Printer ask you to provide a PDF?  I would think most Printers would want a sRGB jpeg file from you.

[mike_blackwater]

Our process is to create the file in indesign, exported as a print PDF.
When I (like the printer) opened the PDF with Photoshop and I see that it auto changes the dimensions to a width of 270cm instead of the 390cm it should be.

[ChrisFrontwon]

So if you were like me and trying to google this problem and couldnt find the answer, i figured out whats causing it. I was having the same issue except my file was created in illustrator. Photoshop can only handle a 30,000px x 30,000px image, This file is larger than that at 300dpi so it resizes it automatically. I personally will just submit a .ai file in the future but if you have to edit something in photoshop i found a stupid way of doing it. 

Create a new file in photoshop any size > save it as a .psb (thats .psb NOT .psd) > change your image size and dpi/ppi to the resoultion needed > Place the image you are trying to edit. Not a perfect solution but it works in a pinch. good luck friends. =

Please note this only happens if the other person is using photoshop. My pdf opened correctly with InDesign and Illustrator.

[davescm]

That is incorrect, Photoshop supports a maximum image size of 300,000 x 300,000 pixels. The resolution ppi is merely a number stored alongside the image, for use when calculating the physical size, so does not affect the maximum pixel size.

Dave

[ChrisFrontwon]

Hi Dave,

This makes sense because i was able to get it to work in PS but only using the psb work around. Keep in mind this is a print issue,  so the problem is with its physical size and the file only gets resized automatically when its 31,800px @300 Dpi . 

[smalatesta]

Thanks Chris.   This solved my issue.  Much appreciated.  

[Test Screen Name]

How do you confirm the PDF page size?

[mike_blackwater]

I also opened it in illustrator just the see if document size was correct, and yes it was the right size in illustrator.
The issue is why did photoshop downsize the print PDF? Is there a file dimension limit when opening a PDF document in PS?

[Test Screen Name]

No, how did you check it in Acrobat? Did you check it in Acrobat? Until you've verified the size we don't know that Photoshop downsized it for sure. Could have resized on export.

[mike_blackwater]

It is the correct size in Acrobat.

[Test Screen Name]

Ok, then that is unexpected. Maybe you can share the file (or a sample made the same way) for others to verify...

[mike_blackwater]

I will break down the process and included a link to the PDF.

Created in indesign > exported as a press quality PDF 300dpi with bleeds and crops

Right clicked on PDF > open with Photoshop CC 2018 > Import options displays width as 270.93cm (which is wrong)

I also tried in the import options to change it from 270.93 to the correct size and I got this pop up error
"A number between 0.01 and 270.93 is required. Closest value inserted "

Link to PDF:

Dropbox - 390cmx85_ResPigsBanner.pdf

I took screen shots also attached below

[Stephen Marsh]

Although an old post...

Thou shalt not rasterise PDF files in Adobe Photoshop

---

https://prepression.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-ten-commandments-of-pdf.html

PDF files rasterized in Photoshop will distort if the horizontal or vertical edge is greater than 32,000 pixels. Depending on the size and resolution, you may exceed this value without realising it.