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timont91170400
timont91170400
Participant
June 29, 2017
Answered

PDF import Photoshop : huge quality loss

  • June 29, 2017
  • 5 replies
  • 37057 views

Hello!

I have a PDF file with a design of 8 businesscards. Beautifully sharp.
When I import it in Photoshop, to change certain text, no matter how I save it, I get a huge quality loss.
Letters become unsharp. EVen when I don`t change it at all.

Could anyone help me find the problem?
Is it either the way I import, the file-type or the way I save?

I tried daving it as a PDF without compressing, DPI 300.

Thanks!  Tim

    Correct answer c.pfaffenbichler

    When I import it in Photoshop, to change certain text, no matter how I save it, I get a huge quality loss.

    You are probably already doing the damage by converting the type content to a pixel image right when you convert the pdf.

    You should be able to do some editing in Acrobat and if that does not suffice you should be able to convert the pdf with Illustrator and edit it there.

    But ideally you should request and edit the source-file (ai, indd, …) itself and export a new pdf.

    5 replies

    B
    bienduc123
    Participant
    January 4, 2019

    In Adobe Acrobat, simply export the file to postscript. Then, open it in photoshop.

    It does change quality but when you print it, it hardly to tell.

    Hopefully, this help!

    Olive

      c.pfaffenbichler
      Community Expert
      c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      January 4, 2019

      It does change quality but when you print it, it hardly to tell.

      Especially for elements that were vector in the pdf the loss of quality in printed products can be noteworthy, though, in my opinion.

      T
      Test Screen Name
      Legend
      June 29, 2017

      Well, maybe if you'd worked at 600 ppi or 1200 ppi. Sounds as if their knowledge is limited - and bizarre, nobody should be sending PDF for text changing IN ANY APP. They should send the design file.

      InDesign is another option. Not an editor at all, but you can place, partly cover, and recreate the PDF text.

      S
      Steve221
      Inspiring
      May 12, 2018

      I have been using PDFs in Photoshop to be used as a menu for export to Encore.  The client's music program is a PDF.  I import and embed into photoshop 1920x1080 600 ppi (even tried up to 1200 ppi.)  No editing, in fact I leave it as a smart object and simply add buttons for use in Encore.  After creating a DVD, the text is almost unreadable.  (Blu-ray is a lot better).  Very legible in PDF, not in Photoshop.  I even tried opening in Illustrator, rasterize set for 1200 ppi and convert text to outlines.  Resulting PDF looks very good zoomed to 1200% but terrible in Photoshop.

      T
      Test Screen Name
      Legend
      June 29, 2017

      The problem, the huge mistake, is to open the PDF in Photoshop. Unless your problem is "how do I convert a PDF to a raster format" Photoshop is never the solution.

        c.pfaffenbichler
        Community Expert
        c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
        Community Expert
        June 29, 2017

        When I import it in Photoshop, to change certain text, no matter how I save it, I get a huge quality loss.

        You are probably already doing the damage by converting the type content to a pixel image right when you convert the pdf.

        You should be able to do some editing in Acrobat and if that does not suffice you should be able to convert the pdf with Illustrator and edit it there.

        But ideally you should request and edit the source-file (ai, indd, …) itself and export a new pdf.

        c.pfaffenbichler
        Community Expert
        c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        June 29, 2017

        Are you aware of the difference between vector and pixel images?

        In general: If texts or graphics are part of the pdfs do not edit them in Photoshop because they will likely be needlessly degraded.

        timont91170400
        timont91170400Author
        Participant
        June 29, 2017

        Thanks for your reply. Yes, I am aware of the difference. However, the company who made the design and sent us the PDF told us to change the text of the PDF in Photoshop and then save it as TIFF to send it to the printer. - Now, I can`t imagine they wouldn`t know what they are talking about, so I just did what they said.

        So the conclusion; this can only be done by Acrobat or Illustrator..

        OK thanks all.

        c.pfaffenbichler
        Community Expert
        c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        June 29, 2017

        So the conclusion; this can only be done by Acrobat or Illustrator.

        If you want to maintain the quality that vector output provides compared to pixel output you should edit the pdf in a vector capable application.

        As Test Screen Name mentioned Indesign is another option, but in all likelihood there are also other, non-Adobe applications available for the task.

        Well, maybe if you'd worked at 600 ppi or 1200 ppi.

        If one provides 1-bit bitmap output the resolution makes a difference, if one outputs CMYK or grayscale imagery the additional resolution would usually be effectively lost in the RIP.

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