Preparing images for different mediums

[scotwllm]

Hi again --

There's a question on the test which requires matching something from the left column with something on the right column:

Left column:

SVG

EPS

JPG

PNG

Right column:

Commercial printing

Photos

Large document format

Used in Microsoft applications

I don't recall seeing those file formats being explained anywhere. Anybody know which terms go together?

[westdr1dw]

This should be an easy search to find the terms and connect them. Not trying to denigrate your question. 

The first two are vector file formats. Vector is used in commerical printing. EPS is also a larger file due to containing much more information.

The other two are raster images. JPG is probably the more popular choice and is smaller in size (on average) than a PNG. Since PNG support transparent backgrounds this is common for users developing PowerPoint slides where we have for years we made the background transparent.

Hope this helps

[D Fosse]

Those two columns don't match in any meaningful way, no matter how you shuffle them.

Where's TIFF, which would be the obvious choice for commercial printing and photos for sending out?

Large document format? What are they talking about? The only large document format I know about is PSB.

This just doesn't make any sense.

[westdr1dw]

I am looking at this from an image perspective. You can resize vector images without the degradation, or pixelation which is the preferred method in the commercial world. I am not a commercial printer, so will reserve commenting further. 

[D Fosse]

A vector format in that list which is used for commercial printing is EPS - but only barely. EPS is obsolete with a lot of limitations (like lack of icc profile support). Its only practical use today is very simple vector files like logos. For more complex files you'd use PDF.

It's possible that SVG could gain more widespread use in that segment, but at this time SVG is primarily a web vector format.

[westdr1dw]

An argument could be made on the use of SVG. There are far more uses for SVG than web vector format. I think a good example is a wiring diagram. If it saved as a PDF and you enlarge the file you will get the pixelation which is really unusable for printing on a plotter. However, using the same image as a SVG you can make it almost any size (reasonable) w/o degradation. 

[jane-e]

using the same image as a SVG you can make it almost any size (reasonable) w/o degradation. 

By @westdr1dw

...same with .ai files from Illustrator.

Jane

[scotwllm]

That's what I thought, too. I'm beginning to wonder about this GMetrix company that does the practice tests. The website doesn't seem to make any sense.

[westdr1dw]

You can try Linked In Learning they have a few Adobe certification courses. I think they provide 30 day trial version. You can also check with the local library, as they may have free access for patrons with a library card. In addition to the cert courses they have several online courses as well. 

[westdr1dw]

A take away from this thread may be the overwhelming majority of the posters in this group are focused on photo editing w/o realizing PS has other niche user groups. At least this was the case for me. Until I realize it is an image editor. A raster image is a very broad term which includes several professional fields including medical and x-ray scanning of an even wider area.

Be interesting to see all the fields who use PS in their research. I think for the most part we are only skimming the surface.

[scotwllm]

My annual LinkedIn Learning subscription recently renewed. Day before yesterday I discovered LA County Library provides free access to anyone with a library card. Doh!

[Conrad C]

Wow, that’s crazy. The only way to match those sets of questions and answers is to assume the perspective of how commercial graphics worked 10–20 years ago, which means maybe they wrote the question back then and never updated it. For that time period, if we are allowed only that set of answers, we can reliably say:

SVG = Large document format. Their rationale for this answer might be that a graphics document with very large dimensions might be saved as a smaller file if created as vector graphics instead of pixel graphics. But their word choice is confusing, because Photoshop offers an increasingly popular file format option called Large Document Format (.PSB), which has nothing to do with SVG.

EPS = Commercial printing

JPG = Photos

PNG = Used in Microsoft applications

However, if that question was written from the perspective of a 2023 production workflow, the answers are different, although the up-to-date answers below will not help you choose from outdated answers:

SVG = Vector graphics format typically used for resolution-independent graphics in web content and mobile apps.

EPS = Deprecated format only really useful on a PostScript printer. For its use cases (graphics that can include both vector and pixel artwork, with support for color requirements for commercial printing), today PDF is preferred because PDF is much more capable and flexible.

JPG = Pixel graphics that do not need to indicate transparency. Uses lossy compression, better for photos.

PNG = Pixel graphics that need to indicate transparency. Uses lossless compression, better for solid color graphics and line art.

[scotwllm · Accepted solution]

I found the answer to this question.  If you take the practice tests in Training Mode, there is a Help feature that provides the answers to the questions. I attached a screengrab showing the question and answers.

Scott