Why are my images shrinking when saved as a PDF?? Saving as PDF Problem...

[L011ip0p]

Ok so im a rookie... trying to use photoshop to make some pictures for my wall ...thought it would be simple 😕

So ive created a 16x20inch  file at 300dpi so its 4800x6000px

when I 'save as' and create a PDF the resolution (according to the 'get info' option on a mac) says its now only a resolution of 1152x1440 which then according to the printers will only create an image of 72DPI.... 

Why has it shrunk? Ive gone through all the options...dont downsample...no compression.... it still shrinks!  WHY??

and I hope that makes sense...

[c.pfaffenbichler]

So ive created a 16x20inch  file at 300dpi

ppi, not dpi.

What were the complete and exact pdf save settings you used?

(according to the 'get info' option on a mac) says its now only a resolution of 1152x1440

Could you please post a screenshot?

You seem to be confusing the terms »dimensions« and »resolution«.

[L011ip0p]

HI, thanks heres the info...

the original setup sizes then the 'save as' pdf info

then the final image details

hope that helps!!! thanks

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Ah, I do apologise, the OS apparently uses the term »resolution« slightly creatively …

It does not seem to give the resolution but the dimensions in points.

And this has zilch to do with the actual resolution (as in »pixels per unit of length«) of the pdf.

Can you provide your pdf for testing?

When you open the pdf un Photoshop, but instead of the page the image/s, what is the actual resolution?

[L011ip0p]

ok im confused

if i open the actual PDF in photoshop then according to the 'image size' box the dimensions are the same as the original psd shown in the first screen shot above. So shall I just ignore the mac resolution info and send it for printing?

thanks

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Like I mentioned above: What Mac calls »resolution« is not the resolution (as used in Photoshop or as the wikipedia page below states) but the dimensions in points.

Image resolution - Wikipedia

if i open the actual PDF in photoshop then according to the 'image size' box the dimensions are the same as the original psd

When you opened it did you get the »import PDF« dialog?

Can you provide the file?

[L011ip0p]

no I didn't get the dialog box 😕  yes I have the files

[c.pfaffenbichler]

When the pdf was saved with »Preserve Photoshop Editing Capabilities« opening it in Photoshop can open the full res layered file while the pdf itself can actually still be downsampled, so once again: Can you provide the file?

[L011ip0p]

c.pfaffenbichler  wrote

Can you provide the file?

Do you mean you want me to send it to you??

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Can you post a link (possibly using some file transfer service like DropBox or something)?

[L011ip0p]

ok ive created a dropbox account... this is the link to the file

Dropbox - &relax.pdf

hope that works!

thanks or all your help by the way

[c.pfaffenbichler]

• The images in the pdf have 300ppi

• it’s 406,4mm x 508mm

• the »&« and the »Relax« are clipped by paths

so it seems fine.

[L011ip0p]

yey! Brilliant thankyou!

[Test Screen Name]

Let's be very clear: Finder does not give correct info. Clearly this is not resolution, and the resolution is actually not even a concept for PDF. Each page in a PDF can have zero, one or more images and each image could have a different resolution. So any tool that claims to tell you the "resolution of a PDF" is simply wrong and should be ignored.  Maybe it's a page size in some unit but since each page can be a different size this isn't useful either. Just ignore it.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Maybe it's a page size in some unit

It’s in points.

[Test Screen Name · Accepted solution]

So it seems, but what would it show if there were two different page sizes? Best to ignore an unreliable source completely. All sorts of tools claim to give resolution, size and colour information for a PDF, that they just made up.