5 Replies Latest reply: Sep 6, 2011 11:16 PM by c.pfaffenbichler RSS

    Will saving jpeg in PSD, tiff or eps avoid lossy effect?

    emilycornfield Community Member

      I am purchasing some stock photo images for a website, most are in jpeg format (I buy the stock photos as jpegs because I don't need a larger size, and different formats, if available are much more expensive.). I am bringing them into a psd document that I first make as a mockup for the site. I've noticed that with each successive version I save of this psd page the jpegs look  a little worse. If I first save these jpegs as a psd or tiff, manipulate them (most require that) as I want (color, size, etc), will they stop the lossy compression until the final last step until I convert them back to jpeg? I thought this would be the case, but some of them still seem to loss some detail as I save new versions.

       

       

       

      Thanks!

        • 1. Re: Will saving jpeg in PSD, tiff or eps avoid lossy effect?
          Chris Cox Adobe Employee

          The loss for JPEG happens when it is saved.  So yes, to keep the quality you have:  save it as a non-lossy format like PSD or TIFF.

          • 2. Re: Will saving jpeg in PSD, tiff or eps avoid lossy effect?
            Vikingnm Community Member

            That sounds odd...once you place a JPEG into a PSD file it becomes part of that PSD so it's a lossy format...

             

            you can save a .psd as a JPEG format by accident (it's really a JPEG but with a psd extention) so try a save as and make sure it's saving as a PSD or TIF (got burned a couple times on that one )

            • 3. Re: Will saving jpeg in PSD, tiff or eps avoid lossy effect?
              Chris Cox Adobe Employee

              Vikingnm - um, no.  JPEG is the file format.  Once that image is saved as PSD, it's a PSD file.   There is no trace of it's JPEG past, no lossy saving, nothing.  You have to explicitly save it as a JPEG file again to get another JPEG file.

               

              It is not "really a JPEG but with a psd extention", unless you simply changed the file extension -- which is NOT the same thing as saving the image as a PSD file.

              • 4. Re: Will saving jpeg in PSD, tiff or eps avoid lossy effect?
                Vikingnm Community Member

                sorry what I was refering to was the extention of the file...if you select JPEG as the file format in the save dialog box it is possible to accidentially click on a file with a PSD extention and hit save...on the Mac side of things it appears in the finder as a psd due to the extention but is actually a JPEG...i've done this a few times by mistake.

                 

                -do a save as

                -select JPEG as the file format

                -click a .psd in that folder which changes the entire name including the extention...if your not paying attention it will save/replace over that clicked psd

                 

                the file is then a JPEG but with a PSD extention...i've destroyed a few original PSDs by doing this

                 

                the only remodys are

                -not be a clutz like me and click a file in the dialog box

                -choose your file format as the last thing (this makes it the correct extention)

                -change the extention in the file name box

                 

                *update*

                I just did a quick test and it appears the new update to CS5 fixes this, CS4 still does it though so it's more an FYI for those with the older version

                • 5. Re: Will saving jpeg in PSD, tiff or eps avoid lossy effect?
                  c.pfaffenbichler Community Member
                  There is no trace of it's JPEG past, no lossy saving, nothing.

                  If I’m not mistaken one possibility would be placing a jpg as a Smart Object and subsequently editing and saving it, which could cumulate jpg-deterioration.