saving images

[zmikers]

When you guys are saving pictures on to your computer, what do you do to keep the file size down? I don't want to lose any quality, but I'm looking at about 70 MB each picture after some PP with layers. I know I can make them smaller, but will that lessen the quality, and if I do make it smaller can I enlarge it again afterwards? Any suggestions here would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[AlexMonro]

If you mage the pictures smaller, you're throwing away information which you can never get back (though some upsizing programs such as GenuineFractals can make quite a good effort for some types of shots). If you're sure you've completed editing to produce your final image you may find saving in a lossless format such as TIFF results in smaller files, just losing the ability to undo edits. Alternatively, the losses when saving as a high quality (minimal compression) jpg are unlikely to be noticeable on most prints, though still giving up to 2:1 compression.

[zmikers]

thanks for the reply, I'll try that

[T06]

but I'm looking at about 70 MB each picture after some PP with layers. !

Is this a typo? Thats rather large, or am I missing something here?

[Norm in Fujino]

Is this a typo? Thats rather large, or am I missing something here?

He's saving with layers, so that's not at all unreasonable. I've had single shots go into the hundreds of MB when uprezzed with Qimage.
I personally don't save in TIFF or with individual layers intact unless it's a really good/difficult shot that I feel I might want to go back and change later, or it's a version I've specifically made for printing. In most cases, I flatten any layers and save that way.

[T06]

.... I have a lot to learn but I suspected this may be the case as I posted it. That feeling you get that this is dumb question normally warns me.:D

[mattdm]

Yeah, if I modify an image, I generally save the very original, plus a "flattened" version of the final modified version. Plus, I use non-lossy formats while working, but save the final version as high-quality jpeg.

[zmikers]

I know that I can save the image smaller, I guess my problem is that I'm always worried that I might want to go back and fix something later. I guess I should just do my PP then be happy with it, save it as a jpeg and just leave it. :p

T06, no with layers, my photos are 70 mb or more. Nom is right, some can get up into the 100s. :D

Thanks for the replies everyone!