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JPEG Compression vs. File Size
and Image Quality

This photo CD image was opened with Adobe Photoshop using their Kodak Photo CD conversion program. It was then sized and saved to JPG using Adobe's "best" level of image quality for compression. It is using a whopping 40k for the image file.

If you cover this image with your mouse, the sharper image below will replace it. You can move the mouse on and off for a quick comparison of the two images
This version of the same image was saved at medium JPEG compression level using PhotoImpact's Smart Saver program as a Photoshop plugin. Even though this image is detail rich this file is only using 19k. The application of unsharp mask in Photoshop makes this image look better than the 40k image file above.
Img0025ans.JPG (4387 bytes) This version of the dunes image was saved using Smart Saver at a very hi level of JPEG compression. We've got the file size down to only 5k. However, you an see the general softening of the image and loss of detail.

If you cover this image with your mouse, the sharper image below will replace it. You can move the mouse on and off for a quick comparison of the two images
Img0025as.jpg (17647 bytes) We applied the unsharp mask filter to this image and saved at a very low JPEG compression using PhotoImpact's Smart Saver as a Photoshop plugin. The image file size is still only 17k and the image quality is very nice.

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Steve Hoffmann's Nature and Landscape Photography - Gallery Index & News