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It reduces the file size but what aspect of 'quality' does it reduce? Resolution? Its default is 95 - is that overkill? I've exported at a few different levels and can't really see the difference.
why would you not use 100%?
If as i assume 95% will produce a file 5% smaller than if exported at 95% why would you want to reduce potential quality and not export at the 100%?
If you are talking about Lightroom, there are two things to consider. First, the scale isn't linear in terms of image size - a file saved at 80% may be less than half the size of a file saved at 100%. Second, there probably aren't really 100 meaningfully different levels of compression available - I've seen it claimed that LR is really just using the 0-12 scale of Photoshop, which may mean that 95% and 100% will actually give the same result, corresponding to 12 on the Photoshop scale (I don't have Lightroom here, so I can't verify this - would anyone like to try it?).why would you not use 100%?
If as i assume 95% will produce a file 5% smaller than if exported at 95% why would you want to reduce potential quality and not export at the 100%?
I've seen it claimed that LR is really just using the 0-12 scale of Photoshop, which may mean that 95% and 100% will actually give the same result, corresponding to 12 on the Photoshop scale (I don't have Lightroom here, so I can't verify this - would anyone like to try it?).
You can test this without PS, just by trying some different closely-spaced percentages in LR to see if they make a difference to file size. Here's a claimed mapping between LR and PS:I don't have photoshop so can't help.
You can test this without PS, just by trying some different closely-spaced percentages in LR to see if they make a difference to file size. Here's a claimed mapping between LR and PS:
https://photographylife.com/jpeg-compression-levels-in-photoshop-and-lightroom
If this is correct, anything from 93-100% in LR should give you the same output.
It might help the op if you unpack that comment.I think the best way to reduce the file size is reduce the definition according to the intended use.
why would you not use 100%?
The point of a JPG is to compress the image for use in various different ways. A 16mp JPG at 100% quality rocks in at around 12mb whereas at 80% it is more like 3mb, which gives you much more storage spaces for negligible drop in quality. Yes storage is cheap but try living somewhere with slow internet...
It might help the op if you unpack that comment.
The one real issue with saving at below 90% is if you edit multiple times. This can start to build up JPEG artifacts, storing at 95-98% I've never had these noticable despite sometimes re-editing a file many times.
If I was editing JPEGs I would save at lossless/100% until I wanted to publish and then reduce the size/quality for the published version still keeping the original lossless version for possible future edits.The one real issue with saving at below 90% is if you edit multiple times. This can start to build up JPEG artifacts, storing at 95-98% I've never had these noticable despite sometimes re-editing a file many times.
It's the open>save>open>save cycle that causes degradation fairly quickly, multiple edits without repeated saving and reopening shouldn't. I'm not a huge one for a lot of editing but when I do, I do it all in one sitting (if possible) and if that's not possible, I tend to save as a .psd or similar rather than risk the degradation. I always shoot in JPEG at the largest size and highest quality available and do as little PP as possible.
If I was editing JPEGs I would save at lossless/100% until I wanted to publish and then reduce the size/quality for the published version still keeping the original lossless version for possible future edits.
I too always shoot best JPEG, & do minimal processing. But I often find I've missed dust marks etc and have to re-edit.
It reduces the file size but what aspect of 'quality' does it reduce? Resolution? Its default is 95 - is that overkill? I've exported at a few different levels and can't really see the difference.