Hi Clint,
I think that Save for Web has always converted any image to 72 pixels per inch. If you want to retain a particular value for pixels per inch in a jpeg, you need to use Save As.
Hope this helps.
I know that images for the web will only display at 72 dpi
Not so, I’m afraid. In fact when was the last time you saw a monitor with a screen resolution of 72ppi?
The "resolution" you are seeing on your file info is just a number, a tag. You can change the ppi tag to anything you want ( image>image size with "resample" unchecked) and it won’t make a blind bit of difference to how it will display in the web browser.
By default a web page will display one image pixel to one screen pixel. The "ppi" and size in inches are totally irrelevant.
Look at it this way: If you had a monitor which was 14 inches wide and if the screen was set to 1024×768 pixels at 72ppi resolution, a 72 pixel by 72 pixel image would display at approximately one inch square. The very same image would appear larger on a 19" screen or one one which was set to a different resolution.
The only thing that matters is the actual pixel dimensions.
Hope this helps.
Chris.
wrote:
I know that images for the web will only display at 72 dpi.
Not true. Browsers don’t read DPI, so it doesn’t matter if it’s 72 or 300. The only thing a browser looks at is the image dimensions.
Linda R.
———
Clint,
I think you are confusing Save for Web with Save As. In no previous version could you Save for Web at 300 ppi. What would the purpose of that be?
Now is CS3 when you save in any of the above formats it saves as 72 dpi.
Actually, there is no dpi/ppi resolution data included in a ‘save for web’ file. Photoshop is not saving a web image file at 72 ppi or 300 ppi. When Photoshop opens a file without resolution data, it defaults or guesses that it is 72 ppi. If you open the same JPG in another program, it may default to 100 ppi.
Screen designers do not utilize resolution data. There is nothing to fix here.
I beg to differ in previous version if you "saved as" or "saved for web" it would save at 300dpi. Check it out.
Now, it saves the dimensions higher then the original but with 72 dpi.
This is an issue…because how many times do you run across someone that has limited knowledge of ppi or dpi and just knows that they need the artwork to be a 300 dpi jpg? Now you must explain everything to them and say it will work fine even though the dpi states its 72?
I did check it out. CS and 7.0.1. It doesn’t. Do you have a previous version that you can check out?
If they need the artwork to be 300 ppi use Save As, not Save for Web.
EDIT: To clarify, I can Save As at 300 ppi. I cannot Save for Web at 300 ppi. Are you saying you can’t simply Save As at whatever resolution?
what ed said. sfw STRIPS the metadata like ppi! that’s what it’s for!
it doesn’t save ANY ppi, 72 or otherwise. that 72 is coming from the viewing application defaults (i.e. photoshop) when it encounters a file with no ppi setting.
I’m not at CS3 right now. Is the new default ppi for opening images without resolution data now 300?
Now you must explain everything to them and say it will work fine even though the dpi states its 72?
It does not matter if an image in Photoshop is saved with 72, 300 or 4000 ppi. They are all suited for print. The only thing that matters is the effective resolution in the print program, which is never contained in a file, even if Photoshop includes it in the normal ‘save as’ function.
If I place a 300 ppi image in a print layout program and then scale the image, it is no longer 300 ppi. I rarely use an image at 100% scale in InDesign and QuarkXPress.
The only resolution you need to worry about is the effective resolution in the print program.
But, as noted before, if this is intended for print, do not use ‘save for web’.
Clint why Save for Web with resolution data?
If your image is destined for print, do not use Save for Web.
The resolution Photoshop applies to an image with no resolution tag can be set in preferences (72, 96 and, I believe just about anything you like).
The resolution Photoshop applies to an image with no resolution tag can be set in preferences (72, 96 and, I believe just about anything you like).
Only for new documents.
For saving in 300dpi, use "Save As" JPEG, instead of "Save for Web"
I’m having the same problem as Clint Rankin . . . I’m entering a photo contest where they specifically request a photo to be submitted as a jpg, gif or bmp, suggesting it be 300 ppi and limiting the size to 3M for upload. I try to "save as" in photoshop (CS) but only get the options of saving it as "Photoshop", "Photoshop PDF" "Photoshop Raw" or "Tiff". When I do a save for web (only because I knew there would be the option of jpg format available), it reduces the 300ppi to 72. I want to keep it at 300 (guessing for printing of entries submitted into pamphlet/book etc.?) What to do?
Try flattening your file?
Make sure that your image is in 8-bit mode; and either RGB, CMYK OR Grayscale.
I’m entering a photo contest where they specifically request a photo to be submitted as a jpg, gif or bmp
Is it really worth entering such a contest if they accept GIF?
If they request 300 ppi, they should also be requesting a physical size. 300 ppi is meaningless without a physical size as well.
LOL. Not only do they accept GIF, but demand resolution of 300 PPI. A GIF file holds no resolution info per the file specifications.
Just because someone is running a contest doesn’t mean they know what the hell they are doing. I wonder if they will disqualify all the gif entries since none of them will be 300 ppi.
Help needed! :o)
I am an author, and I sent a cover image to my publisher that I had edited in photoshop. I saved it as the highest resolution, but they have come back telling me that it is saved as 72 dpi, and they need 300 dpi. They are telling me that this image is "unusable" and "will not print".
I am new to photoshop (am using CS3), and I have no idea how to save this correctly. I am currently saving it as a jpeg, highest resolution it will allow, and it is in CMYK mode.
Any and all help would be so appreciated!!! Thank you so much!
:o) Tara
What are the pixel dimensions of your image (# pixels high by wide)?
What physical dimensions do you want to print to (inches high by wide)?
Hi Jim!
Thank you so much for replying!
The pixel dimensions are 1800 x 1350. That is the size after I cropped it down a bit.
The original picture pixel dimensions are 8533 x 6400.
The final picture needs to be 6 inches wide and 4 – 4.25 inches tall.
Again, thank you for helping. I am new to all of this, and just not sure what they need.
🙂 Tara
Hi Tara,
That image will make 6" by 4’5" at 300ppi so will be fine.
From Image>Image Size make sure resampling is unchecked and set the resolution to 300ppi – the size will then show 6" by 4.5"
Then just Save As to whatever you require.
as the pixel dimensions are good, i’d wonder at a printer who couldn’t do that simple conversion. or is it just standard practice not to mess with the image?
Hi Jim and Dave –
Thank you so much for your help – I wanted to write right back but was having trouble logging in.
I did what you said, and saved it in various formats – including as a photoshop file, and as a PDF, as I saw that this retains all the layering and contrast well for the final print.
However, I just got the mock-up of the cover, and the image looks really bad. It looks like my image, but is much, much darker and lacks all the lovely contrast that was in the original.
Do you have any suggestions for what I should do? Or what I need to say to explain how to have this image print correctly? I really just don’t ahve the vocabulary to explain this to the cover designer –
And yes, Dave – I was really wondering the same questions myself!!! And frankly, I still am!
Thanks again for your help! Any further insight you might provide would be greatly appreciated.
Hope you are having a great day!
:o) Tara
Oops – I forgot to thank Len on the posting – so thank you!
🙂 Tara
Hi Tara,
There are really only three possibilities as to why the image is different:
1. Your monitor is incorrectly calibrated.
2. You created the image in RGB and when converted to CMYK for output, many of your colours were out of gamut.
3. Your printer doesn’t know what he is doing.
So, are you sending an RGB image to the printer?
