I have only processed a few files using the method below, which has been working fine.

But I just had an instance where my downsized file was twice the size of the maximum we allow. Wondering if anyone else has encountered the same?

Process:
- Import NEF (Nikon RAW) file into Lightroom Classic
- Run LR Denoise early in the process, after which LR generates a DNG file
- Complete post-processing on the DNG file
- Send the DNG file to Photoshop, downsize to 1800px, sharpen, convert to profile sRGB, save copy as JPG (12-maximum)

Depending on the image, this usually produces an 1800px JPG up to 1.5MB.

One image I have just processed as per above has produced a 5MB 1800px JPG, having started with about a 100MB DNG (and the image is mainly background bokeh).

As a workaround, I saved the final DNG as a TIFF (about 160MB), then downsized, sharpened, and saved the TIFF as a JPG, which gave me a file of a little over 1MB.

Has anyone encountered similar?
Is the workaround I used the best way to deal with this?

Any thoughts appreciated.

Hi Craig,

I encounter this problem often, albeit I arrive at the same problem spot via a different means. Ultimately, whenever I am confronted with a JPEG that is too large in size, I simply scale down the quality from 100% to 99% (12 to 11, or even 10 thereafter if required).
This works more often than not, however, on ocassions I might need to go down to 98%.

I hope this helps....

Cheers,
Rob.

Hi Rob,

Thanks for your reply.

Should have mentioned that I had already tried this, even taking the quality slider down to 1-Low, but it simply produced a horrible looking 3MB file, which is why I ended up saving as a TIFF, then downsizing.

Maybe there is something peculiar to the DNG file (I do have several Lightroom masks in it).

Best regards,
Craig

I can't comment specifically, especially as you can save a suitable size file when go via a TIFF. However, JPG files are not capable of storing metadata like layers or selections (in my experience anyway). So I would think your masks would'nt make any difference - you could always try a test with a starting DNG version with the masks deleted and see what happens.

One thing that does have a very big impact on file is the amount of detail in the image especially the background. Noise, in particular, will blow out file sizes hugely. But you have treated noise early in the process so I'm unsure what is happening here - unless for some reason some or most of that noise is still making it through to the final stage?

Although I don't work with TIFF or DNG (I understand DNGs are a form of TIFF, but with an Adobe overlay), I wonder if the issue isn't peculiar to working with or downsizing the huge16 bit TIFFs?  Perhaps the answer might be to convert to (or export as) an 8 bit TIFF before converting to JPEG.  JPEG's are only 8 bit so starting with an 8-bit TIFF shouldn't overly impact quality particularly give you are downsizing anyway.

Another option might be to just work in LR.  Saves you having to work in multiple formats (raw to DNG to TIFF to Jpeg, which seems like overkill).  Can you apply NR as the last step, and export as a downsized JPEG directly from LR?  It seems to me to be much cleaner to directly convert your raw into the final product.

Simon

Thanks for your comments Simon.

The output of using the Denoise AI tool within LR is a new DNG - so if that is my choice of tool for noise reduction, then I will always be downsizing a DNG.
If I only have to occasionally create a TIFF before the JPG, I am OK with that.

Downsizing to JPG from within LR is not the best in my opinion. You tick "sharpen for screen", then choose low, medium or high (with no preview available).
I like the Smart Sharpen option in Photoshop because you can sharpen by percentage whilst looking at a 100% (or other percentage if you like) preview.

Best regards,
Craig