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File sizes?

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kitten500

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I am new to LR and have just noticed that after editing in LR via Develop - my file sizes are 5 times that of the original file. I am working in RAW (canon) with sizes around 1','''KB, after editing they become 5','''KB. At the rate my hard drive will be full in no time.

Is this the norm? Is this a trade off - when using undistrustive editing? And if I send the image to CS2 I then have a 2nd TIFF file of the same general size.

I am sure I am missing something? Any suggestions?
 
Welcome to the forum Kitten5''.
First please read and action the rules for signatures so we know how best to answer you.

To answer your question though, what are you importing your raw files as?
 
5','''kb?! Wow, you don't want too many of those hanging around!

Ok, well first things first, welcome to Lightroom Forums. When you get a second, would you mind updating your signature, as it makes it much easier to offer specific advice. There's instructions here and screenshots here. Thanks!

Now, back to your file sizes.... how about you tell us what settings you're using the Export dialog, because I think that's probably the key here. I'm guessing 16bit Tiffs, or something along those lines, possibly with supersize dimensions as well.
 
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Er... what files are you looking at? Are you sure you are looking at the original RAW files you imported and not something else? Maybe a PSD that was generated from Lightroom when you transferred a file to Photoshop? Maybe a TIFF?

Lightroom doesn't edit the actual file but stores edits in the database. Therefore, your file sizes shouldn't change at all. The only exception might be DNGs if you save data back to the file, but the change in size should be tiny. Other RAW formats get an XMP sidecar for data saved back to the file.

EDIT: Victoria... no posting while I am posting. New rule. ;)
 
Oh! We're all a bit keen on these signatures, aren't we!!!!
 
Fixed the signiture - hope it is OK.

The file is a CR2 file when it is first imported into LR.
After editing it is labled ............... I see the light. It befomes a TIFF file and 5','''KB after I send it to CS2. Editing in LR does not change the file size. But is there anything I can do about the size of the TIFF file.

I must admit that I have just started using RAW and TIFF - before that it was only JPEG.
 
kitten5'';11'5 said:
Fixed the signiture - hope it is OK.

The file is a CR2 file when it is first imported into LR.
After editing it is labled ............... I see the light. It befomes a TIFF file and 5','''KB after I send it to CS2. Editing in LR does not change the file size. But is there anything I can do about the size of the TIFF file.

I must admit that I have just started using RAW and TIFF - before that it was only JPEG.

Thanks for your signature Jenny!
Editing in PS gives several options, the main one that will reduce the size is to use 8bit rather than 16bit. You can also compress tiffs. I don't recall if PSD is smaller but you could test.
Hope that helps.
 
Signature is perfect. Thanks.

TIFF files, by nature, are very large files. I don't think there is much that can be done about that. Are you concerned because you expect to edit many (if not all) of your images in Photoshop?
 
Jenny,

Take a look at your export/edit settings.
If you are exporting/editing your TIFFs in 16 bit, it doubles the size of the file.
A Canon 5D RAW with 12 Mb usually becomes a TIFF with 36 Mb in 8 bit, but 72 Mb in 16 bit!
 
Thankyou. I wil check compression for TIFFs

Does 8bit reduce picture quality?

:D No! It affects color depth, but you don't have to worry about that unless you intend to do a lot of work (layers, channels, masks, blendings, color mode changes) in Photoshop *and* enlarge the final image to big sizes.

Regards,
 
Geoff,

PSDs exported from LR are the same size as uncompressed TIFFs.
In my workflow, Tiffs are the final copies sent to the client; I always edit in Photoshop by exporting/edit in using PSDs. I treat PSDs an DNGs of the chosen images as Master Files, and from these all derivatives (copies) will be produced.
 
Thanks for that Clicio.
I covert (ha ha that ought to be convert, I know I'm down under but not under cover!!) all my raws to DNG on import so edit in tiff if I go to PS.
 
Ha!
You convert all RAWs to DNGs on import!
That's good news, Geoff, I am always thinking about doing things this way, but something tells me it can be slow; what's your experience? I'd rather import quickly and convert to DNG (deleting original RAWs after the conversion) when I have time to spare.
But I am really curious about your workflow.
Thanks!
 
I too convert all RAW files (CR2 and NEF) into DNG upon import. The import process is definitely slower than simply importing the original RAW files, but then using DNG Converter to make the DNGs is also slow, so I don't see any fault with Lightroom in this respect.

I just like the idea of having all my files as DNGs. Call me blessed/cursed with OCD, I suppose. :p

EDIT: I also backup on import which adds some additional time to the import process.
 
Ha!
You convert all RAWs to DNGs on import!
That's good news, Geoff, I am always thinking about doing things this way, but something tells me it can be slow; what's your experience? I'd rather import quickly and convert to DNG (deleting original RAWs after the conversion) when I have time to spare.
But I am really curious about your workflow.
Thanks!

Clicio - I've got my picture up, so when you show yours, I'll tell you !!! :lol::lol::lol:
I am not sure about the speed but I convert to DNG on import and back up the NEFs to another drive for insurance. I got annoyed with the xmp files. But I am still open to new ways.
 
Clicio - I've got my picture up, so when you show yours, I'll tell you !!! :lol::lol::lol:
Geoff, you are too slow tonight!
It is already uploaded!
Anyway, I like DNGs also, but my point of view is, if you can make the computer work for you while you are surfing, or sailing, or skiing, do it!
So I import the RAWs, trash the no-goods, select all->convert to DNG and out I go!
:D
 
Geoff, you are too slow tonight!
It is already uploaded!
Anyway, I like DNGs also, but my point of view is, if you can make the computer work for you while you are surfing, or sailing, or skiing, do it!
So I import the RAWs, trash the no-goods, select all->convert to DNG and out I go!
:D

What happens to the sidecar files when you convert to DNG? Do they get deleted, as the DNGs contain identical data as the sidecars, or do they remain, orphaned, on your filesystem?
 
Ok, how about I get a bit controversial now.... (Oh, nice signature by the way Jenny, thanks!!)

Let me ask you a couple of questions....
Why are you choosing Tiff rather than, say, Jpeg?
Why are you choosing 16 bit rather than 8 bit?
What exactly are you doing to these files once they leave LR, to need 16 bit Tiffs rather than 8 bit Jpegs?

The reason I ask is simple. I speak with many photographers dealing with a high volume of images, for example wedding photographers, who are using 16 bit of Tiffs simply because they've been told that's best. And technically that's true. But we do live in the real world. Have you ever examined the difference between a 16 bit Tiff and an 8 bit Quality 12 Jpeg?

If you are just opening, doing a little retouching, saving and closing, there's very little difference between the 2 - and the space saving is HUGE. In fact, try opening, saving, and closing a quality 12 jpegs numerous times.... you have to do so an awful lot of times before you start to see any degradation in quality. 16 bit Tiffs have their places - gradients, huge colour or density shifts, those kind of things. But that doesn't mean you have to use them for everything.
 
What happens to the sidecar files when you convert to DNG? Do they get deleted, as the DNGs contain identical data as the sidecars, or do they remain, orphaned, on your filesystem?
Ian,
Every time I have converted from LR, I check "delete original after conversion". So the RAW is deleted along with the sidecar XMP.
No orphaned files remain when using this method!
8)
 
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