# Solved: Reducing the size of a picture file in .tif format



## Robert1 (Jan 6, 2001)

Usually my pictures are too large to be practical for sending in email. So I have been opening using Paint, then saving to another location and using the saved file in the second location to attach to my emai. The Paint program usually saves it in less than half the size, which makes it a lot easier to send as an email attachment.

My problem: I was requested recently to resend a file in .tif format, rather than the usual jpg. But for some reason saving in .tif with Paint actually had the effect of more than doubling the size of the file!

Optimally I would like to cut the size of the file (which is in jpg by the way) from about 14 MB to about 1 MB or even less in .tif format.

Sys info below.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thank you kindly,
Robert

Tech Support Guy System Info Utility version 1.0.0.1
OS Version: Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Service Pack 3, 32 bit
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU T5200 @ 1.60GHz, x86 Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 6
Processor Count: 2
RAM: 1015 Mb
Graphics Card: Mobile Intel(R) 945GM Express Chipset Family, 128 Mb
Hard Drives: C: Total - 95393 MB, Free - 52159 MB; 
Motherboard: 
Antivirus: Bell Internet Security Services Anti-Virus, Updated: Yes, On-Demand Scanner: Enabled


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

Sounds like you need to install the free Irfanview
It's a lot more capable than anything supplied by M$


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## wowzer (Dec 28, 2009)

Robert1 said:


> Usually my pictures are too large to be practical for sending in email. So I have been opening using Paint, then saving to another location and using the saved file in the second location to attach to my emai. The Paint program usually saves it in less than half the size, which makes it a lot easier to send as an email attachment.
> 
> My problem: I was requested recently to resend a file in .tif format, rather than the usual jpg. But for some reason saving in .tif with Paint actually had the effect of more than doubling the size of the file!
> 
> ...


As Noyb suggested Irfanview will handle any resizing needs.

but...



> Optimally I would like to cut the size of the file *(which is in jpg by the way) *from about 14 MB


A 14MB .jpg 



> But for some reason saving in .tif with Paint actually had the effect of more than doubling the size of the file!


 .tif will do that, It's an uncompressed format. Nothing to do with Paint.


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## fairnooks (Oct 1, 2007)

> I was requested recently to resend a file in .tif format, rather than the usual jpg. But for some reason saving in .tif with Paint actually had the effect of more than doubling the size of the file!


I'm guessing the request came so that the recipient could get a high quality copy? Compressed .jpg is plumb ugly but it gets it down to email-size.
What you need to do in such cases is send the photo by another service such as YouSendIt, or use a photo email, where you only send the thumbnail while the photo is uploaded in the background and then the recipient downloads it seperately by clicking on the thumbnail in the email, like Hotmail/Live mail does. Or a third option is to upload the photo yourself to something like your Picasa Album account that you create if you don't already have one, and then share that with the recipient so they can go download it from there.


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

fairnooks said:


> I'm guessing the request came so that the recipient could get a high quality copy? Compressed .jpg is plumb ugly but it gets it down to email-size.


But a high res tif version of a jpeg is just as just as dumb ugly as the original jpeg  
Better answers might be available if we knew why and what was trying to be accomplished.
I'm thinking the problem is with the person requesting the tif.


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## fairnooks (Oct 1, 2007)

> But a high res tif version of a jpeg is just as just as dumb ugly as the original jpeg


You know that and I know that...but does the requestor know that? I really was guessing.


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## wowzer (Dec 28, 2009)

As has been stated, compressed .jpg is just that, convert it to whatever you wish it changes nothing quality wize.

Still like to know what kind of a 14MB .jpg this is, must be a heck of a pano or composite

Where's the OP?


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## Robert1 (Jan 6, 2001)

Thanks, guys, for responding. In answer to your questions:

The person I am sending it to is writing a book - that person's publisher/printer requires a .tif format.

I called the people who scanned the document for me : they advised the file is as large as it is because they were trying to obtain as much resolution as possible - an effort to please me I think - I had indicated I wanted a high-quality image/copy.

Well, I looked at all your suggestions, and I finally called the people who scanned it for me and they said they would be glad to save it for me in .tif format, and that I could specify the resolution - I will ask them to do it in a 1 MB file. So I think that is the route I will go. A little easier than trying to attempt to do this on my own - looks to be a fairly convoluted process to convert a jpeg to a tif, with not very good results, if I understand properly.

By the way, Wowzer, what does 'OP' mean?

Have a great day, everyone, and thanks again to all for your replies! All very helpful in giving me an understanding of the problem I am facing and guiding me to a solution, even if that solution isn't what you had in mind!

All the best,
Robert


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

OP=Original Poster = Robert1 =You
We were wondering where you went .. I hope we've helped.

But, You probably opened another "Can of Worms" .. (Four of them)
The person who did the scanning probably did right .. If they didn't convert a jpg to a tif and scanned at a high dpi.
The scan dpi determines the resolution .. Not the file size.
Scan DPI, the image physical size and the format determines the file size .. add color and the file size increases.

I'm not sure about the publisher/printer .. The original book format would be best .. Word .. Publisher .. etc ..
Were a "book" brings up a mental image of pages with words and pictures.
Converting text to a picture can get messy.
I'm surprised the publisher didn't want it in the original format .. or maybe a pdf.

If this was a scan of text .. then I would have expected a 600DPI scan in a tiff format for an OCR Image to text conversion.
Then Microsoft Word can "read" the Image and convert to text.

Most anytime something is converted .. Image formats .. or text to an Image ..
It gets changed and turns into a rumor ..


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## Robert1 (Jan 6, 2001)

Thanks Noyb :

I agree with you - I'm not sure why the ultimate destination (the printer/publisher) is so picky - seems to me most systems would be flexible enough to take jpg, tif, pdf, whatever.

All I can say is I try to keep everyone happy! <smile>

All the best and thanks again for coming back to me!

By the way, I will mark the problem solved at this stage - I'm not completely satisfied with the situation, but to a large degree I'm limited by time/equipent/software limitations - as I say, I think my best bet is simply to go back to the original scanner and get them to produce a tif file for me, and then I'll send that to the person who's writing the book.

Robert


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

Not knowing what it's a scan of is a little confusing as far as a definite answer ..
I might suggest a scan resolution of 600dpi .. This should be twice as good as finally needed ..
resulting in a file size that is 4 times larger than a 300dpi scan.
You're approach should make everyone happy ... But you'll be dealing with some huge files.
Ignorance is Bliss and it sounds like you're caught between a Rock and a Hard Place 

Sounds like the publisher .. and maybe the writer .. is trying to stop anyone from using a jpeg compression that could possibly introduce noise and distortion.

Any time a jpeg is opened .. edited .. saved .. and opened again .. etc .. It becomes a multi generation rumor of the original.
If you ever should have to use a jpeg format .. it should be the last conversion you ever do to it .. 
And only if you know what you're doing and what it's to be used for.


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