Output method for LARGE file

[Andy_warp]

As I've mentioned in an earlier post, it was quite a while ago that issues such as this thread's tangent became widely known to service bureaus. TIFF was / is a known format, especially to print software & hdwr mfrs, and LZW was used for benefit of file xfer across WAN and LAN. The compressed file could go directly to print, including grand format shops. PSD files at the time, not so much.

A very real concern is the proprietary PSD format itself as far as access in the long term. Some shops have always used TIFF as the base. They're lucky that way.

Yes, you can save TIFF files with adjustment layers.

Interesting. Do they support layer masks?

I do see that compatibility could be a key factor into hanging on to tif. Similar in my opinion to Corel draw due to the cutter drivers and such.

Don’t get me wrong...Photoshop as of late bugs me quite a bit. Won’t be long until there are full on video ads at start up!

 

[Andy_warp]

Post keep coming in as I'm slowly getting around to writing this comment. lol, I shouldn't be here on a Friday afternoon!



And that really goes for anything. We see it all the time when we do large sponsor banners.

As a banner guy, a majority of our work is done in Flexi and Illy. So I rarely deal with Photoshop as a main tool. I do use it for scaling and converting graphics to import into other programs as TIFFs. I'll tell you that Preserve Details 2.0 has been a life saver on so many fast turn around projects. So yeah, I don't deal with a lot of high-dpi high pass prints, but that has no bearing on knowledge of file types and such.



PSD is the absolute best for working in Photoshop. After all TIFF is a remnant of the old "TWAIN Acquire" days. But TIFF evolved and isn't proprietary so for every other program in the world, regarding raster art, it's going to be the best. I'd say official rankings would be #1 - A programs Native File Format and #2 TIFF.

TIFF doesn't even need compression, but when you can have a lossless format that produces the same results, why not? I will say that LZW isn't always the best, according to this article. Certain color depths actually make the file larger!



Slightly off topic, but I got a file a few weeks ago that was created by a designer outside the US, a friend of the customer. The artwork was "good," but there were some awful transparency issues that cause a lens flare to be a sold black box. The customer literally told me to print it like that after I asked for it to be resent. I was able to fix it, but the point is, even customer approval isn't fool proof!

I haven’t had any experience with flexi, only onyx and caldera. Prefer onyx, use caldera due to machine drivers.

Twain! Haha! I don’t miss those large format scanning days through the scsi cord!

The problem we have in proofing is it’s tough to show/express resolution issues with an emailable file. Short fuses on projects don’t allow for printed proofs that would show those issues.

It turns into me feeling bad telling someone it will look like shit.

When I get a request to see if a file is “good enough” it isn’t 90% of the time!

Part of my “tangent” stems from designers and paid professionals NOT handling their assets with any respect.

In the Twain days...good assets were GOLD!

Edited to add: Preserve Details 2.0 is awesome!