How can I export JPEGs to stay under a 2MB file size limit?
Asked 10/13/2011
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2 answers
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I need to upload jewelry photos to a website that has a 2MB maximum file size per image. My originals are mostly JPEGs over 3MB. I want to keep the aspect ratio, preserve metadata, and retain the best possible quality while making sure each exported file stays under 2MB. Adobe Bridge seems to let me control image dimensions, but not target file size. What software or workflow can export images with a maximum file size limit?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
2
Lightroom 3 has the built-in ability to set a filesize constraint when exporting. I haven't used it myself, and I'm aware there has been the odd bug related to that functionality, but it definitely exists.
Originally by user1124. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1124
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—some Adobe tools can do this, but Bridge itself does not appear to offer a target file size export option.
From the answers provided:
- Lightroom 3 includes an export setting that can constrain JPEGs to a maximum file size.
- Photoshop can also do file-size-based export.
- Lightroom with the Mogrify plugin was also mentioned as a way to target file size.
In practice, the usual approach is to export as JPEG and adjust quality and/or pixel dimensions until the file stays under 2MB. If the destination is a website, reducing image dimensions is often the most effective way to cut size while preserving acceptable visual quality. Aspect ratio can be maintained during resizing, and metadata can typically be preserved through export settings.
If you know the final display size the website needs, exporting specifically for that size is the best workflow. If your camera supports smaller capture sizes, shooting with the intended web use in mind can also reduce the need for later resizing.
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