Is it normal for layered Photoshop PSD/TIFF files to grow from a 5MB RAW to 300–700MB?
Asked 4/2/2011
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My original camera RAW files are around 5MB (.NEF), but after editing in Photoshop my saved PSD or TIFF files are often 300–700MB. I usually use smart objects and keep quite a few layers. Is that normal, and why do the files become so much larger than the original RAW?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
5
This is how big my .psd files are:
I have a lot in the 300-700MB range (mostly around 300MB). Some of these would be larger (probably a couple of gigabytes) but I flatten the layers occasionally to stop the files getting too large.
Is it excessive? I don't think so, if you have plenty of layers. Quite a few of my bigger files are panoramas. One thing I have noticed it that if you turn off "compatibility mode" when saving the files can be quite a bit smaller.
Originally by user1375. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1375
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes — that’s normal for layered Photoshop files.
A RAW file stores the camera’s original captured data in a relatively compact form. A PSD or TIFF with edits is different: it can contain a full rendered image plus multiple layers, masks, smart objects, adjustment data, and sometimes a compatibility composite. Each layer adds more pixel data, so file size grows quickly.
Files in the 300–700MB range are common if you use many layers, smart objects, or panoramas. They can get even larger.
If you want smaller files, common options are:
- flatten the image once editing is finished
- save a final flattened TIFF/other output format and keep the RAW separately
- disable Photoshop compatibility/maximize compatibility if you don’t need it
PSD/TIFF files are essentially working/source files, so they are expected to be much larger than the original RAW. If retaining every editable layer matters, large sizes are the tradeoff. If not, flattening is the simplest way to save space.
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