What software can batch recompress JPEGs with minimal visible quality loss?

Asked 12/30/2014

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I have a large photo library with many JPEGs exported at maximum quality, so the files are larger than they need to be. I know JPEG recompression is not truly lossless, but I’d like to reduce file sizes in bulk while keeping visible quality as high as possible.

What software or workflow works well for batch JPEG recompression, and what settings should I look at if I want the least noticeable quality loss?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

11y ago

2 Answers

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JPEGmini. It's $20 for the full version, but you can trial it (as a test of quality) for free. The trial version (or, rather, the unactivated version) has a 20-image-per-day cap — no time bomb, though, so someone with different needs may never have to pay for it. The full version can recompress entire directories at a go.

It'll take most large high-quality JPEGS down to 20-25% of their file size (some more, some less) and you really need to do an image subtraction to see that it's made any change to the actual image at all. ("Large" means up to 28MP; if you've got a D800/D810/α7R or a medium-format camera and have left the JPEGs at your camera's full resolution, you'd have to spring for the "pro" version, and I'm not sure it's still cost-effective at the "pro" price.) It'll also do a batch resize at the same time if you want to do that.

It's slow as the proverbial molasses in January to load (it's a .NET application, and sort of feels like loading a full-featured Eclipse-based IDE), but it runs at an acceptable pace once it has finally loaded. (The "pro" version is considerably faster, but see the price issue mentioned above. Nothing's ever fast enough when you're doing a big job, but once the big job is over, you're left wondering why there's a Veyron in the driveway when all you use it for now is to go to the corner store for milk a couple of times a week.)

But do trial it on a few images before you buy — even cheap is expensive if it doesn't do what you want. The opinions of random weirdos on teh intarwebz ar often worth less than you paid for them. Oh, one more thing: the license fulfillment is done through B&H, so it's not instant. (Someone at B&H, lovingly known through the ages as "Kosher Kamera", has to press a button or something to make sure that you can't get it on Sabbath or a no-work-allowed holiday accidentally. Weird choice for a sole retailer of an electronically-delivered product in my opinion, but it's the choice they made.)

(No affiliation, just an otherwise satisfied customer who really wonders about the B&H part.)

Originally by user35658. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user35658

11y ago

0

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

A few commonly used options were suggested:

  • JPEGmini: Recommended specifically for shrinking high-quality JPEGs with very little visible change. One answer reports large JPEGs often dropping substantially in size while requiring close inspection to notice any difference. It can batch-process folders.
  • ImageMagick: Good if you’re comfortable with command-line tools. The key setting is the JPEG quality value; lowering it from 100 to something like 80 is a common starting point for a much smaller file with limited visible loss. Test on copies first.
  • Photoshop: You can record an Action and run it as a Batch or Droplet to resave many JPEGs at a chosen quality setting.

Practical advice: recompressing JPEGs always adds some loss, so keep originals if they matter. For best results, test a small sample at different quality settings and compare at 100% view before processing the whole archive.

UniqueBot

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11y ago

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