InDesignSecretsTIFF vs PSD vs EPS vs PDF vs…
It seems like every few months this topic pops up again: Which is the best file format to use for graphics? Some folks insist that everyone should use EPS and TIFF. Others think AI and PSD. And what about PNG or JPEG?! Here’s my take on the subject, after over 20 years of doing this:
EPS is a dying format. There is virtually no reason for you to ever save anything yourself as EPS. Here are good reasons to use an EPS file:
- if you already have an old vector graphic (from Illustrator or Freehand or something);
- if some software is making it for you (such as this Barcode plug-in); in this case, the software is likely doing special stuff that can only be done in PostScript, then encapsulated in the eps.
PDF is the current and future of publishing. If you have a vector Illustrator document, save it in PDF or AI (see below). The only reason to save a Photoshop document as a PDF is if you have vector type or “shape” layers. (No other format, besides eps, can save vector info from PS.)
AI (native Illustrator format) is great for most files from Illustrator, as long as you’re not using them in other programs. If you’re going to use them in something other than InDesign, consider using PDF instead. By the way, if you save an .ai file, make sure you include the PDF in it (that’s an option when saving), or else InDesign can’t read it.
PSD (native Photoshop format) is great for most files from Photoshop, as long as you’re not using them programs other than InDesign, and there’s no vector stuff in there that you’re trying to save. PSD has the benefit over TIFF in that it can save layers, layer comps, and duotones (or tri- or quadtone images).
TIFF is a terrific format that everyone can agree is useful, at least for raster (bitmapped) images in print workflows. You have the option to save transparency and layered files. A few years ago, I used TIFF for everything, but I have to admit that I’ve strayed more recently to PSD and JPEG. The main reason to use TIFF (instead of JPEG or PSD) is when you need a bitmapped image suitable for a lot of different programs, not just InDesign.
JPEG (or JPG, if you’re a three-letter extension kind of person) is totally great, as long as you’re talking about photographic images. Yes, you can use this for print, too, if you use the Excellent/Maximum quality. (There are plenty of people who say never use it for print. These are the same people who say that all printing must be done gravure. Ignore them.) For synthetic images with sharp lines (such as type on a solid background), JPEG is not so good because you’ll see artifacts. Of course, images saved with lower quality (higher compression) will also show artifacts, so be careful. Also, JPEG isn’t so good if you’re going to be editing the file repeatedly — it’s really a final-version file format. If you’re going to be editing the file in the future, consider PSD.
PNG is great for interactive documents (such as EPUB or HTML export), but not for print. This is the format you should use (instead of JPEG) if your graphics are solid colors against solid colors (sharp, non-photographic edges).
These days, when it comes to Photoshop images, I generally save PSD about 60% of the time, JPEG 20% of the time, and the rest split up between PDF, TIFF, and PNG. For Illustrator graphics, I use AI about 75% of the time, PDF about 20%, and other stuff about 5%.
There are lots of other formats, such as the old DCS (required for spot colors in the dark ages; not I just use PSD or PDF), GIF (not really relevant; png is better in many cases), and PICT (you’re kidding, right?)… but you’re going to be happiest if you stick with one of the formats above.
The problem is that your file is too large for PSD or TIFF. Those file formats just can’t deal with it. You’d need to resample it smaller.
But by the time I am >save as> is has the following options: Photoship RAW, PSB(LARGE FORMAT…attention psb NOT PSD), and TIFF , what can I do.The file is already 2GB!!!
Very helpful, thank you for the collected thoughts here.
Having problems saving InDesign documents/PDFs (CS5). You re-link the .psd and save it, and again it says you need to re-link. Never used to have any problems in this area, and it dosn’t happen every time now, just enough to be annoying (have been using InDesign since it was invented, and Macs since the 80′s). Is this a CS5 problem? The files work perfectly if you change linke to .tiffs, or open files in CS5.5. Anybody else encountered this effect when doing similar work?
I just wanted to point out one contradiction in your descriptions:
PSD has the benefit over TIFF in that it can save layers, layer comps, and duotones (or tri- or quadtone images).
TIFF is a terrific format that everyone can agree is useful, at least for raster (bitmapped) images in print workflows. You have the option to save transparency and layered files.
You imply that TIFFs cannot save layers in the PSD description, while in the TIFF description you say that they support layered files. The latter is correct. The statement should read: PSD has the benefit over TIFF in that it can save layer comps and duotones (or tri- or quadtone images).
Thanks
@Jenny, you can bet the farm that either they are blindly following someone’s outdated advice, or their printer is, or their printer has some extremely nasty outdated equipment! I am stunned… What format goes into InDesign nearly doesn’t matter as long as it’s in the appropriate format, e.g. psd, tiff or jpeg for raster, it is how you export it to PDF that matters.
I am working freelance for an ad agency and they are saying that all the InDesign files that go to print need to have .eps format graphics placed in them, even the photos. This is unusual for me and I wonder it seems inefficient. They say this is how they need to prep files for the printer.
Has anyone encountered this before? What is the purpose of changing perfectly good raster images from .tif to .eps format before placing into InDesign? Could they blindly be following someone’s outdated advice?
Thanks for any input!!!
I had a printer once told me that my print quality suffers because all of my linked files in my InDesign project were either psd or ai files. Please keep in mind that everything link file is saved at least 300 dpi, and exported as a pfd. The printer only wants tiff. Question 1: Would linking to psd or ai hurt the quality. Question 2: Is there any easy way to saving an InDesign file as a tiff?
Help! I’m importing layered psd files into InDesign with layer masks and transparent backgrounds, and creating a pdf of the InDesign file for our print house to run digital copies. But the masked elements come out blank, but the mask outline is there, when he prints the pdf from his RIP. I never have these problems when we run separations for film. So this seems unique to digital printing. When we print the same pdf on our inhouse color printer, the masks prints fine. I’m not sure what to do–does anyone out there know? You all seem so knowledgeable so I’m hoping you’ve seen this before.
Thanks!
Thanks for this article, you’ve just saved me a day of hammering at a file and trying to figure out what was crashing InDesign when I exported PDFs.
I had forty images created in Illustrator, and all saved as EPS files. They were crashing it every time. After resaving them all as AI the files exported perfectly.
Great article and a great website.
@Laris, I suggest you post this on the forums (click forums above), where more people will see it.
If you’re talking about how it looks in InDesign, try setting the View > Display Quality to High Quality Display. If you’re talking about Photoshop, then I would make sure the image really is a high-res photo to begin with.
All my images from photoshop, imported in InDesign are jagged. I brought al my photoshop and InDesign preferences back to basic, did a new install on my Mac and installed my programs again.. til now, nothing works. It’s strange because normally if I make a imaga in 300 dpi I can scale up to 400% and the image would still be sharp. Now it’s not.. in Photoshop it’s only smooth up to 100%
Can anyone help me?
@Julie: PNG is a great bitmapped file format, especially for low-resolution images on the web. However, if you save an Illustrator (vector) graphic as png, it turns to pixels, and you lose the sharp-edged paths.
Hi David and community,
I just read all the comments. I am still not getting an answer of what to do in my application.
I’m putting together a 20 page A4 size portfolio to be sent via PDF over email. Most people will just view the document on screen.
It will be comprised of various images – photography, designs/plans done in Illustrator and Photoshop, and scanned sketches (pencil or marker).
Are you recommending I save each type of file differently for best image quality? Or save them all in .jpg? I have been using png for everything. Why? Because 1 person in my field (landscape architecture) told me so, not an InDesign pro.
I’ve noticed that PDFs can slow InDesign down a lot, especially when there are multiple pages involved. (Like if you are showing the front of a book, but the whole book is in the PDF.)
In that case, I just convert it to a regular old TIF.
I read almost all the comments and i”m a bit confused.
So what is the best replacement for EPS? Our PSD files are very large and some of them are PSB and from what i found Indesign don’t really like them. Also, just repositioning the files takes a lot of time.
A pain of EPS is that i cannot see the color profile and resolution in the links panel. Should i save as High Res no compression (or best quality) JPG?
@Cathy: The target symbol is the Content Grabber in CS5: http://indesignsecrets.com/taking-another-look-at-the-content-grabber.php
The jagged image could be a number of things, but my guess it’s listed as modified or missing in the Links panel.
I have switched to InDesign CS5 on my new iMac from my old Mac’s CS2 . On one of my wine labels I have a starburst, an Illustrator eps file that now comes in with a white background and sort of a target symbol (2 concentric circles) that shows when I move the cursor over the box that holds the image. I’ve never seen this – what does this signify? In working with this further, I changed some settings and get the image now but it’s jagged, whether saved as eps or PDF or ai file. While I realize I can probably make a new one in InDesign now, I will have other eps files to deal with in my transfer to my new Mac. Help?