What format to edit in...

[Whynot2]

Sorry for an elementary question. I did a search, but the terms involved are very common.

I'm still using PSP X3.

I'm curious to know what format more knowledgeable people for me use for editing images.

In the past, I'd take the jpeg produced by my camera, convert it to PSP format, and then when finally finished, save it as jpeg again.

I understand that the PSP format is no longer used, so should I just work in jpeg format? My understanding is that any intermediate saving would compromise image quality; if not jpeg, then what?

Thanks in advance.

[df]

From what I understand when the image is loaded into PSP it's converted to a common bitmap format. In other words, if you load a png or jpg or cr2 file, they are all the same "type" of image when you see it in PSP, a bitmap. So as for what to work on is somewhat irrelevant, somewhat not. If you save the image to work on later, then a .PSP or Paint Shop Pro image will retain layers, layer styles, layer opacities, but not undo steps. If you just want to save a single layer image with little to no compression then a Tiff will suffice. If you're done with the image and want to share it or print it then a Jpeg is the standard. For other uses there are other options. PSP X3 does a pretty good job of retaining quality even with Jpegs as long as you set the compression to 1. I haven't tried other compression settings because compression of 1 is just what I need.

Hope this helps.

[flagpole]

i save what I'm working on in the native pspimage format. And export it when I'm done to whatever i need. Whilst keeping the .pspimage in case i want to slightly amend it.

[OldRadioGuy]

i save what I'm working on in the native pspimage format. And export it when I'm done to whatever i need. Whilst keeping the .pspimage in case i want to slightly amend it.

In my opinion, this is the best method. Do the work and save as a native pspimage, then save in whatever format is needed for sharing with others, using on the web, etc. Hang on to the pspimage files in case they're needed later.

The quality of the image imported to PSP from your camera will depend on your camera settings (at least on DSLRs). If you shoot in Raw, your have a greater range of correction for mistakes made when shooting once you begin editing in PSP. Some photographers who shoot in Raw say to also save the Raw files because future technology may allow you to recover more information from those Raw images, if needed.

Bob

[Whynot2]

Thanks greatly for the responses. I tend to take most of my pictures in summer, and do the organizing and editing in winter, which unfortunately makes it a bit of a re-learning experience every fall.

Supplemental: once upon a time, I got the impression that working on a JPEG image compromised image quality with each modification. I even remember seeing a series of images that some person posted, showing image deterioration as he repeatedly rotated the image, albeit an unreasonable number of times (although I have been known to rotate an image a lot of times, trying to get, for example, a dominant horizon truly straight). My impression was that this deterioration happened with the modification, and not just from saving and resaving.
Is that impression correct?

Df’s response is interesting…I always assumed that if I opened a JPEG file in PSP, then I was working on a JPEG image with PSP and that those concerns about negatively affecting image quality were valid. I take DF’s info as indicating that PSP converts the image to bitmap format, thereby rendering concerns about working with jpeg images irrelevant, at least unless one is saving and re-opening the image (as jpeg), as the editing process goes on? How’s my understanding of this?

Based on this, given that I consider my images to be more of the snapshot variety, I may as well simply open my jpeg file, edit to my hearts content, and save the resulting image in whatever format is appropriate to the intended use…modestly compressed jpeg, about 99% of the time.

I’d change that process, and save the image as a PSPimage file, if I felt the need to save it before deeming editing was complete, or perhaps if the image contained a UFO or Sasquatch.

Am I on the right track?

[df]

Whynot2, I think you've got an understanding on how it's all working. You're on the right track.