Member Avatar for kestered

How do I reduce the file size of a jpeg? I am making a dvd(s) of 1,500 pics and need them to be smaller.

  • 5 Contributors
  • 4 Replies
  • 94 Views
  • 4 Months Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by johnlh

Dani AI

Generated

For : a practical way to know how much to reduce is to work from the DVD capacity first. A single‑layer DVD holds about 4.7 GB (≈4,700 MB), so 4,700 ÷ 1,500 ≈ 3.13 MB per image if everything must fit on one disc. That number is the target average; if current files are bigger, either use more discs or reduce each image until the sample average meets that budget.

Building on points from , , and , here are macOS‑specific, non‑commercial workflows and tips that avoid buying extra software:

  • Use the Photos app: select the images, choose File → Export → Export X Photos…, pick JPEG, set Quality (Low/Medium/High/Maximum) and Size (Small/Medium/Large/Full Size). Exporting a test set of 20 images shows both average file size and visible quality quickly.
  • Use Preview for small batches: open, Select All in the sidebar, then File → Export Selected Images… to choose a JPEG quality and pixel size.
  • Automator for bulk jobs: create an Application or Quick Action, add a Copy Finder Items step (to keep originals), then add Scale Images. Save and drop folders onto it to process thousands without manual work.
  • Quick Terminal option (optional): the built‑in sips tool can resample a folder at once, e.g. sips -Z 2048 *.jpg to cap the long side at 2048 px.

Practical settings: for screen slideshows 1920 px on the long side is plenty; for standard desktop viewing 1280–1600 px is enough. JPEG Quality around 70–85% usually balances look vs size. Always run tests: pick 20 representative photos, export with your chosen settings, check the visual result and average file size, then scale to the full set. Keep originals backed up before batch processing and beware that repeated recompression reduces image fidelity.

Recommended Answers

All 4 Replies

Member Avatar for John A

You can either compress them with a non-lossy method (for example, putting all your photos into a zip archive), or a lossy method (scaling them so the pictures themselves are actually smaller, or saving them at a lower quality).

Member Avatar for candyee

i use photoshop to do this

Member Avatar for shniager

you can use a batch resize in ACDSee or Photoshop.

Member Avatar for johnlh

Or using something like Photo Elements.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.