file sizes, save as

[stilllooking]

I have large tiff and jpeg files from digital cameras copied onto disks that I want to work on and save the new files with changes. I choose the save as jpegs option, but I am uncertain as to what file sizes to choose to keep the same image quality. Am I correct in assuming that if the file size changes dramatically (smaller) the image quality for printing will be decreased? What's the correct way to do this?

[NighthawK]

u mean when u get this box??? :

http://www.exoload.net/106/1136755090.jpg (http://www.exoload.net/show.php?image=/106/1136755090.jpg&title=/106/1136755090.jpg)

all i do is select 12 quality, the files arnt that big anyway!

[Lesa]

In working on those original TIFFs and JPGs, I'd save one copy as a native Photoshop document (.psd), complete with layers. After you've worked some magic on the image and it's time to print it out, I'd recommend saving it as a TIFF so there will no quality loss. Bear in mind that JPG is a lossy format. Each time you open one and save it back out, the image is being recompressed, so it gets a little bit worse (depending upon the quality level of JPG you choose) every time you save it. This doesn't happen with TIFFs.

Does this help? I want to make sure we're answering the right question :)

[stilllooking]

Lesa,
Great! That's the info. I was looking for.