How to convert either NEF, JPG or TIFF to PDF? I want to create a PDF file of one of my photos without losing any resolution. There are quite a few free ways to do this, but none...

dsnoke Loc: North Georgia, USA

I want to create a PDF file of one of my photos without losing any resolution. There are quite a few free ways to do this, but none retain the full resolution of the original file. Any pointers. A google search turned up nothing useful.

My reason for the question is that I want to use a printer significantly closer to home, but they require PDF files as input rather than any other format. I have no idea why, but I have not asked yet.

Thanks,
Dick

OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

They may want PSD format instead of PDF.

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

Not enough information. What photo editing software are you using? In that software’s export module, have you scrolled thru the options? It is possible that .Pdf may be one of them. Have you considered other commercial printers? There are a boatload of choices out there. Perhaps one could accomplish your goal without requiring a .Pdf file.

brucewells Loc: Central Kentucky

dsnoke wrote:

I want to create a PDF file of one of my photos without losing any resolution. There are quite a few free ways to do this, but none retain the full resolution of the original file. Any pointers. A google search turned up nothing useful.

My reason for the question is that I want to use a printer significantly closer to home, but they require PDF files as input rather than any other format. I have no idea why, but I have not asked yet.

Thanks,
Dick

I’m rather surprised they want a PDF file, but beyond that, PDF is typically acquired by ‘printing’ the subject to a PDF file.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

OddJobber wrote:

They may want PSD format instead of PDF.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

If you have Photoshop, you can save a photo file in PDF format.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

We convert to PDF for some printing.
Adobe Photoshop can do it as can InDesign.
The program I use for browsing, ACDsee, can do it was well.
Not sure what specific settings to use as that's something our "Art Bunnies" handle.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Personally, I don’t use PDFs for printing, but like PDF word documents, you can insure that can’t be (easily) modified, so that you have control over the final result. I’ve heard a couple of photographers in the photojournalist field mention that... As was mentioned, many aps like PS, PSE and LR allow saving as a PDF, but I don’t know if it degrades the resolution. I’m betting Burkphoto knows the answer to this.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

TriX wrote:

Personally, I don’t use PDFs for printing, but like PDF word documents, you can insure that can’t be (easily) modified, so that you have control over the final result. I’ve heard a couple of photographers in the photojournalist field mention that... As was mentioned, many aps like PS, PSE and LR allow saving as a PDF, but I don’t know if it degrades the resolution. I’m betting Burkphoto knows the answer to this.

I often make proofsheets from portrait shoots and save them as PDFs to e-mail them to clients. They don't appear to lose any resolution.

blackest Loc: Ireland

Affinity Designer for sure , and i would expect Affinity Photo export as PDF usually for print I set at 300 DPI

Printing to pdf may depend on the printer the output is set to for the output resolution.

dsnoke Loc: North Georgia, USA

OddJobber wrote:

They may want PSD format instead of PDF.

Nope. Has to be PDF. Wish it were otherwise, but is not.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

dsnoke wrote:

I want to create a PDF file of one of my photos without losing any resolution. There are quite a few free ways to do this, but none retain the full resolution of the original file. Any pointers. A google search turned up nothing useful.

My reason for the question is that I want to use a printer significantly closer to home, but they require PDF files as input rather than any other format. I have no idea why, but I have not asked yet.

Thanks,
Dick

Photoshop!

Photoninny Loc: Monterey Bay Area

dsnoke wrote:

I want to create a PDF file of one of my photos without losing any resolution. There are quite a few free ways to do this, but none retain the full resolution of the original file. Any pointers. A google search turned up nothing useful.

My reason for the question is that I want to use a printer significantly closer to home, but they require PDF files as input rather than any other format. I have no idea why, but I have not asked yet.

Thanks,
Dick

You can do it in Lightroom. First you need a pdf printer, such as Cute PDF (free software). There are others available, free or otherwise (eg Adobe Acrobat). They install on your computer as another printer. In Lr go to the print module, printer setup (Printer ... ) and select Cute pdf as target printer. Then set properties for your desired output (size, resolution, etc). "Print" will then output a file to whatever folder you have selected. You now have a pdf file of your image "suitable for framing".
This will probably work for any image software that will output to a printer.

Spider223

Photoshop Elements 15 allows a SAVE AS option where PDF can be chosen as a file output type. Be aware though at high quality jpg compression a 14mb jpg file will save as a 52mb PDF file.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

dsnoke wrote:

I want to create a PDF file of one of my photos without losing any resolution. There are quite a few free ways to do this, but none retain the full resolution of the original file. Any pointers. A google search turned up nothing useful.

How do you know that gimp doesn't "retain full resolution of the original file"?