RMM Loc: Suburban New York

JPEG size varies depending on the quality you choose. The higher the quality, the bigger the file. Even then, there may be some variation from one image to another. Best answer: Shoot a file in RAW, check its size, convert to TIFF or PSD and check its size (big), and then save as several JPEGs at different quality levels.

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

Don't confuse megabytes of file size with megapixels. They are very different. What I think you're trying to ask is whether cropping decreases the number of pixels and thus quality of your prints. The answer to that is yes.

You start with 10MP, crop 50%, then you have about 50% of your megapixels left - 5MP left. If you want to print a 4X6 with that 5MP you're fine. If you want to print 5X7 with that 5MP you're fine. If you want to print 8X10 with that 5MP you're pushing your luck but should be fine. Print a 11X14 and you're going to see a definite deterioration of the print quality because there aren't enough pixels.

There's a bunch of ways to describe this but that's the easiest way I know of. Others will argue that you can resize upward after cropping and regain pixels but they aren't real pixels they are artificial filler pixels created from surrounding pixels. There is software available that does a nice job of rebuilding with filler pixels but I'm not into that type of thing.

francesca3 Loc: Sausalito, CA

I'm no expert but my 2 cents worth is this:
If you are cropping a photo taken in jpeg, when you save it, it's going to compress and have fewer mgs.
Every time you change a jpeg photo and save it, it will compress more and thus have fewer mgs in its image.

RMM's advice is good, but for casual shots in jpeg,(use jpeg fine always), unless you make many changes to an image and save each one from the one before, you won't lose a whole lot of visual info.

Of course, if you're a professional, then you shoot in RAW and do what RMM said.

RMM Loc: Suburban New York

Francesca3 is right that repeated editing of a JPEG will cause loss of quality and size. If you plan to do that, then save the photo in TIFF or PSD format, both of which are "non-lossy." Then, when all editing is complete, save a JPEG copy.

francesca3 Loc: Sausalito, CA

OMGosh --- > getting a confirmation from RMM is high praise.
TYVM RMM

RMM Loc: Suburban New York

:) :)

Where did THAT come from?!

LOL!!! Crackin' me up!