Hammer Loc: London UK

I am (just) about comfortable exporting images from LR. However , I am lost as to what dimensions and pixel density should be used so that the recipient can opine them on their computers or use them to post on Facebook etc. Anyone know where I can get this info

Many thanks

Collhar Loc: New York City.

Google or YouTube.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I generally have the longest side set to 1500 px - sometimes 2000 px. Occasionally when I post something for sale, the site will want 2000 px or larger.

steve49 Loc: massachusetts

Personally I set them at 900-600... gives around a 500kb image..good enough for email or instagram or facebook.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Facebook uses a 2048 px on the longest side for their HQ images. Quality is fine if you set it to 75%. Pixel density doesn't matter - you can export the image at 3 ppi ro 1200 ppi and the image will be the same. What does matter is the 2048 dimension.

Two images below, both exported at 2048 on the longest side, sRGB, 75% quality. One is at 3 ppi and the other at 1200 ppi - can you tell the difference? (hint, the first iamge was exported at 3 ppi from Lightroom).

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CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

We put together this post specifically to help with creating display-only image files, including specific examples and screen-captures of the LR export process: Recommended resizing parameters for digital images

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

People make this more complicated than it really is. I created three presets for sharing with other people. They are all jpg's at 100% but each preset has a different maximum size: unlimited, 2 M, 1 M. Since I usually know how someone is viewing the picture, I can size it appropriately. You do not have to overthink this. The other person's software will take care of it. I size it as a convenience to the other person.

Even if I limit the size, the file may be smaller due to parameters beyond our control. For example, a very tightly cropped picture may not reach the size limit. If I remember correctly, LR has presets for several websites so you can simply use those.

Finally, you do not have to resize the picture; just crop it.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Jpegs at 100% - do you mean 100% quality setting?
If you are limiting the file size to 2 mb or 1 mb, then it is no longer 100% quality.

The benefit of creating presets for specific destinations is that the width and height in pixels are consistent, and the composition intent is preserved. It will display consistently in social media and on websites. The Facebook standard of 2048 px on longest dimension works for a large number of situations.

Another benefit is improved image quality. For example, if your cropped image ends up being 6000x4000 and you resize/resample to 2048x1365 you will get a little less noise, since the noise is averaged among adjacent pixels, and sometimes you'll get a bit more sharpness.

Establishing a minimum quality standard of 75% is more than enough for clean, crisp, well-detailed images, and for the majority of images indistinguishable from 90% or more - and the file is a whole lot smaller on the drive.

One might crop regardless for artistic reasons, but cropping to make an image smaller is usually less desirable than resizing with resampling turned on. The original composition remains the same. Cropping will yield a different composition.

Since this is done with presets in Lightroom, it is no more complicated than what you do.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

Exactly. Choose an appropriate maximum file size (when needed) and let the recipient adapt it accordingly.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

To answer both Gene and RG, of course I know that the quality may wind up less than 100% and I do not care. When I email people pictures, they neither care nor notice differences in quality and just want a quick glance. It is more for my convenience since my email server limits me to 10-12 M and I try to get everything into one message. My presets are for email while the others are for those websites and I do not know in advance how big the files will be.

LR's export presets simplify and speed up and not complicate matters. No reinventing the wheel every time you want to use it.

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

Facebook will use up to 2400 pixels on the longest side. For electronic viewing 72 to 90 dpi is adequate (monitors do vary by manufacturer and quality level). sRGB is okay for Color Space.

Hammer Loc: London UK

Thanks Jerry , glad to see you settled your technical problems .

Hammer Loc: London UK

Many thanks Steve.

Hammer Loc: London UK

Many thanks , that info is really helpful, the two pics made things a lot clearer . I would not have believed it without seeing it , totally counter intuitive

Hammer Loc: London UK

Fantastic, many thanks .