File Reduction for 4x6 and 8x11Photos?

[kieranmullen]

OK using a slide scanner at 4000 dept I now have a file that is 131 MB. (Lots of them in fact) I think I will have to break down and buy some of those dual layer DVDS. I just scanned in 495 Slides last night and I didnt finsihed before the rental ended. ANyhow I have some stuff to do in the meantime.

For printing purposes of standard 4x6 photos and 8x11 photos, is it better to create another file smaller in a tiff format to work with as well? Rather than just leave it at a 131 MB tiff file? I would imagine that there is not point going to a lossy jpg format.

What dimensions do I need to reduce it to for 8x11? The same for 4x6?

I dont know what resolutions photo printing companies such as Costco offer but I am imagine it is aroung 300 dpi?

THanks!

KM

[another view]

I usually make a master TIFF file (mine is 2700dpi) after doing all the retouching (levels, spotting out dust, etc). Then I have my prints made on a Fuji Frontier at 300dpi, and I'll make an 8x10 crop or whatever size I need from that master file - and save that as a jpeg with the least amount of compression (in Photoshop, level 12). I would make another file cropped to another size if needed, that way I know exactly what I get. Haven't made 4x6 and 8x12 at the same time but since those are the same ratio I probably would just use the 8x12 file for both.

The reason I make these jpegs is so I know exactly what the crop will be, and also so the machine runs quicker - Frontiers don't like TIFF files too well... But an 8x12 or 8x10 at 300dpi versus a 4x6 at 300dpi isn't that big of a deal in file size. A 131mb file will probably crash their system though!