I've run into a problem with Aperture. When i export (and downsize the resolution), the quality of my image changes. In the examples i've posted, you can see that the text is the most noticable difference, but the logo on the glasses, as well as all of the highlight change from one photo to the other.
Photo 1: In photoshop, save for web, 1024px tall.
Photo 2: Managed .psd through aperture library, exported as 1024px tall.
Photo 3: Closeup of difference. Aperture seems to put a halo around the text, as well as throw away some of the highlight detail.
Adjusting the quality slider in either application did not change highlights/text results.
Both are also saved in sRGB.
I was able to reproduce my problem by trying to export both images as full size jpeg, and then downsizing them using apple's Preview. When i did this, both the PS and Aperture files ended up looking just like Photo 2.
Does this just mean that Aperture is not as good at photoshop at resizing, and is only as good as Preview? I'm very torn because i have years of images stored in my Aperture library, that i no longer trust when exporting with precision.
I've even tried flattening the image as a tiff, putting it in Aperture, and exporting it from there, but the layered psd does not seem to be the problem.
Kevin,
Very curious. You didn’t post the full size original; I’d like to see that too if you can. Posting the PSD would be handy for testing as well if you don’t mind doing that. If you can but don’t want to host them, feel free to put them in the ApertureExpert DROP BOX (and let me know here once you have).
There’s obviously a difference, most noticeably in the glasses and also the highlight on the hairline just above his forehead. I think seeing a difference to some degree is expected, as Core Image and Photoshop use different algorithms, but I agree that this is an unacceptable change.
The text change isn’t surprising; from Photoshop, you’re taking a presumably much larger piece of text and outputting it directly, so it’s probably scaling the vector text down separately from the image and outputting them together. I’d wager that if you flattened the image in Photoshop, then exported your 1024 image, you’d see some kind of similar problems with the text. At this 1024 size, your thinner text is sub-pixel width, so without the vector file (which Aperture can’t get to when dealing with a managed PSD), Aperture doesn’t stand much of a chance. If you’re going to be adding text, you’re probably always best going to Photoshop and exporting from there.
Do try flattening in Photoshop and then exporting; it’ll be interesting to see how that compares, since that’ll be a more fair comparison.
The glasses and highlight are a bit of a different story though. Is there any chance those are on a separate layer in Photoshop?
cheers
-Joseph @ApertureExpert
PS—I’ve modified your original post to move the links up next to the descriptions
@PhotoJoseph
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Here is the psd. Beware, it’s 90mb: www.kevin-funk.com/Albert/IMG_1274.psd
When i flattened the image with the text, and then saved for web, i lost no quality in the text or highlights.