Convert JPEG2000 (jp2) to PDF

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Level 1

1 points

Convert JPEG2000 (jp2) to PDF

I have many (some hundreds of) JPEG 2000 images, scans from old books, which I want to combine into single pdf files. I can open the first image in Preview, save as PDF, and then drag the remainder into the sidebar window to add them to the document; this works fine, but produces a file much larger than the original images (the jp2's add up to 160 MB; the resulting PDF is more than 2 gig). I tried using Adobe Acrobat, and that makes a PDF of about the same size as the original images, but now Preview won't read it -- all the pages are blank. Do I have to convert all the .jp2 images to .jpg's - which would be too bad - or is there a way of making Preview save with a reasonable file size, retaining the original image format? I imagine that Preview is converting all the images to some other format before embedding them into the pdf, and this is responsible for increasing the file size, or am I mistaken. Is there another way? Many thanks.

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Dec 13, 2008 12:11 PM

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Answer 1

Dec 13, 2008 1:53 PM in response to ndcahill

Since you say have hundreds, it would be a good idea to invest in Graphic Converter, which will convert a jpg to a pdf (or anything else you want) in milliseconds. Or if you want, will automatically convert an entire folder (your hundreds of jpgs) while you make coffee, or something.

It also allows you to determine the output file size but in general terms, a pdf will always be bigger than a jpg.

The trouble with GC is that its preferences and settings are a labyrinth, and it takes a lot of getting used to. I blame German technology. But once you get used to it, it becomes a very important application to have on your system.

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Answer 2

ndcahill Author

Level 1

1 points

Dec 13, 2008 2:41 PM in response to Tom in London

I own and like Graphic Converter, but it too converts a 200-700k jp2 to a 17 meg ⚠ pdf file; and it doesn't convert a bunch of files into a single multipage PDF, but into individual files. Perhaps the simplest would be to convert them all to jpegs and go from there, but I've been somewhat convinced that the quality of the jp2's is better.

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