Image Capture creates unusable large files

Question

Level 1

4 points

Image Capture creates unusable large files

When scanning with a Canon printer to PDF, with a regular letter page, you get a full color, 300DPI, easily printable/readable file around 65 kB. To do so, you only use the "compact PDF" option and voilà!

When doing the same with Image Capture, same page, you get something around 3-4 MB.

Can Apple include the same sort of option, a "compact" tick box? I mean, if a printer, with limited calculation power, can do this at a rate of 15 ppm, my M1 chip can surely do the same...

(and don't tell me about Quartz post processing, I would like something "integrated" à la "it just works" style)

MacBook Air 13″

Posted on Jan 23, 2025 8:09 AM

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Answer 1

Old Toad

Level 10

216,394 points

Jan 23, 2025 5:24 PM in response to Donothir

I scanned an 8.5 x 11 page of text with some color with my Epson all in one unit at 24 bits at 300 dip and got 3 Mb with Image Capture as you did, 16.4 Mb with VueScn at the same settings but with 24 bit depth and 537 Kb with Epson's scanner app. The Epson app must have some hidden features which applies compression for smaller file sizes. The Epson and Image Capture didn't have an option of setting the bit depth, only the dpi.

VueScan did have a compression option of Off, Standard and Maximum. At Max the size was 1.2 Mb. The 16.5 Mb was with the compression off. Don't know if this answer's your question but at least gives you some more data points.

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Answer 2

Jan 23, 2025 9:07 AM in response to Donothir

If your printer/scanner is doing the "compact" option, then can you make that the default option using the printer/scanner's menu options on the device itself?

I guess another option would be to see if there are any third party apps you can use instead of the macOS Image Capture app.

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Answer 3

MartinR

Level 7

25,081 points

Jan 23, 2025 8:56 AM in response to Donothir

You can make your suggestion to Apple here -> Product Feedback - Apple

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Answer 4

Donothir Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 23, 2025 1:25 PM in response to HWTech

It's on the "scan to email" option of the Canon printer, but when on the go or not at the office (e.g. @ home), I would like to harness the tremendous computing power of my M1 chip and compress the images I scan with Image Capture from my home printer (a simple printer without that "scan to email" option).

Anyway, if there is no simple option, I will have to live without, but I would have liked the "it just works" motto to be effective in that precise case...

Thanks.

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Answer 5

Donothir Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 28, 2025 7:06 AM in response to Old Toad

That is helpful! I'll use that software from now on.

Thanks!

I just hope that Apple will implement something like that in their app... You know, just for the sake of "it just works"...

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