Problem with Aperture 3.6 preset exports.

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Problem with Aperture 3.6 preset exports.

I use an export preset that exports at 225dpi. If I export an image with this preset and subsequently import it into Photoshop, the resolution in PS is only 72dpi. When I open the image using Preview and look under Inspector, I notice that the JFIF data shows X and Y density as 72. This has happened since Ver 3.6.

Images exported with a previous version of Aperture show JFIF X, Y density at 225 (the export preset value) and open in PS with 225 dpi.

I know that I can adjust the resolution in PS but this is an inconvenience I never had until Ver 3.6. Why has this behaviour changed with Ver 3.6? Is this a bug that can / will be fixed before Aperture closes down for good?

Posted on Oct 27, 2014 5:38 AM

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Answer 1

Feb 4, 2017 10:46 AM in response to HarryOehlers

Ugh! I just ran into this same problem. I wish I had thought to google it before tearing my hair out until I have a bold spot! One more reason I am going to have to make the just to Lightroom. I love Aperture why did Apple have to screw it up? Anyone come up with a fix on this or am I to understand it really doesn't matter since the pixels are the same it's just the DPI that is at 72?

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Answer 2

Skipb

Level 1

8 points

Sep 30, 2017 8:59 AM in response to CamoPhoto

I know you guys talk about this is an Aperture problem in this thread, but I'm also sure it is the Aperture problem. I am seeing some of the same problems with JPEG's that were scanned with Image Capture. Getting info on the JPEG gives me 300 ppi, but when I open the file in Photoshop and look at the image size Photoshop list it as 72. I scanned four images in a row and this only happens with the fourth one. Due to the scanning I'm doing my desktop had 37Jpegs on it, I deleted the first four of the scans and then rescaned the fourth one again and this time Photoshop opened it in the original 300 ppi. This leads me to believe that all had something to do with the amount of RAM being used for the desktop. Just a thought.

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

195,031 points

Oct 27, 2014 6:29 AM in response to HarryOehlers

Harry, have you checked, if the export preset you are using has still the correct dpi setting? You can check the preset in the Export window, when you set the preset to "Edit".

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Answer 4

Oct 27, 2014 7:24 AM in response to HarryOehlers

I see the same thing but only the setting in Preview under JFIF shows 72 as the pixel density and to be honest I'm not sure what that is even referring to. The settings in TIFF shows an X & Y resolution as 225 and the DPI settings in General show 225 for the Height and width.

I've never bad attention to the JFIF settings not something I use so I can;t say what earlier versions of Aperture did with those fields but if you are certain that has changed in 3.6 then you ned to file a bug report. Use Aperture to supply feedback. But as you noted with Aperture nearing the end of its life cycle bug fixes may be spotty at best.

regards

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Answer 5

HarryOehlers Author

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Oct 27, 2014 6:13 PM in response to léonie

Leonie,

I have checked the preset setting in Aperture 3.6 which is what I have upgraded to. The dpi remains at 225. I have also reset the export presets to my preferred settings (incl 225 dpi). However when I check the data after exporting (using the Preview inspector), the JFIF data displays 72, not 225.

Upon checking images I had previously exported using older versions of Aperture (where my export preset was also at 225 dpi), I see that the JFIF data sticks at 225 dpi.

I think this is what any imaging software refers to when it opens an image from a file. The current behaviour just makes the file dimensions (X and Y size) after importing into PS bigger but is easily corrected by changing the dpi back to 225 (or whatever). No big deal but it adds an extra step to the workflow. I just wonder why Apple (apparently) changed the behaviour of Aperture when dealing with exports. It defeats the purpose of having a dpi setting in the export preset only to have it ignored.

I will submit a bug report as you suggest and see if anything happens. Thanks for the help.

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Answer 6

HarryOehlers Author

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Oct 27, 2014 6:28 PM in response to Frank Caggiano

Frank,

Like you, I never bothered about all these settings - until I saw the change in behaviour and had to always change the resolution back to my preferred dpi after importing an image (that had been exported from Aperture 3.6) into Photoshop. I then checked older images that had been exported with the previous version of Aperture and saw (using Preview) that my setting of 225 (my preference for my images) showed up under the General, JFIF and TIFF tabs.

Only images exported using Aperture 3.6 seems to have the JFIF data changed to 72. It seems to me that this defeats the purpose of allowing a dpi setting in an Aperture export preset if this is ignored during the export process. I suppose this is not much more than an irritant as it does effect subsequent workflow but if that irritation was not there previously Apple should correct this, in my opinion.

Thanks for your response. I'll submit a bug report and see what happens.

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Answer 7

léonie

Level 10

195,031 points

Oct 28, 2014 6:28 AM in response to HarryOehlers

Harry, I checked with Aperture 3.4.5 and Aperture 3.5.1. In both version are the dpi of the exported jpegs set correctly. With Aperture 3.6 I am seeing the same wrong dpi for the JFIF data that I never noted before.

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Answer 8

Oct 28, 2014 7:12 AM in response to HarryOehlers

Having never paid attention to the JFIF tab in Preview I was unaware if this setting. After spending some time searching on the web it is still not entirely clear just want that setting (and the whole JFIF tab) is for.

What I was able to find, when JPG first came out there was no way to specify a resolution or DPI in the JPG file. So in the 90's the Jpg File Interchange Format (JFIF) was added to the JPG spec and among other things added a place for resolution and DPI. It seems since then that there are other ways to specify the settings in a JPG file, hence the correct display in Preview under the General Info and in both the General tab and TIFF tab in the More Info section.

What is also interesting is that if I open this JPG with GIMP, the GNU image manipulation program, it sees the correct settings and uses those.

None of thesis to try and say that what Aperture is doing is not wrong especially if earlier versions behave differently. I'm just wondering how much of a problem this is. If the OP is still reading this could you explain the difference in behavior in PS between when it opens a JPG image exported prior to 3.6 and when it opens an image exported from 3.6.

regards

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Answer 9

HarryOehlers Author

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Oct 30, 2014 3:42 AM in response to léonie

Leonie,

That's why I think there is an error. I mean if a user sets a preset to export at a certain dpi, then Aperture should export at that dpi. Otherwise it defeats the purpose. If you use another software (in my case, Photoshop) it picks up the wrong dpi resulting in much larger x and y dimensions (going from 225 down to 72 dpi in my case). As I've said, this can be easily rectified but my first point is valid. Why give the user a choice of setting an export resolution if this is subsequently ignored? As you have confirmed, this was not the case in previous versions of Aperture. Is it an error in Ver 3.6 or a planned change (which I doubt). I submitted a bug report. I wonder if any action will be taken.

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Answer 10

HarryOehlers Author

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Oct 30, 2014 4:35 AM in response to Frank Caggiano

Frank,

My export preset limits the dimensions in pixels at a specific dpi, corresponding with an image size in inches. I do this for some images I wish to send to external printing shops to print. I might add text using Photoshop. All worked well before with the set dpi and resulting dimensions in inches. Now, Photoshop resizes the image at 72 dpi giving much larger measurements in inches. As I've said before, this is not a big deal and I can resample under Photoshop back to my dpi of 225. But it is an extra step which I didn't need before 3.6 was released. Also, I do wonder why Aperture allows the dpi to be set to whatever the user wants only to ignore it during the actual export.

I reckon that Photoshop (and perhaps other software as well), picks up the dpi from the JFIF information for jpeg files. So if a user wishes PS to use a specific dpi, it is a bit frustrating that Aperture only "allows" 72 dpi with this latest version.

I have found that this only applies to jpeg exports where Aperture 3.6 mashes up the dpi. An export from Aperture in TIFF formats using a particular dpi sticks. Photoshop will retain that dpi when it opens the file.

I have submitted a report to Aperture. I hope they look at it and consider doing something to rectify the matter. Thanks for your comments.

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