[en] Why inserting a jpg file into a pdf is not desirable? ⋅ Plume

Two Types of Printing Companies: Service Quality or Cost Focus?

Printing companies can generally be divided into two categories: those prioritizing customer service quality and those where this is secondary. This is not to criticize or compare but to highlight different approaches, each with its own merits.

Better service quality or lower price?

Both options are important and necessary as long as the client-centric approach is clear. Low-cost printing companies often automate many processes and minimize client interactions. On the other hand, those focused on high-quality customer service typically cater to business or professional clients. Although these services are more expensive, they provide assurance that files are correctly prepared, offering more security for complex or high-stakes print jobs.

The cheapest printing isn’t always the most economical in the long run

Some clients, obsessed with minimizing costs, end up with poor-quality products. A notable example involves a company that printed packaging using preview files: everything was pixelated and carried watermarks. These low-cost, high-volume prints were likely produced abroad, where quality control was minimal. This highlights the importance of quality-focused printing companies that catch such errors to ensure the final product meets expectations.

Specifics of Newspaper and Press Printing

Newspaper printing

primarily caters to professional clients for high-volume jobs, making rigorous file validation essential.

At Newspaper Printing House DWP (drukarnia.waw.pl)

, file verification is a key step. This includes checking resolutions, embedding or converting fonts into curves, and addressing potential errors. Such processes prevent costly mistakes and provide reliable, high-quality service.

Issues with JPG Files Embedded in PDFs

The PDF format, developed by Adobe, was designed to ensure consistent display and printing. A well-prepared PDF allows for embedding fonts, vector graphics, and raster images. However, simply embedding a JPG into a PDF negates the advantages of the PDF format.

Rasterization of files

When a page is rasterized, all content is converted into pixels, eliminating the benefits of vector fonts. This can cause major issues, especially for the small text used in newspapers. Rasterized files offer limited resolution (around 300 DPI), while vector fonts provide virtually infinite precision.

How to recognize rasterized text?

Rasterized text becomes pixelated when zoomed to 1000%, whereas vector text remains sharp. For newspapers, where text is often small, sharpness is crucial. If the text is rasterized, it may appear blurry and difficult to read.

Solutions for Working with Raster Images

Check software options

Look for functions that allow embedding or converting fonts into curves.

Increase resolution

Export files at a higher quality, such as 1500 DPI, to minimize detail loss, particularly for text.

Recreate the file from scratch

In some cases, the only solution is to redesign or recreate the file according to technical specifications.

Accept reduced quality

As a last resort, acknowledge that some small text may be less readable. However, this option is not recommended for professional print jobs.

Conclusion: Why Avoid Embedding a JPG in a PDF?

Embedding a JPG into a PDF significantly reduces the final quality. For professional printing, it is best to ensure that PDFs contain as many vector elements as possible, with raster images limited to photographs. This guarantees better quality and satisfaction for both the client and the printing company.

[en] Why inserting a jpg file into a pdf is not desirable?

In this article, we explore scenarios where clients send newspaper pages for printing in JPG format and, when asked to provide a PDF, they create a file unsuitable for newspaper printing by simply embedding the JPG into a PDF.