Almost everyone knows about the JPEG photo format, even if they have no particular interest in photography. But once you’ve explored several ways to make your images look better, you may encounter JPEG 2000.
JPEG 2000 files are quite rare compared to the likes of JPEG and PNG. But if you want your images to be of a higher quality, you should strongly consider using these.
Today, you’ll discover how to save photo files as JPEG 2000—along with the benefits of doing so.
What Is the Benefit of Using JPEG 2000 Files?
In essence, you’re able to think of JPEG 2000 files as being a higher-quality version of JPEGs. When you share your photos online, many places will compress them—which can result in your image looking blurrier than you’d like. This is why you might have noticed that after uploading a smartphone picture to social media, it looks more pixilated when you zoom in.
JPEG 2000 files are lossless, meaning that you won’t need to deal with many of the compression issues associated with JPEGs. So, despite having a bigger file size, this can often make them a great option for people with more of an interest in photography than the average person.
If you do need to compress a photo, you can try theseonline image compression toolsfor optimal results.
Where Should You Use JPEG 2000 Files?
JPEG 2000 files are more difficult to use online than JPEGs, which are much more portable. Nonetheless, you should consider using JPEG 2000 (which you’ll see saved as .jpf) in a handful of situations.
1. Social Media Posts
When you post on the likes of Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter), your photos will compress and therefore lose quality. you’re able to mitigate much of this problem by uploading JPEG 2000 files.
Considering that JPEG 2000 files can often consume 10+ megabytes of data, you should remember that you may need to deal with file size limits in some places. Moreover, posting JPEG 2000 to Instagram is better done from your smartphone than on a computer.
If you’re posting specifically to Instagram, consider reading this guide on thecorrect sizing for your Instagram photos and videos.
2. Smartphone Wallpapers
Smartphone wallpapers are much more customizable than they used to be, and you may want to use some of the pictures you’ve taken as a background. It’s needless to say that when choosing a smartphone wallpaper, you want something that’s clear.
JPEG 2000 is an excellent file choice if you want sharp smartphone backgrounds. To ensure that everything looks as it should, make sure that you also crop in a 16:9 format. If you later decide to sell your photos as smartphone wallpapers (where can I sell my photos online?), following these protocols is also a good idea.
You can get away with lower-quality images in many cases online, but these shortcomings are much more evident in print situations. This is especially true for selling your own photos as posters and framed collectors’ items, but it’s also the case if you want to contribute your images to magazines.
JPEG 2000 can be a great way to ensure that your pictures are of high quality. As an alternative, you can also consider using the PNG format. If you want to learn more about PNG, see our guide onwhat PNG files are (and what you should use them for).
Can You Save JPEG 2000 Files in Lightroom?
Considering that Adobe Lightroom is one of the most popular photo editing platforms on the web, you may want to save your files as JPEG 2000 using the app. But unfortunately, this isn’t possible.
Thankfully, you can use alternatives to save high-quality images in Lightroom. For example, it’s possible to export your photos in PNG format. Another option is to save it as a JPEG but edit the pixel settings. You cantry these tips if your Instagram photos aren’t looking sharp, and they’ll also apply to many other places where you want to share your images.
How to Save a JPEG 2000 File in Photoshop
Although it’s not possible to save JPEG 2000 files in Lightroom (at the time of writing), you can do so in Photoshop. For the best results, export your files as PSD from Lightroom by going toFile > Exportand selectingPSDfrom the dropdown menu. You can read to open a Lightroom photo in Photoshopif needed.
When you’ve finished editing in Photoshop, and you’d like to save your exported files as JPEG 2000, follow the steps listed below:
After saving your files as JPEG 2000, you can then transfer them to your smartphone if needed (e.g., if you want to share them on social media). If you own Apple products,using AirDrop from your iPhone or Macis the best option for both efficiency and minimizing compression.
If you don’t use AirDrop, you may try severalfast PC-to-mobile file transfer methods. For example, services likeDropboxandWeTransferare easy to use across several devices.
JPEG 2000 Files Are Useful in Several Photography Scenarios
JPEG 2000 is an often-unexplored photo file format, but it can be incredibly useful if you want to share beautiful images in the highest possible resolution. You don’t need to deal with compression as much as with normal JPEGs, and you can use them in print and online.
Although JPEG 2000 files are often much bigger than their JPEG counterparts, the trade-off is worthwhile.
