BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: Digital Storage Issues

Photography Question 

Melinda Wheeler
 

JPEG Files on CD


We all know that JPEG files degrade each time they are compressed and uncompressed. My question is: What happens if I burn them on a CD write and close the CD. My understanding is that once a CD is burned, the content cannot be changed. What happens with JPEGs in this situation? Would they not be like negatives that don't change however many times you open them, or am I wrong on the CD write process?


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May 20, 2004

 

Jon Close
  It is my understanding that JPEGs compress only when "saved." You can open/close without saving and will not lose any data - same for copying. Copying the files does not invoke the JPEG compression scheme. With respect to data loss through compression, the storage media on which the file resides does not matter.

As an aside, however, there is some evidence that CD-Rs may be far less than "permanent" storage media. Depending on the CD-R maker and dye used for recording, some dyes can fade in a few years exposure to light/humidity, with resultant loss of data or files.


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May 20, 2004

 

toni gashi
  hello how are you do you have any photos for me


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May 29, 2004

 

Nick Milton
  get the elements book by scott kelby,hes say cdr make your digitl negatives,and once you have them adjust away,if it goes wrong come back to the cd,no loss of image.

jpegs only lose when saving changes,if you take your pic,adjust and save,you can view and print as often as you wish,providing you dont keep adjusting and saving.make as few adjsutments as possiblle.

www.nickmilton.tk


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May 29, 2004

 

Derek Holyhead
  Hi Jon C: I have CD-R's that are 5 years old and have no problems. Buy Verbatim, TDK or Sony and store them like you would your negatives. How long would negatives last if stored in a light humid environment? Not much longer, I suspect, so you don't store them in a light humid place! Same with your CD-R's. Regards.


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May 30, 2004

 

Melinda Wheeler
  Thanks for all of your reassurance! I am loving my new Digital Rebel and am saving 100's of images to C.D. I store them in a photo box in sleeves so hopefully they'll last at least a few years. This is an awesome forum and every newsletter is a learning experience.


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June 01, 2004

 

Phillip Corcoran
  Hi Melinda. Enjoy your photography, but if you can afford it get a DVD-writer (which can also write to CD when required). You'll get many more images on a blank single-sided DVD (the equivalent of nearly 7 CDs), so you'll have less discs to store and search through as your archive collection grows.


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January 27, 2006

 
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