Saving problem in Photoshop CS3

[polarmagnus]

Once I've edited my photos in Photoshop CS3, I save them quite easily. But now when I want to save an image, I have to go to Image>Mode> Then change it from 16 Bits/Channel to 8 Bits/Channel

It's getting annoying now. Have I altered any settings for it to do this?

[GeoffWessex]

If saving as a Jpeg you must be in 8-bit mode..... Jpegs cannot handle 16-bits. If you want to keep your image in 16-bits it must be saved as a PSD or a TIFF.

[polarmagnus]

I want to know why I have to go to Image then Mode and change it to 8 Bits on every photo, when I haven't done so before this week?

[GeoffWessex]

You are presumably shooting in Raw..... and when that Raw is processed and then opened in Photoshop it's as a 16-bit file. If you are using Adobe Camera Raw there is a 'Depth' box at the bottom of the ACR dialog where you can choose to open in 16-bit or 8-bit (and whichever you select it will remain the same next time you use ACR)..... if you choose to open in 16-bit you can still do (most of) the editing (and save as PSD or TIFF) but if you want to save as a Jpeg it has to be 8-bit.

[polarmagnus]

Thanks Geoff.

Yes I'm using .RAW...... I forgot I changed the setting at the bottom of the Camera Raw program.

Silly me