Very large PDF, can't shrink it!

Question

I've created a 44 page Indesign document using CS4 v6.0. The pages contain a random selection of 5 vector Illustrator eps files thought the document. The eps files range between 300k - 700k. When I export to create a PDF using the smallest file size settings I get a 80mb file. I've tried to optimize this in Acrobat Pro v9 but this makes no difference.
Any suggestions would be greatfully received.
Thanks
Chris

Answer 1

I think this question has come up before a while ago.
So, you have several very large
b vector
files. Let's see what Acrobat can do to shrink a file.
1.
b Subset fonts.
Instead of inserting an entire 50-150K per font, just insert the (comparatively few) characters that are used in the document. Net gain: I'd say 50-100K. If you use
i very few
characters in some fonts, it just might be worth outlining them instead.
2.
b Use image compression.
Some bitmap images may be stored uncompressed; the compression might not be optimal; or images are stored lossless (ZIP), while they can be stored lossy (JPEG) without significant problems. Or they are stored lossy but can even be storied
i lossier
-- decreasing the visual quality significantly, but hopefully still recognizable. Hey, it's your call.
3.
b Use image downsampling.
Some bitmap images may have a larger resolution than needed (>300 dpi for color and grayscale; >1200 dpi for black-and-white) or even
i wanted
-- Distiller, for example, has a threshold for color images at 450 dpi. Any larger is not just plain unnecessary, or even sensible overkill, it's a pure waste of perfectly good disk bytes and CPU cycles.
For a regular file that still should print nicely, a threshold of 300 dpi is enough. For something the client must be able to print for himself, 150 dpi is enough. For a screen preview, a mere 75 dpi should do (tell the client not to rely on the screen).
Now, where did I mention
i vector art
coming in? I didn't. Each and every line in vector art is as significant as every other one -- short or long, thick or thin (or invisible), filled or stroked. There are no set rules on which lines can be 'simplified' or discarded. Acrobat cannot 'downsample' vector art.
One possible solution is to rasterize your vector images, even if only for preview purposes. If the art is all full colour images, you might even rasterize them to 300 (or 450) dpi and use it for production. The files will still be large, but now it only depends on the physical dimensions of the images.
Another solution is to review the artwork. Are there lots of small details that *will* be invisible in the final print? Are there lots of paths built up from lots of points that can be replaced with a single curve? Stuff like that adds up.