Why were my PDFs so small in Megabytes size?

Question

Hi,
Just something that has been bugging me - I recently sent 64 pages of a magazine to the printers with each page exported as a seperate pdf using the press quality preset. I was surprised and alarmed at the small file sizes of the pdfs - many pages were less than 3 or 4 megabytes. I phoned the printer and he confirmed evertyhing was ok but I still had a sleepless night worrying all the graphics would print lo-res or something else had gone horribly wrong.
Given the magazine pages were larger than a4 and contained plenty of pics, how did the pdfs end up so small? I'm used to working with a4 and a3 sized hi-res graphics in photoshop that can often be 40 or 50 mbs or more alone.
I'm not complaing at the small file sizes - I'm just curious as to how it can be so.

Answer 1

Steve Hart wrote:
OK if you use the latest versions with the Adobe RIP you don't need to flatten but the real world facts are that not every one has it or can afford it.  I know I'll offend some of the regular posters here, but it's simply not possible for us to say 'use another printer' because some of us are printers!  And we can't afford to upgrade every few years.
If you can except this.
P Spier wrote:
I do agree about someone changing my files, which is why I send PDF
And mean this
P Spier wrote:
I spent a good part of my early working carreer doinig pre-press (which is why I'm as good as I am at what I do now - I learned from a lot of other peoples mistakes).
And this
Tell me, what's the advantage of sending a PDF that is not flattened? You have every benefit of the other joboptions except the ease of editing. IF your going to a prepress that does use a TRUE PDF workflow, what's the loss in using X1A. But if you happen to send it to a printer that does not, they have to flatten your work. And whether anyone wants to admit it or not, things happen during flattening that cant be explained (at least not by me). Yes its VERY rare, but rare is too often in this business.
I don't see the foolishness in sending my file with the least chance of error just because i COULD send it a newer way.
And just to clarify
I wrote:
And whether anyone wants to admit it or not, things happen during flattening that cant be explained
This is by no means due to any persons lack of skill or ability. IF you doubt this check into the CS4 fix concerning nested embedded fonts. This issue actually caused me some very real trouble back in December / January... after hours of debate with Adobe techs, I was told it was a Quark problem.
Im not an "old dog" nor am I the type to remain using "archaic" or "foolish" methods... If someone can tell me why I would benefit from using the X-4 standards, ill change. But as of now the flattened versions seem much safer with very little reason not to use them. (When I have to edit a file, I'm not going to bother asking for someone to change how they make a PDF, I'm going to ask for natives. So please don't note the editability.)