16 bit question

[avil]

I have a series of photographs that I have to take to the lab for enlargements and I ran into a problem with Photoshop. I have a video production company and we have Photoshop for the MAC and the PC. Because we use the program strictly for logo touch-ups and conversion we stopped buying the updates. The versions we have will not let me edit a file in 16 bit. My only recourse is to convert the file to 8 bit; which I see cuts the file size in half. I have 2 questions.

1. I need to make several 11 x 17 prints for a side project. How much am I losing by converting to 8 bit just to add text.

2. For future prints I need to be able to re-size and do minor touch ups. Would Photoshop elements 8 for $79.00 suffice. The company is not going to update Photoshop becausue we just don't use the program. It's primary function is to re-size stills for video and convert illustrator logos.

Thanks

 

[Peano]

1. I need to make several 11 x 17 prints for a side project. How much am I losing by converting to 8 bit just to add text.

Probably nothing. Print labs generally want jpegs, which are 8-bit. I've had prints made that were larger than 11x17, looked fine, and were never in 16-bit mode at all (though they were shot raw).

2. For future prints I need to be able to re-size and do minor touch ups. Would Photoshop elements 8 for $79.00 suffice.

Sure. PSE8 will do a lot more than minor touch-ups.

 

[Overread]

Photoshop elements however has very little functionality for 16bit files - 8bit it will edit to its fullest abilty, but with 16bit you are pretty much stuck with basics like cropping - things like levels and more are not availble (though you can convert images into 8bit).

You might consider lightroom which allows for basic editing, batch editing and (as far as I know) will support 16bit image editing

 

[Big Mike]

For your application, you most likely don't need to use 16bit files. And as mentioned, most labs are OK with (or require) JPEG files, which are 8bit files.
So basically...just convert to 8bit and don't worry about it.