Seeing images in a PDF file

On 22 May 2006, CSM1<nomoremail.DeleteThis@nomail.com> wrote:

>> If a PDF file is created out of a GIF image then does the
>> recipient who is trying to view the PDF need to have some
>> application which will view GIFs?
>>
>> Alternatively, would the viewing of any graphic in a PDF (such as
>> a GIF or TIFF file) need only the PDF reader itself?
>
> You only need the PDF reader. That is the beauty of PDF, whatever
> is put into a PDF will be displayed by the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
>
> PDF is also the universal document format that insures that it will
> print as the author intended.


I use XP.
I scan a document to a graphics file (eg jpg, gif, bmp, etc)
Then I make a PDF from the graphics file.

I see that if I save a large bitmap (BMP) and then create a PDF then
the PDF is no bigger than if I had compressed the image to a GIF and
used that to create a PDF file.

In order to preserve quality, avoid artefacts and interference
patterns, would it be better to save to a large and detailed
intermediate file like a BMP (or even a jpeg) or to save to a small
lossless file like a GIF or TIF?