Reply To: Average file size when sending file to press

The distiller option is still valid, but as you say, “old school technology”. With the correct settings exporting to pdf directly is a better and “newer” solution. However the file size depends on the extra settings for the pdf-export too. When you export a full color pdf with the SheetCMYK 1V4 (standard) settings, a some Mbs get added to the file. The more measures are made to make up the settings, the bigger the file becomes.
Because quality input is needed to get quality output, the file size is, for me, less important.
Some good sites for standard values are certainly: VIGC.ORG; ECI.ORG; GWG.ORG