How do you downsize photos and keep the photo quality good?

[bucklucky]

It seems whenever I downsize my pics they get real grainy and crapy looking. All I have is a canon point and shoot 7.1 megapixel. I know Im probably not going to get the quality I see on some of the better photoraphers on here, but still, Am I not doing it right? I go to a screan that says downsize photos and change the pixel size  from really big to like 800x600 and the pics are junk IMO.

[Ray]

It is something to do with how you are downsizing them. If you are reducing the image quality when downsizing it almost sounds like you are reducing DPI (dots per inch) or color quality or both.

If you have windows use MSPaint. It's default settings do not reduce the quality of the image. If you have a Mac use IPhoto and export the file to make a copy of it in a smaller size. I will guess that you are not using one of those two or that somehow your settings or the process which you resize the image is to blame more than anything. What are you using and how do you actually go about resizing them?

[huntnphool]

PM sent Charlie

[Ray]

MSPaint (Windows XP which is only slightly different on Vista)

For Mac Users just use Iphoto -->FILE --> EXPORT and specify the size (medium)

[bucklucky]

I was using 2 different programs, one was Serif photo plus 6.0 or something like that, and I was using there export optimizer. And also my Lexmark program that came with the printer. I looked for the MS Paint but dont see it on my computer.

[Ray]

Did you try to view the youtube video above?

I assume you have windows then. MsPaint is usually under the start menu in accessories.

[bucklucky]

I found it Ray, I was only looking under the programs, not accessories!

[Ray]

Here is a quick way to resize the image. Just make sure you save it as a new file name so that you have the original!

http://www.overclock.net/faqs/47441-how-resize-images-using-ms-paint.html

[billythekidrock]

Another thing you can do is crop the photo instead of resizing.

I won't post the original pic as it is too large but I will post the info.

Original photo size
Width 2048 pixels
Height 1536 pixels
Resolution 180 pixels per inch
After adjustments the file size went up to over 9 megs.
Optimizing at 100% would put it at 1.6 megs.
Optimized for the web at 50% quality equals 416.2K kb which means it should load in 149 seconds @ 28.8 kbps (dial up speed).

Since the photo hosting site I use requires 100K or less I usually reduce my photos toabout 75K for faster loading.

Reduced to:
Width 640 pixels
Height 480 pixels
Resolution 90 pixels per inch
Optimized for the web at 50% quality equals 50.02K which means it should load in 19 seconds @ 28.8 kbps (dial up speed).



Cropped to:
Width 640 pixels
Height 480 pixels
Resolution 90 pixels per inch
Optimized for the web at 50% quality equals 49.56K which means it should load in 19 seconds @ 28.8 kbps (dial up speed).



You will notice that the numers (width/height/resolution/optimization) are virtually identical for both photos, but by cropping I am able to give the illusion of enlarging the photo.
Not always the cleanest looking way to do it, but you can see more detail and they load fast.

[bucklucky]

Great info guys! Thanks!

[boneaddict]

I have that problem when I am shooting full frame on subjects.  I call it compression syndrome. You really notice it in feather patterns and antlers.