digital image size question [Archive]

drache

04-15-2007, 08:24 AM

adamanteus

04-15-2007, 08:47 AM

I'm not fully conversant with altering file size on the PC, but if you take the photos with a lower resolution (less pixels) in the first place, this with give you the same image size but smaller file size. Are you taking your pictures at a particularly high resolution, Rhea?

Stefan-A

04-15-2007, 09:29 AM

how the heck do pixels relate to file sizes
and how do those relate to image size

I believe pixels determine image size?

how can I make something a smaller file size without ending up with small images?

the tools I've found only let you make images smaller, and then they end up being a smaller file size

I just want to change the file size though . . .
A pixel is one picture element and is the unit usually used for digital images. Your desktop for example may have a size of 1024 x 768 pixels and the smilies on this forum are 16 x 16 pixels. The size of the image is given in either the side x side format or as a total number, usually in megapixels.

Depends on the program that you use. I use Paintshop Pro, which allows you to adjust the compression factor of .jpg files when you save them. It reduces the file size and subsequently the quality, but not the image size.

KITKAT

04-15-2007, 09:44 AM

I use Photo Impact. You can reduce the dimensions by using the whole picture and telling it to reduce by a certain percentage. When you do that, the number of pixels goes down.

The other method is to crop the photo, taking out all of the extraneous material around the main image, such as the snake's head. When you do this, the pixels will be less because you have eliminated the ones you did not want, rather than reducing the total pixels in the image.

Clear as mud?

stonyloam

04-15-2007, 10:50 AM

There is a difference between pixels and bytes. The pixels determine the resolution of the camera. Bytes are used to store the image information. The file size (bytes) of a given photo image depends a lot on the photo itself. For example I have a 5 M pixel camera. If I take a photo of a simple scene (large areas of continuous color), for example a snow scene with a lot of white and black I may use only 500KB (bytes) to store the image. A very complex scene with a lot of small detail and hue changes taken with the same camera may take 2 MB to store the image. You should be able to look at the properties of the file to determine its size. I use the Kodak Easyshare software, and you can edit the photo and save it as a smaller file (75% 50% etc). You will get the same size image, in a smaller file size (e.g. reduce a 1.5 MB file to 700 KB file). You will of course lose some resolution. There should be some feature in your software (that came with your camera?) to do something similar. I may have gotten some of that wrong, I am an old time film guy myself.

Cazador

04-15-2007, 01:58 PM

As was mentioned, you need to use some type of "compression" software, and newer computers just happen to come with it. Pull up your explorer window (right click on "start." then left click on "Explore."). Then navigate to your image.

Right click over the image icon (without actually opening the image). Then select "open with." Hopefully now, you'll see an option that says "Microsoft Digital Image Starter Edition."

If not, disregard the rest, and let me know what programs you have available.

If so, open the picture with Microsoft digital image starter edition.

Select "Save as" then click on the "options" button. The 3rd option from the top should say "quality level," and you can adjust the slide bar to select the quality you want.

When you're done, hit "OK." Then rename the file, for example, snake2, snake3, etc. and hit the save button. Then go back to the "Explorer" and check the file size after you've refreshed the screen (hit F5). It should have a smaller file size (in Megabytes or KB), but the image dimentions should be the same. Hope this helps,

Rick

drache

05-04-2007, 02:38 AM

thanks for all that input
my problem seems to be of a more mysterious nature

my images get shrunk when I import them to this forum and I don't know how that happens

it's kind of made me not bother to even post because it's too frustrating to see my thumbnail sized photos next to everybody else's

I use iphoto and there seems to be no problem with anything else
the pic are plenty big in iphoto
it's just when I import them that they shrink

Ameivaboy

05-04-2007, 02:53 AM

well unless im just not understadning your problem why not just upload your pictures onto photobucket.com and then drop the IMG code they give you into your post, the image should be the same size unless the site has a program to resize them automatically (i dont think this site has that but some like repticzone.com automatically resizes images to save space i assume)

GarterGuy

05-04-2007, 08:38 AM

Hmmm...that's really strange....I haven't had anyproblems with the pics "shrinking" when posted. Though I guess when I copy them from the gallery, they tend to stay the size that they are posted there and not their actual size. Hmmmmmmmmm????????:confused:
Roy

Stefan-A

05-04-2007, 08:50 AM

Some of us keep our pictures on another server, not in the gallery on this forum, which lets us post pictures in their actual size. Could this be the problem you are referring to?

From the gallery:
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/freggs1.jpg

From another source:
http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/freggs1.jpg

It's the exact same file, one uploaded to the forum's gallery, the other to another server. Images from the gallery are apparently limited to a 600 pixel width when used in threads.

drache

05-04-2007, 10:51 AM

wow!
that's a huge difference
yes, I have been taking the images from the gallery here
mine seem to get even smaller than your first one though
like look at my entries for the april contest - miniscule
I did join photobucket to give that a try
thanks

Stefan-A

05-04-2007, 11:39 AM

Your pictures in the April contest and the gallery all seem to be 360 pixels wide, which sort of ruins my theory.

drache

05-05-2007, 03:36 AM

just to update:
I tried photobucket and it shrunk my pics too
there must be something else I'm missing

drache

05-05-2007, 04:08 AM

I just tried it again and I just want to scream
photobucket also reduces my pics to a tenth of their size
and I cannot figure out where it tells me that that's what it's gonna do and where I can change it
I know I'm not that computer savvy, but I'm also not an idiot either
and I looked for settings with options
I swear, they're not giving me any
is it because I went for the free version?
I searched that site and couldn't find anything relating to image size other than to make them smaller
sorry about going on so
I have to admit I'm feeling a bit whiny around this

drache

05-05-2007, 05:09 AM

okay
I've tried three different internet photo services
all of them shrink my 3456x2307 pic down to 360x240 - calling that the "large" size
I want to know what it is you guys do that this doesn't happen to your pics

drache

05-05-2007, 05:22 AM

okay
'fess up, you guys
admit it
you have pro memberships for the sites you use or you have some program you paid for
I'm willing to cough up the twenty bucks a year, if I have to
unless someone here can tell me of some way around it

Stefan-A

05-05-2007, 05:30 AM

I'd love to help, but I don't know the first thing about using Apple products.

What happens if you don't use iphoto?

drache

05-05-2007, 06:56 PM

I have no idea
I don't imagine my computer will blow up
I suppose there's some program that came with the camera
I'll check that out tomorrow

stonyloam

05-05-2007, 07:42 PM

Hi Rhea: I am no expert, but it seems like you may not be saving your photos in the correct format. Bring up a photo (on your computer) and look at the "properties": (right click the mouse)
format should be jpg
file size should be somewhere around 1000-2000 kb
picture size should be something like 2856 x 2142 (depending on the camera)

If your picture size is 360 x 240 and your file size is around 50 kb you are are not saving your photos from the camera in the correct format.

If that's not it, your program may be automatically resizing your photos for e-mail, or the web.

I use Easyshare (free from Kodak) and if I save as "best for web I get a 300 x400 pixel photo. Your program may be saving in some similar format. What you want is a full size jpg format.

I hope I am not confusing you (I think I am confusing myself);). Good luck!

stonyloam

05-05-2007, 08:34 PM

Hi again Rhea: I read over all of the posts and see that I missed one (I am Kind of like that with directions too). It looks like your "internet photo services" are automatically resizing your photos (to 360 x240) for use on the web (I just took a look at Photobucket and that appears to be the case). What you need to do is download your full size files directly from your computer to the gallery using the browse function on the photo upload. That should take care of your problems. Good luck;).

drache

05-06-2007, 05:21 AM

the reason I've been trying the internet photo services, is because the same thing happens when I upload images into the gallery and someone said that it might not happen when I use an internet service - now it looks like I'm back to square one.

drache

05-06-2007, 05:27 AM

question:
are any of you able to upload images into the gallery and have them show up bigger than 360x224?
I just want to know whether it's possible, or whether those of you with the lovely large pics import them from some other place
it does seem to me though that everybody's pics are bigger than mine and you can't possibly all be using another source

stonyloam

05-06-2007, 06:44 AM

Rhea: Yes. If you look at my photos in the gallery they are as large as 2500x1875 (other folks are similar in size), some are smaller because they are cropped before uploading. When I upload I hit the "browse" button and upload directly off of my hard drive. Somehow your photos are being resized when you upload.

stonyloam

05-06-2007, 07:05 AM

You may have your photo program set to atomically resize your photos for e-mail, and when you try to upload, it thinks you are trying to attach a photo to an e-mail. Check out the software that came with your camera.

stonyloam

05-06-2007, 08:25 AM

Hay Rhea: Your problem kind of interests me, so I tried to see if I could duplicate your problem. I edited a normal size photo, and saved it as “best for web” in my (Easyshare) program and this is what I got. The size is now 300x400 instead of 2500x1875 (below). Somehow your program is doing this automatically when you try to upload. There should be some way to turn this function off. Just have to look around and figure it out.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/outlet.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/100_1709.JPG