Image quality

[horologist]

Since this thread doesn’t belong in the topic where it began…

As a rule I have found it best to keep your camera set to the highest resolution setting. You can always reduce the quality of a picture but never the opposite. Many cameras come with basic editing software and much can also be done with the tools that come with Windows. In a pinch those who use Outlook to read email can send the pictures to themselves and let Outlook reduce the file size.

High resolution images allow you enlarge a small area of your photo and still maintain clarity. This is especially important when you are trying to show a small detail as focus and lighting can be tricky when using your camera in macro mode.

For example I have attached two images, one showing the detail I needed and the other is the original. I have reduced the file size of both before attaching, but the clarity of the detail image would never have been possible if I had started with a low resolution image.

[charlese]

Thanks horologist, for starting a new thread to discuss a subject that has been bugging many guys over the past year!:)

What I have re-learned over the past couple of days is "there is more than one way to skin a cat". I am sure that those interested in photography in and of itself, will always want to be able to edit their photos. Those of us that just want to snap pix to show a point on the Forum, really don't have to get into editing. Especially if we have to obtain another computer program.

Here is a pix snapped at low resolution using the macro function of the camera I have (found out it is an HP rather than a Cannon). It shows a close up of an item we were discussing a while back related to the OPR.

[a1gutterman]

[quote="charlese"].....Especially if we have to obtain another computer program. ......quote]
Hi Chuck,
If you are running Windows XP, there is a program included called "Paint" that will allow you to reduce the size of your picture.

Right click on your file of the "oversized" picture and choose "open with". From that menu, click on "Paint". Your picture is shown. On the Tool bar, click on "Image". On the drop down menu click on "Stretch/Skew". Now you can reduce the size by changing the values in those boxes. After you do that, save it to somewhere you will remember, then you can use the instructions from the "sticky" note in the Community forum to upload your picture to SS and back to your post.

[dusty]

You can do the same thing using HP Image Zone which was downloaded from HP.com to run with my HP PSC2410 All In One Printer.

I like HP image zone because when I open a picture in HP Image Zone I get all of the details about the camera that was used and the exposure data.

charlese, your camera is an HP Photosmart 733. The picture was taken on 12/4/07 at 10:52:12 am at shutter speed 1/110, F-stop 4.74 and you used flash, focal length is 15.2 and the digital zoom ratio was 0/100. A lot of that means nothing to me but it's there.

[reible]

Dusty almost every digital picture has this sort of data. Look up EXIF is is a standard and has been for a lot of years.

Chucks picture:
Make - Hewlett-Packard
Model - hp photosmart 733
Orientation - Top left
XResolution - 72
YResolution - 72
ResolutionUnit - Inch
Software - Ver 1.09Lite
YCbCrPositioning - Co-Sited
ExifOffset - 338
ExposureTime - 1/110.6 seconds
FNumber - 4.74
ExposureProgram - Normal program
ISOSpeedRatings - 178
ExifVersion - 0220
DateTimeOriginal - 2007:12:04 10:52:12
DateTimeDigitized - 2007:12:04 10:52:12
ComponentsConfiguration - YCbCr
CompressedBitsPerPixel - 4.59 (bits/pixel)
ShutterSpeedValue - 1/110 seconds
ApertureValue - F 4.72
BrightnessValue - 2.41
ExposureBiasValue - 0.00
MaxApertureValue - F 9.06
SubjectDistance - 0.10 m
MeteringMode - Center weighted average
LightSource - Flash
Flash - Flash fired, auto mode
FocalLength - 15.20 mm
FlashPixVersion - 0100
ColorSpace - sRGB
ExifImageWidth - 640
ExifImageHeight - 480
InteroperabilityOffset - 1750
CustomRendered - Normal process
ExposureMode - Auto
White Balance - Auto
DigitalZoomRatio - 0.00 x
SceneCaptureType - Standard
Saturation - High
Sharpness - Normal
SubjectDistanceRange - Macro

Maker Note (Vendor): -

Thumbnail: -
Compression - 6 (JPG)
Orientation - Top left
XResolution - 72
YResolution - 72
ResolutionUnit - Inch
JpegIFOffset - 1780
JpegIFByteCount - 13570

And you don't need HP software to see it.

If people are interested cnet.com has a large list of software and can be sorted by OS, version, or things like free. They have reviews of the some of the software and others can post how they liked or disliked the package. In addition they offer free classes in things like digital photography.

If you do a seach on packages to do just simple things like shrinking and rotation they also have them... I've seen but not used them as I'm happy with what software I have.

I use a freeware package called IrfanView. I've used it for years and even used it while I was still working and the company would buy me what ever software I found useful... it is also often in the top 10 @ cnet. Of course it does a lot more the resizing and is well worth looking at if you happen to be into digital photos or even if you scan negatives/slides.

If there is interest I can do a posting with details of how to do the resizing and compressing using this product as I have done this before at another forum.

[dusty]

Duh, I didn't know that. Ed, recall, I have just recently gotten my digital camera to work. Actually, I was given one. The one I had been using sorta works kinda but I've set it aside. It was a 1.2 mega pixels Olympus with an exposure problem.

Your offer to post help might be just what some of us need.

[reible]

Hi,

I just checked and the information is still there, not sure any of the links work anymore but you are welcome to take a look and decide if this would be of any help.

BTW it is from 3/25/2005 so I could redo it if people want a fresher copy

http://www.routerforums.com/show-n-tell ... mages.html

Ed

[charlese]

Thanks, Tim, Dusty, Ed and others! Once again I am brought to realize how much I don't know. This information (above) is very enlightening and I'll see if it can be put to use in this house. At this time all I can say is WOW! and thank you'all!

[a1gutterman]

Hi,

I just checked and the information is still there, not sure any of the links work anymore but you are welcome to take a look and decide if this would be of any help.

BTW it is from 3/25/2005 so I could redo it if people want a fresher copy

http://www.routerforums.com/show-n-tell/1048-tutorial-how-shrink-images.html

Ed

So, what exactly is a Supreme Forum King ?

reibleRegistered User
Supreme Forum King

[reible]

So, what exactly is a Supreme Forum King ?

I think it means that you all have to send me at least $100 a month for me to stay at this forum, or $200 to stay away... which ever gets me the most money I will go with.

Ed