[Kimber]

Treat me in this post like a total novice, which I just about am:

While trying to upload some pictures on the "what do we look like" thread, I keep running into a file size brick wall. The smallest of my photos are about 59K and nothing bigger than 39K (about) can be uploaded.

On another site, AO suggested to me a simple way to change the file sizes of photos that are sitting on my hard drive. I have the home version of Windows XP. I tried to follow the advice, but it didn't work. Right clicking on the photo did not give me a "resize" option, as near as I could tell.

Presently, my picture files range from about 60K up to 2.61 MB. (The 2.61 MB is the standard file size when downloading from my camera, and most of my photos are this size.)

I have, essentially, no fancy extra programs on my computer. Am I hosed, or is there a way to resize these down to 39KB? Or, should I grab some nice simple, easy to use software?

David

[Pink Flamingo]

IrfanView is a very nice little program for graphics, and it is free. You can get it here

http://www.irfanview.com/main_download_engl.htm

and I can walk you through resizing a picture if you would like to learn.

[Kimber]

Thank you Pink,

And I will most likely take you up on your kind offer. I probably won't download the software and play with uploading photos again for a day or two, but it is something that I really need to learn.

David

[nanna]

You could right click on them and email them to yourself ... and resize them down that way.


nanna

[SageTheRage]

I also use Irfanview. It's a freebie and very easy to use. Good combo!

[FrmlyZ]

I don't post photo's except on photographic sites. I use Photoshop 7.0. It makes resolution adjustment a matter of a click. They make a downsized version which is much cheaper. I think it is called Elements. If you have a digital camera, you probably have the software. They all come with it.

Best Wishes,,,,,

Z

[Chills]

Re-sizing and or re-formatting is basically the same in most the graphic progs I have used and I have used a few.

My prog of choice is Photo-Impact 7... mostly out of habit because it came with my puter....

But most do the same thing... usually found in the menu under format or edit
most also give you the option of what file extension i.e. gif, jpg,bmp etc..you wish to use to save your file/graphic..

[Libertarian]

I use MS Photo Editor that is a part of Office. You have to specifically install it as the normal Office install doesn't do it.

[WfK]

Kimber, (and hello everyone else!)
2.6MB = nice camera!

To make such a picture mailable/postable you should increase the "compression" (MS Photo Editor calls it "quality", because that's what you decrease) to get a smaller file size.

This is what I suggest: you create a new version and keep the old version for high quality printing.)

You need a photo editor program to do that. IrfanView is free and many others are free or cheap. They all work similar.
The key is the SAVE AS command after you opened the photo with the Photo Editor (and possibly have reduced its pixel size to fit physically.)

At that point you should:
>>first re-name the photo by giving the file name a suffix or different name altogether.
>>use the OPTIONs button to bring up the another screen
which is the modification of the compression ratio (or quality.) Anything around 60% should work for file size reduction. You set it and save from THAT screen.

The final result is not visible until you saved it, so it is cut and try if you want to stay under a certain file size limit.

Especially for Avartars you might need several tries to get it right.

The steps are:
OPEN photo from within the photo editor (find it by directory)
RE-SIZE pixelsize to fit purpose
SAVE AS (look under Options) for compression choice scale
pick new compression ratio from scale
SAVE

You should now have an additional picture that is smaller in pixels and smaller in file size. Both of these values can be found by searching for PROPERTIES of the newly created image.

[WfK]

To avoid confusion:
MS Photo Editor is a specific photo edit program.
It is part of MS Office (and maybe other MS programs.)
Photo editor is a generic term for all photo modification programs.

The self-mailing work-around does not work for all photo edit programs.

[Pink Flamingo]

Anyone interested in using IrfanView can get in touch with me via PM - I've written a little tutorial covering the basics of the program, and can also assist when needed.

Edited to add: IrfanView is great for those of you who want a basic, free little program for resizing pictures - and very easy to use. It certainly doesn't have the flexibility or power of a program like Paint Shop Pro (which I use and love), but it will get the job done.

[FrmlyZ]

WfK:

"Kimber, (and hello everyone else!)
2.6MB = nice camera!"

No offense, but you must not do much of this stuff. My P&S Nikon gives me files that are 20 to 50 MB.You should see what you get when you scan-in an 8 x 10 inch slide.

:)

Best Wishes,,,,,

Z

[Libertarian]

My Olympus 3.8 Mpix camera will give me 50 Mb files too. I changed the setting so it gives me more reasonable sizes (<1Mb) unless I am shooting something I want to enlarge way up.

[FrmlyZ]

Libertarian:

That is true. I only use the digital stuff to help non-profits [this is gratis work]. They can make calendars and cards to sell. I am not going to invest further in digital equipment until they solve the latitude problem. I have found that it is possible to blow out the high-lights and block-up the shadows in a single shot. Fuji claims that they have solved, at least part of the problem, with the Super CCD SR sensor in the S3 Pro. I will wait and see about that one. I also don't like the APC sized sensors.

Best Wishes,,,,,

Z

[WfK]

FmrlyZ,
when someone posts that he doesn't know how to manipulate photos to smaller size/file size, he in all likelihood also uses the default jpg caption of photos he takes and has never heard of the TIFF format.
Which makes me believe his camera is a 5 MPix camera, and that's pretty good.

So why do you conclude that I "must not do much of this stuff?" At least I gave David an idea how to do what he wanted to do while you did not.

[Libertarian]

What is the "Latitude" problem? I've heard about the "latency" problem which deals with digicams not being able to still capture fast motion like film does. Is there yet another issue I need to deal with?

[FrmlyZ]

Libertarian:

It refers to the dynamic range of the capture system. It is expressed by a curve [called a characteristic curve]. A film like Tri-X has a large range. It can capture details in shadows and details in highlights; even under conditions of high contrast. An example would be bright sunlight in a forest with heavy shadows. You might find this in the Olympics. The digital cameras I have used can't do this. This includes the best from Canon and Nikon. Fuji claims to have moved towards solving the problem. We will see.

Best Wishes,,,,,

Z