Digital Camera Settings for size???

[Norman Hitt]

I saw a post a few days ago but can't find it, and my Daughter would like to know what "Size settings", should be set on the camera to give a full, (but correctly sized) picture on the forum. She said this makes it simpler than having to resize it in the Photo program, ('Course I have no idea what she's talking about when she mentions Pixels, etc.), so I hope someone can give us an answer with the appropriate numbers.

TIA...........Norm

[Ted Shrader]

Norm -

400 x 600 pixels is a good size for posting on the forum and does not require the viewer to scroll sideways or up and down to see the entire image. However, one also has to pay attention to the resolution. The file size should be no greater than 100KB (or so).

Really, the easiest way to adjust image size is with the computer. Take high resolution pictures with the camera - you may want to print some of them - then re-size on your computer. There are many programs (inexpensive or even free downloads) that will do this easily. If you are running Windows, MS Photo Editor is built in.

Ted

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Ted. Although it may seem "easier" at first to just set the camera to take pictures no wider than 600 pixels, manipulating them on the computer has many advantages, including the ability crop them and get rid of unnecessary information as well as color, brightness and contrast correct them, etc. You also retain full resolution pictures with the originals if you shoot at max res and size in case you want to print them in the future. IMHO, of course.

[Norman Hitt]

Ted & Jim, Thanks for the info. I'll pass it on to her & see what we can work out, as she's already gone back home this time, but maybe my oldest daughter and I can figure out her camera with directions from her over the phone, before the Oldest has to go home too.

[Harry Rigg]

Ted:

I assume that applies to scanned images too. I'm staying with my 35mm instead of going digital. My photo software is MS Picture It, and I can set image size by dimensions or pixels. I know how to do that. How do you figure resolution--is it 400x600 (or whatever size) divided by something?

Harry

[larry merlau]

I agree with Ted. Although it may seem "easier" at first to just set the camera to take pictures no wider than 600 pixels, manipulating them on the computer has many advantages, including the ability crop them and get rid of unnecessary information as well as color, brightness and contrast correct them, etc. You also retain full resolution pictures with the originals if you shoot at max res and size in case you want to print them in the future. IMHO, of course.

hey jim your thumb pic is 700 k how does that work when the limit is 100 k??

[Jim Becker]

hey jim your thumb pic is 700 k how does that work when the limit is 100 k??
I'm not sure I know what you are refering to here...my avitar is 16kb (JPG version) or 3kb (GIF version)

[larry merlau]

I'm not sure I know what you are refering to here...my avitar is 16kb (JPG version) or 3kb (GIF version)

above ted mentions that the pic file size must be around 100k but your thumb cut pic is 700k and works fine is the in the 600 x400 size range but the file size is much bigger than 100k????

[Jim Becker]

above ted mentions that the pic file size must be around 100k but your thumb cut pic is 700k and works fine is the in the 600 x400 size range but the file size is much bigger than 100k????
Now I understand what you are talking about! That file is 70kb, not 700kb, Larry.

[Glenn Clabo]

Ted:
I assume that applies to scanned images too. I'm staying with my 35mm instead of going digital. My photo software is MS Picture It, and I can set image size by dimensions or pixels. I know how to do that. How do you figure resolution--is it 400x600 (or whatever size) divided by something?
Harry
A very confusing thing this pixel vs file size issue...so don't feel alone.

File size means amount of memory needed to store a picture and is proportional to how many pixels (also depending on type of pixel ie black and white-less or color-more) it takes to make a picture. Pixels aren't simply dots...they are information...color and other information.

Now to further confuse us...there is picture size (dimension is better word)...ie 4X6 inches which is a normal color print size or 400X600 pixels which is a nice viewing size.

A 4X6 saved at 2400 pixels will print out the same size as a 4X6 saved at 1200 but the 2400 will (subject to printer) print at a better resolution. The computer arranges the pixels to create the illusion of a continous image, in a manner similar to that of a television screen or a Georges Seurat painting. Image Resolution simply refers to the number of pixels per square inch. This measurement is commonly (not neccessarly correct) called "dots per inch". In most cases, higher resolution results in better image quality. Remember, however, that final image quality is limited by the quality of what you are viewing it on and in how far away you can get from the picture.

So saving a picture as a file at full camera resolution is a good thing so you can manipulate it and print in more detail (more orginal pixels = more control), once again subject to printer capabilities. Posting it max'd on the web to be viewed by the monitor is a waste of file space and like the case here...it explodes the picture so you need wrap the screen around the house to see it.

It's confusing and I don't know if I actually helped or made it worse. Just trying...

[larry merlau]

Now I understand what you are talking about! That file is 70kb, not 700kb, Larry.
according to photoshop jim it is 700k. so that is where i was confused and so i will just use 1000k for my next try. but in the past i get denied the posted image. so that is why i was curious. your pic was extremly sharp and i was hoping to be able to get similar results but in the past as soon as i resize the image i loose the detail.

[Jim Becker]

That may be an uncompressed size, Larry...the actual file on the disk is 70kb.

[larry merlau]

That may be an uncompressed size, Larry...the actual file on the disk is 70kb.
all i did jim was to copy it from your post and veiw it in photoshop that was where i got the 700k from.

[Jim Becker]

Yep. And Photoshop uncommpresses the JPG as it displays it...just like your browser does. File sizes and on-screen image sizes in editing programs are not the same thing.

[larry merlau]

Yep. And Photoshop uncommpresses the JPG as it displays it...just like your browser does. File sizes and on-screen image sizes in editing programs are not the same thing.
ok jim i willthink that one over abit thanks for the info cause i do want to try and get better pics to post.

[Tom LaRussa]

A very confusing thing this pixel vs file size issue...so don't feel alone.
It's easy if you think of it in terms of something we mostly understand, i.e., WOOD.

Pix size is just dimensions, as in that piece of cherry measures 6" x 4."

File size is kinda like weight, as in a board foot of cherry weighs more than a board foot of balsa.

Except of course that there is no set relationship between pixels and inches, so far as I can tell.

Also, the same size pic will look different, and measure different too, depending on the size and settings of your monitor.

Plus, the number of colors used in a pic will effect all of the above.

Then there's the whole question of what type of file you're using. The file types have names like JPG/JPEG, GIF, PNG, and BMP.

Here is an easy guide to understanding the different picture file types:

The most popular one (or is it ones?) is/are JPG and JPEG. These are the same thing, mostly, I think, even though one is longer than the other and some software will recognize a JPG but not a JPEG.

JPEG is pronounced "Jay-Peg", but I'm not sure if JPG is pronounced the same way or "Jay-Pig."

Hmm...

Anyhoo, then there is the GIF, which is not all that popular anymore on account of nobody can agree whether it's pronounced like the peanut butter brand, i.e., "JIF", or like it's spelled, i.e., like "GIFT" with the "T" removed.

There is also "PNG" which I think is just a MSFT, (pronounced "We will soon possess your children), version of JPG/JPEG. But then maybe it's not. I don't really have any idea. PNG is an acronym for "Pretty Nice, Goober." (Goober being the pet name of the programmer who came up with it.)

Another one that's not popular anymore is the BMP, or "BUMP." Not surprising really. Doesn't sound nearly technical enough to tell somebody you're going to post a bump for them to look at -- unless they are a dermotologist.

I hope this clears everything up for everybody.

:)

[Ted Shrader]

Harry -

Sorry to be so slow getting back to you. Glenn's answer covered all the bases.

I try to take pictures/save pictures & scans at max resolution (ie biggest file size). That way you can go back and manipulate the image to do what you need in each particular case.

When posting to the web (or for e-mail), first set the size (either pixels or inches/cm) then adjust the resolution downward to get the file size you want. In this case less than 100K, and save it under a different name.

Regards,
Ted