Image size

[Harry Myers]

I know this has been posted a million times . I have my camera set to share pictures on a computer. I tried to post and it still was to big . I have it set to 480 x 640

[TFP Admin]

Hello Harry,

We don't mind discussing it again.

The picture limitations here are more than just the physical size of the image. It also limits the file size to 146 Kb (Kilobytes). If the image is bigger than that it won't upload. The physical size restriction is 750x750 pixels max.

Many cameras have a variety of options for the images you take. I prefer to keep my pictures as large as possible in the camera to get the best quality and then use an editing program to alter the dimensions and file size for whatever I am going to use it for. Pictures for printing need to have the highest resolutions and dpi (dots per inch) settings to make clear, large pictures on paper. For sharing pictures on the web your resolutions have to be smaller as do the dpi settings.

Most of the time these options are just a few selections in the camera before shooting. Then after the pictures are taken use the software that came with the camera (or any other image editing software) to change the picture even more. You can crop, remove blemishes and red eye, change the tone and contrast and a lot of other things. Some people just want to do it quick and dirty so all you have to be concerned with is the physical size (750x750 or less) and the compression value (usually in percentages) so it reduces the file size to 146Kb or less.

I hope that wasn't too confusing. We want you to be able to share a lot of images with us. This is the internet after all and we are all using a graphical interface so everything should look as pretty as it can. The image restrictions here are actually designed to give us a good size and to load quickly. In time the website server space will fill up with so much content that we could actually run out of room if we don't take care that things like images are kept at a reasonable size.

I know that myself and others are willing to help anyone in using the image editing programs you have. So if you have any problems at all please let us know. You have a lot to offer this forum and we all want it to be easy for you and everyone else to share what they have.

Thank you for bringing up the topic.

[Jerry Thomas]

Okeydoke, may I use Irfanview for an example?

I get the part about the 750 x 750 I think, What I can't figure out is setting the compression or whatever that is to 146 KB or less, I am ignorant.

Second question as an example......... say I am viewing a thread, I make a reply and want to insert a picture... I click on attachments and browse my computer for the picture.....I find one ,..... this is when I hit a snag. If my picture is too large how can I resize it right there and then so I can upload it?

Most of my photos are 1280 x 960 475kb JPEG if that helps.

[TFP Admin]

Hello Number 1,

The forum software is not installed on your computer so it can't help you manipulate files on your computer except to help you find and upload them.

Irfanview is a good program and I think it is free. You can install the program on your computer and use it to edit images you have on your computer (images should always be uploaded to your computer from your camera first). Your resolution of 1280x960 is the size and compression level your camera takes them at. You may or may not be able to set the options of your camera to make the pictures either larger or smaller but the size you have is good.

Use the image editing program to change the size of the image and when you save it you will be presented an opportunity to alter the compression levels (usually in percentages of the original size) Some programs will tell you the final size before you actually save it so look for that info when you are ready to save. Compressing an image as much as 30% (or saving it as 70% of the original) will many times produce an image that looks nearly as good as the original. Now you can upload the reduced image to the forum.

Nick, our Computer Guide may be able to explain it much better but I hope this helps you understand. Let us know if there are any more questions or comments.

[Jerry Thomas]

Thank you, it's a good thing I don't make my living installing "pitchers"