Re-Sizing Pics...Losing Picture Quality
 

Could I get some advice please....

I'm probably reducing my images incorrectly but I'm losing a TON of clarity, and overall picture quality when I'm done getting my pics down to within posting limits.

What's the best way/process to reduce 2-3 Mb pics down to 900 Px, 150K while maintaining resolution, clarity, etc.

Thanks in advance as always....

What software are you using to downsize? Even the best options out there (Photoshop) have to make compromises when interpolating the image into the smaller size. Another limiting factor is going to be the fact that you're looking at your image on a monitor, which is only 72dpi, a resolution that would be completely unacceptable in print.

To combat this as much as possible, I always re-sharpen the images after a resize. Ultimately, there's simply no way to completely avoid the loss in clarity at some level.

The posting limits are only if you use Reef Central to host the pics. Get yourself a free account from Photobucket or the like and just link to your picture on that site.

Re-Sizing Pics
 

I use Photoshop CS2 primarily but even if I use Microsoft Office Picture Manager, I still lose quality. Understand monitors' resolution is limited as well but using the monitor as a standard, if it's very clear at full size, then loses quality & clarity when I re-size, both views are being done on the same monitor so it's noticeable regardless.

I guess I should have said my concern for reduction in quality concern is solely based on RC postings (I don't print too many images).

I use a Photobucket account then transfer images to RC. I can't recall if I used Photoshop "sharrpen" this time...let me go through the process again. I used the process as explained on RC link for posting images...might have missed the sharpen step.

Thx for your feedback

google mihov image resizer. Works great shrinking pictures without losing quality.

Re-Sizing
 

Ok...I'm good to go. I didn't sharpen prior to re-sizing in CS2 and that made all the diff in the world.

Thanks again for the feedback...

Hey Rhagemann....Hows the tank going? Jim

Sharpening should generally be the last step and done with the image at it's final resolution. A 2000 x 16000 image with appropriate sharpening applied will look like garbage at 640 x 480

I accually just read in a photoshop CS2 for dummies book, that when resizing you loose quite a bit if saving to jpeg, but if you want to keep the same quality then you have to used either pdf or the photoshop ext exspecailly playing with layers.

Hey Jim....
 

Hi Jim.....PM Sent