Best picture formula

[wnagle]

What is the best way to end up with High quality picturesin your posts.  Most Ive done with my cell phone on a lower resolution with less than good results.  So I tried with my pentax 2.0 megapixel digital camera.

1)  The camera has three resolution settings: 640 x 480, 1024 x 768, and 1600 x 1200.

2)  It also has 4 levels in quality: *, **, ***, and Tiff.

3)  I've reduced size on this site: http://www.shrinkpictures.com/  which reduces size by pixels or % of pixels.

Basically I'm trying to find out the best combination of these three parameters, that result in the best, large, clear photos, that are under the 125kb limit, without taking a hundred photos and doing hundreds of resizing, downloading, saving, checking size, and viewing on the forum.

Anyone have any suggestions on how you get great photos in the forum?  I'd appreciate any help.

 

[tbellemare]

Wayne:

If I want to deal with more than a couple of images at a time, I use ImageMagick. It's a command-line tool so it's a little clunky but is very powerful and free.

Tom

 

[AlexThePalex]

The 640x480 setting should be enough to give people here an idea of what you want to show. If you want them to have a real good look, use 1024x768.

Forget about the 1600x1200, way too large. Also forget about the Tiff option on your camera, it is a format primarily used by professional photographers who need as much detail as possible and can lead to extremely large files. I have seen Tiffs made by NASA of 250 MB large.

I don't know what other settings your camera has since *,**,** doesn't mean much to me. Most widely used format on the web is JPEG (or JPG) for photos, and GIF for smaller pictures like avatars. Best to use JPEG/JPG. When you use imaging programs and you save a picture as jpg you get the option of a quality slider, where you can reduce the picture quality which leads to a smaller file size. Even pictures with only a 30% quality setting can be good to view online and they reduce file size greatly.

It would be best to get a real imaging program to do this. I use Photoshop but as a starter you could probably best use Irfanview, an easy to understand freeware program.

http://www.irfanview.com/

If you installed Irfanview and would like to know how to reduce file size, let me know and I'll explain it here.

There's even a setting in Irfanview where you simply give the file size when saving and Irfanview automatically optimises the picture to that file size. You have to download the separate RIOT plugin for that though.

Irfanview also has the option of Batch Conversion, which means you can change a whole set of pictures all at once instead of doing each one manually.

I'd greatly advise to get Irfanview over a command line utility as Tom Bellamore suggests when you're not familiar with using the command line.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Wayne, I'm nowhere near a camera expert but I've had good luck in getting decent looking pictures for internet use. A cheap point and shoot camera will work fine. Anyone can spend $200-250 (or less) and get a camera that will take great looking pics for the internet. Your camera will likely be fine I would however recommend a tripod. I prefer to take a fairly high resolution picture and resize it for internet use. Try one of higher quality settings and reduce the resolution (size) and quality of the pic until it's at or below the 125k limit. Good light make a difference also.

When it come to a program to easily resize photo there really only choice in my opinion and that's IRfan View.  

 

[wnagle]

Thanks for everyones help,

Alex the *'s stand for good better and best quality and the highest is TIFF Quality... that is a setting separate and aside from the pixels settings.  So I guess I'm not sure which quality setting to pick and which pixel setting to get the best picture when reduced.  I had Irfanview and deleted it cause I couldn't figure it out.

Brice, I was thinking along those lines. I'm inclined to use the highest pixels and highest quality setting and then reduce in size to be under 125kb.  Maybe I should get an inexpensive tripod...I'm sure that would help and be better than the stick (mono pod) I use.

Tom, I think your a couple steps ahead of me... I need to know the best camera setting to take the picture first...then onto the reduction settings... then on to batch reduction... I think

 

[cflansbaum]

my suggestions:

forget the low setting and the .tiff format
use the middle setting for most stuff
use the higher setting if you may want to print your picture

same with the resolution (use the 1024 x 786 most of the time and the 1600 x 1200 if you plan on printing it)

try picasa from Google - basic image manipulation tools, an easy export tool and and organizer all in one

always use .jpegs for pictures, .gifs are more for web graphics

Carl

 

[wnagle]

Thanks Carl.  I have picasa, just never looked that close at it.  Do you guys usually use the flash?  Or just use the florescent light setting on the cam?  My 24 x 24 shop is lit with 12 150 Watt CFL's as well as other strategically located CFL's.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Wayne I very rarely use the flash, in fact, so little you can say I never use it. The more light you can get the better without causing harsh shadows. I like a blend of natural and artificial light. Take a close look at tripod in person, you'd be amazed at the difference in quality at the same price point. Look at spending $25-$50. Be sure to read your camera's manual it can be a big help when deciding what setting to use. In the beginning the auto setting is your best bet until you get to better understand your camera. Take a lot of pictures that way you have a lot of pictures to chose from, one of them are bound to be a good one.  The reasoning behind my thoughts on taking higher quality pictures even you intend to use them on the internet is because you can always resize to reduce the file size but you'll never be able to make a lower resolution picture a high resolution picture.

I can't emphasize enough the importance of a good photo editing program, you aren't ready of a professional level program, you need something easy to learn and use (and free). I really believe that program is irfan view. I can resize a photo in less than ten seconds that's how easy it is to use. Check out the video I posted above and give it a try. 

 

[wnagle]

Thanks Brice,

I didn't notice that was a video before on Irfanview.  I just watched it and I'll reinstall it and give it a try with some new pics to see what I get.

 

[tbellemare]

I completely agree with the tripod recomendation. It's tough to hold still enough to get high-resolution or close-up pictures without it. It should also be locked down be fore taking the pix.

Tom

 

[johnbro]

Photography is a craft just like woodworking. Asking "how to get high quality pics in posts" is like asking  "how to build high-quality furniture."

1. There are some basics
2. Then there are some advanced things.

If you really want high quality pic, recognize that it's (like WWing) a combination of setting the tool and using the tool. The camera is designed to make a perfect picture of something evenly lit, middle gray in color, and with a grid on it for the autofocus mechanism to lock in on. Since that isn't what most people want to photograph, everything else introduces the possibility of a challenge.

It pays to learn the basics. Lot of good books on this, it really pays to read a couple. Not trying to discourage you, because it's pretty easy to learn the basics and immediately start improving all your pics, not just the ones for this forum.

Good idea is to post some pics you think aren't up to snuff and ask for some suggestions. I'm sure some of the camera-buffs here on FOG will be happy to help out.

Good shooting!

 

[wnagle]

Johnbro,

Thanks for your suggestions as everyone here is always helpful.  I guess my initial question wasn't really that clear.  I pretty much understand lighting and using a tripod to reduce camera shake and other nuances of taking the picture.  I did photgrapghy as a hobby back when film was the only option.  Back in the day, I shot everything in kodachrome 25 usually.  I did color prints in my home darkroom and had a nice array of Nikon lenses and bodies.  Most of what I learned was through a stack of photography books and hanging out at the camera shops.  My Photography learning kinda stopped a while before the digital/computer age.

I guess my questions were more digital and computer questions.  I wanted to know the best combination of resolution and quality camera settings that would reduce in size to fit on the forum.  IE low quality initial picture requires less reduction but there is  less to work with or highest quality might degrade if reduced to far. I don't know, maybe those settings aren't universal between cameras.

On my camera, there are 4 resolution settings and 3 quality settings.  My question was more of asking if anyone worked out the best combination and simplest way to reduce the photos so the end result was a large high quality picture under 125 kb.  I was just being lazy and didn't want to do a ton of test pictures in a multitude of settings combinations and downloads to the forum.  I figured maybe someone had already done the work since I see some really clear pictures here.  In addition to that, I go to three forums and they all have different size requirements and software with different reduction requirements.

I was hoping someone had and answer like:  I use this resolution setting with this quality setting and reduce by this percentage and they are high quality and fit in the forum.  I ended up doing some test pictures  based on all the recommendations and came up with some acceptable pictures that will fit in all three forums I go too.  My camera is, I'm sure, outdated from what I see on the shelves these days.  It's a nice compact pentax with zoom features but its only 2 megapixels.  So hopefully  I'm getting the best I can with my equipment and they will be acceptable and helpful on the forum.  When I get the money to upgrade to a better camera... well... you know what I'm gonna do... buy some more tools... lol

 

[Brice Burrell]

Unfortunately Wayne the setting aren't universal between cameras. My experience is the quality of the photo for internet use is more about the program you use to downsize the photo than the camera's setting. My pictures start off somewhere between 2meg-850kb then I resize them to 80kb-30kb for internet use. So it's not real important what you start with as far as resolution is concerned, it is important to have enough light or the downsizing will look bad.

You must embrace the power of photo editing software my friend!

 

[woodshopdemos]

Johnbro,

...When I get the money to upgrade to a better camera... well... you know what I'm gonna do... buy some more tools... lol

  digital cameras are like all other electronics. They are expensive when new release and then drop drastically when they become "outdated." I shoot about 100 pics a day when doing the website so I don't like to tinker around with the camera. I bought this camera when new for hundreds and now notice it is available "recertified" for $70 or so. I have bought two of the lower priced and they are like new as far as I am concerned. So I have three cause I tend to drop them. (but they still work fine.)

here is a link to where I get them... http://www.ecost.com/Detail.aspx?edp=44377686&navid=155441519

 

[wnagle]

Brice,
I've  been trying to use the ambient light in the shop to avoid the shadows of my flash.  And this is where I've been going to resize.  http://www.shrinkpictures.com/

I haven't done anything to the picture before going to the resizing site.  Maybe I should make adjustments first with some photo editing software and then resize?

John,

Your right on that issue.  When I got my camera, it was a deal at 275.00 if I remember right.  At 2 megapixels it was probably outdated in a few months.  Do you think it's that important to upgrade to a much higher megapixel camera as well?  Or is a 2 megapixel camera enough for pictures on the forum?

 

[Brice Burrell]

Wayne, I've never tried using the shrinkpictures site to resize pics, are you not getting the results you want using this site?

I use the one of three photo editing programs to resize my pictures. I have Photoshop elements (a watered down version of Photoshop), Gimp and irfanview (both Gimp and irfanview are free). I'd strongly recommend you download and use irfanview to resize your pictures if you aren't happy with the website you linked.

The only reason to buy another camera is so you can get better pictures with a little less work on your part. Newer point and shoot camera's auto setting is greatly improved over that of cameras a few years old. I bet you can get acceptable pics with the camera you have now.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Johnbro,

I was hoping someone had and answer like:  I use this resolution setting with this quality setting and reduce by this percentage and they are high quality and fit in the forum. 

It really doesn't matter what setting you use on your camera.

What you're looking for, the resizing, is ALL done in the imaging software.

Professional photographers simply try to get the best (= often biggest) resolution possible and then do the editing and resizing in imaging programs.

 

[wnagle]

Well I did use the highes setings just under tiff.  Tiff files wouldn't reduce with the site I put up previously.  The ones I just added for the dust deputy I didn't resize at all.  I downloaded them to picaso where they are resized automatically for there site.  Then I put them in the forum under the insert image with the image location.  Color balance is a little off.  I used no flash and tried several light settings.  I have CFL's in my shop.  On the Florescent setting it warmed it too much so this pic is under the incandescent setting...  still off but a little better than the florescent setting.  I could have used the flash and the colors wourd be a better.  Maybe I'll try that on my next project.  I may also try to upload a tiff file through picaso and see what that does as well.  I'd rather use a setting that works than to have to edit each picture later to correct for color.

Here is a picture with CFL's on the incandescent setting.

here is one taken last week with a flash

 

[wnagle]

Well as I guessed, the tiff pictures won't upload to picaso so here's my formula with this camera. 

Resolution: 1600 by 1200
Quality: Best
Color: With no flash, Incandescent setting or with a flash for best color and clarity

To re size: 
1) Automatic when uploaded to picaso OR 
2) www.shrinkpictures.com: Use 600 pixels and good quality

I haven't tried anything with Irfanview yet or messed with Photoshop.  I suppose they might help as would a better camera.  The above seems acceptable and is fast and easy and free.  Thanks to all!

 

[peter halle]

One of the features that I like about Photoshop elements is it's feature to remove an overall color cast in a picture.  It is interesting how different cameras impose a yellow or blue coloration.  It also has a function called publish to the web that allows you to reduce quality, size, etc to shrink the size of files while previewing the results.

Peter