Digital photography - image sizing

[thegoodsgt]

My camera, a Dimage Z1, allows me to select from among four image sizes (2048x1764, 1600x1200, 1280x960, and 640x480). If I'm photographing figures for presentation on sites like pF, should I use a lower resolution on the camera or should I use the highest resolution and then use photoediting software to resize the image? Which gives the higher quality image for online viewing?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Roc]

Hi, I use 1600 by 1200 and resize it with photo ed.


Cheers

Roc

 

[amherbert]

Hi

You can never get resolution back.
So photograph at high res, then photomanipulate. You can always reduce size, dots per inch/cm etc., but once done, you can't go back. That's why digital zoom is a waste of time. It just blows up the picture pixel by pixel. Useless.

Andy

 

[quang]

Hello Steven,

In addition to what Roc and Andy said, here's how I proceed.

1 – I take my shots in 1600 x1200 format.

2– Then post-editing in Photoshop 7.O: adjust contrast, luminosity and sharpness. Crop as needed.

3 – Resizing operation. Open 'Image size' menu. Choose resolution: 72 dpi. Dimensions in pixels: change the lower figure to 500 pixels. You will see the original size of the image (in Mb) dropping dramatically. Click OK.

4– In 'Filter' menu, do the Unsharp mask once again (the image gets slightly blurred when you did the resizing operation).

5– Open 'Save for Web' menu. Check definitive size on the left bottom of the window. Make sure it's under 100Mb. And click 'Save'.

That's it.

I use a Mac but I guess that it's the same on Windows.

Contrary to the general belief (Photoshop=cheating), I consider PS post-editing a necessary and unavoidable step in digital photography. It's the equivalent of darkroom operation in traditional photography.

Photoshop is a tool and like every tool, it requires some learning and a lot of practice to make a proper use. It's the abuse which gives it a bad name.

HTH
Q.