Change in resolution

[RBuker]

Pardon the ignorant question but I don't understand a lot about this stuff.

I enjoy the heck out of taking pictures. I have a 12 megapixel camera that takes great pics when I look at them on the monitor or print them out. But, when I go to email them or post them on a board like this, they are no where near as sharp. Is there a way to change the size without lowering the resolution when I email them? I don't want to send people 6mb pics but I hate to lose the quality.

Here's an example. It is crystal clear in the original.

[panthrcat]

hhmm perhaps your email automatically sizes the images for you?

I always make the image smaller to send email style,, and they appear clear (although nowhere near what a RAW image might be) but it suffices.

is it as simple as the "file size"? and not the resolution.. I'm not too sure,, sorry I can't help more

Sue

[panthrcat]

oh by the way,, nice image!!

[Dbl]

RBuker,

Resolution might add detail, but it can't add sharpness, they're different things. Resolution adds the detail that lets us recognize features. Sharpness makes edges clear and distinct. Resolution is a measure of how many dots of information occur in a square inch (dpi) and is normally used when printing. A typical computer screen has a dpi of 72. There is no advantage to having a large resolution file displayed on a web site, it only takes a viewer longer to see the file load in their browser.

Image physical size is how wide and high an image is - measured in pixels. The bigger the physical size, the larger the file size will be and the longer it will take to download on a web page.

So to answer specifics you can safely make your resolution smaller (72dpi) but when you do that you will need to apply some form of sharpening to that file. The change in resolution causes some loss of detail that you can add back in when you post to the web. I don’t know what you use for software but most programs will allow you to sharpen.

Does that help?

[RBuker]

It helps a little bit. All I know is that the pictures I take directly from the camera look a whole lot better than the images I email to friends. It frustrates the heck out of me...

[RBuker]

By the way, thanks a lot for the responses...

[Dbl]

Your image hosting site is likely downsizing your images when you post them to a forum like this, that will cause some softening of your images. You need to have some type of editing program to add some sharpening back into your images so they appear sharp when displayed here.

Your camera likely has some software included, there are a few free programs that are available or you can pay for some commercial software.

As far as e-mailing goes I don't know what you use but I am guessing you can't really e-mail a 12 mp size file. Most e-mail programs have limits on the size of the file and the amount of data to transfer. If you try and e-mail ten, 12 mega pixel files you are trying to move 120mp of data! Does your e-mail program compress your files? Compression will also soften your images.

[RBuker]

Dbl,

I'm guessing you are right on all counts. I'll have to look into my software to "sharpen" the pics before I email them or upload them to photobucket.

Thanks again

Randy

[Birdsong]

RBuker,

Resolution might add detail, but it can't add sharpness, they're different things. Resolution adds the detail that lets us recognize features. Sharpness makes edges clear and distinct. Resolution is a measure of how many dots of information occur in a square inch (dpi) and is normally used when printing. A typical computer screen has a dpi of 72. There is no advantage to having a large resolution file displayed on a web site, it only takes a viewer longer to see the file load in their browser.

Image physical size is how wide and high an image is - measured in pixels. The bigger the physical size, the larger the file size will be and the longer it will take to download on a web page.

So to answer specifics you can safely make your resolution smaller (72dpi) but when you do that you will need to apply some form of sharpening to that file. The change in resolution causes some loss of detail that you can add back in when you post to the web. I don’t know what you use for software but most programs will allow you to sharpen.

Does that help?

I'm not sure it helps RBuker, but it has explained a lot to me! I was hoping someone would come through with a good answer to his question. Thanks.

[RBuker]

Ok, I thinkI get it. This is a copy of the same pic as above but adjusted and sharpened.

Here's another.

[dockothebay]

Very nice shots and the post processing sure makes the pop off the screen.

Thanks for asking the question - even though I either knew or had heard most of the answer previously, I'm always appreciative of the reminders! T