Help!

Modus Operandi · 06-22-2009, 08:50 AM

Is there a program out there that lets you re-size your photos to a bigger size without sacrificing image quality?

*photolady* · 06-22-2009, 09:12 AM

That depends on what size they are to start with. This includes, pixel size and whether the photos are really small. You cannot resize any photo larger than double the original size. And Jpgs, are worse than anything to try and resize. Most programs, photoshop, lightroom and irfanview, gimp, faststone, etc, allow for resizing. You do not want to use the resample method either, use resize only.

*wildlifephotog* · 06-22-2009, 09:25 AM

Not free, but there is Genuine Fractals.
It will allow large upsizing with excellent results.

*photolady* · 06-22-2009, 09:35 AM

I knew I was missing one. Fractals was it. Wish I could afford that too.

**Marc Sabatella** · 06-22-2009, 11:00 AM

Note "without sacrificing image quality" is kind of a relative thing. Pretty much by definition, any upsizing will reduce IQ - the question is, by how much? The "dumbest" upsizing algorithms will show more obvious artifacts (eg, edge become jagged lines, an overall "blocky" appearance); the "smartest" algorithms will show fewer. Ity all depends on how much you want to pay and hard you want to work at it, which in depends on your purpose. Really, if you are just going to hand the file off to a print service (eg, Mpix, Ritz, Costco, etc) to do, say, an 18x24" or 20x30" print, you don't *need* to upsize at all - their software can usually take care of it for you and do a pretty good job of it.

tlwyse · 06-22-2009, 12:59 PM

First things first:

There's no free lunch!

Best option is to try different interpolation methods in Photoshop, as well as techniques involving up-sizing incrementally instead of "all-at-once"....and there's also Genuine Fractals software that is designed exactly for your purpose although I've never used it.

Keep in mind that, if you're doing final imaging/printing of an image, it will get interpolated up the resolution required for printing (printer resolution) anyway. Whether the printing pipeline does a better or worse job of this than doing it manually in Photoshop or elsewhere is up to you.

Regards,
Terry