Resizing Images (1 Viewer)

[PaulCountyDurham]

Hi all,

I've been looking at a few things to improve image quality, and one of the things I've noticed is that when posted to BF there is a loss of image quality when compared with posting to another site. This is not a criticism of BF by the way, it's my lack of understanding on how things work.

So, I looked back at a common sandpiper I posted, and I've uploaded to BF at 8mb, 4534 x 2706. I now understand that the maximum file size for BF is 500kb and 1024 x 900, which is good as I now know to resize and base sharpening and the like around that.

The only issue is that when I resize to 1024 x 900 the file size is around 700kb. I take it there will need to be some sort of resize by BF (which I want to avoid) to get it to 500kb? If so, how do i resize at 1024 x 900 and get it to 500kb file size?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks,
Paul

 

[PaulCountyDurham]

Hi all,

I've been looking at a few things to improve image quality, and one of the things I've noticed is that when posted to BF there is a loss of image quality when compared with posting to another site. This is not a criticism of BF by the way, it's my lack of understanding on how things work.

So, I looked back at a common sandpiper I posted, and I've uploaded to BF at 8mb, 4534 x 2706. I now understand that the maximum file size for BF is 500kb and 1024 x 900, which is good as I now know to resize and base sharpening and the like around that.

The only issue is that when I resize to 1024 x 900 the file size is around 700kb. I take it there will need to be some sort of resize by BF (which I want to avoid) to get it to 500kb? If so, how do i resize at 1024 x 900 and get it to 500kb file size?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks,
Paul

I should have added that I found one way to do it in Affinity, which is the photo editing software I use, and that is to slightly change the export quality from 100 (the very highest quality) to say 97. I'd like to avoid that if possible.

 

[Mono]

There is no maximum file size on the current BirdForum software. The maximum image size is 10000px x 10000px, although the software struggles to generate thumbnails at above 5000px. There is however no point in posting images above screen size so 1000px as the maximum dimension is a good ball-park, don't worry about the file size. If you want folk to see just part of the image then crop the image to that part, rather than post the whole thing and ask them to zoom in.

 

[PaulCountyDurham]

There is no maximum file size on the current BirdForum software. The maximum image size is 10000px x 10000px, although the software struggles to generate thumbnails at above 5000px. There is however no point in posting images above screen size so 1000px as the maximum dimension is a good ball-park, don't worry about the file size. If you want folk to see just part of the image then crop the image to that part, rather than post the whole thing and ask them to zoom in.

Thanks Mono.

It's not fully clear to me, but I think you're saying 1024 x 900 at any file size (say 800kb) won't need resizing by BF software? or are you saying 1000 x 900 at any file size or something entirely different?

 

[Mono]

The current BirdForum software simply uploads your image it performs no resizing or manipulation at all. The limit of 10000px in any one dimension is just to stop malicious uploading of massive images. The software will resize the image in order to display a thumbnail in the gallery or the forum post, the limit here is around 5000px, above that the image is still displayed if you click on it there is just no thumbnail.

When a visitor clicks on an image the image will show, the default is to show the whole image. So if the image is bigger than the visitor's desktop the image will be resized, this is done on visitor's computer by their browser. Uploading your image at around desktop size therefore eliminates that step. I know some folk will have a 4K display and some a 400px phone screen but 1000px is a good middle point.

My workflow would be. Crop the image to show what you want to show and then resize the image so maximum side length is 1000px. Save as a jpg with maximum quality and don't worry about the filesize.

 

[PaulCountyDurham]

The current BirdForum software simply uploads your image it performs no resizing or manipulation at all. The limit of 10000px in any one dimension is just to stop malicious uploading of massive images. The software will resize the image in order to display a thumbnail in the gallery or the forum post, the limit here is around 5000px, above that the image is still displayed if you click on it there is just no thumbnail.

When a visitor clicks on an image the image will show, the default is to show the whole image. So if the image is bigger than the visitor's desktop the image will be resized, this is done on visitor's computer by their browser. Uploading your image at around desktop size therefore eliminates that step. I know some folk will have a 4K display and some a 400px phone screen but 1000px is a good middle point.

My workflow would be. Crop the image to show what you want to show and then resize the image so maximum side length is 1000px. Save as a jpg with maximum quality and don't worry about the filesize.

Thanks again, Mono. That's pretty clear.

One final question: I think by side length you mean the length going across the picture, what's thrown me is that I've never heard the term "side length", I'm pretty sure you don't mean the height but could you confirm, please.

 

[Mono]

If the image is landscape then the biggest side is the width, if the image is portrait then the biggest side is the height. If you are making images for the Web then you don't need to be confined by standard image sizes or ratios, fit your image proportions to the image content. If you are making print images then you obviously constrained to the paper size.

 

[PaulCountyDurham]

So, going back to your workflow:

My workflow would be. Crop the image to show what you want to show and then resize the image so maximum side length is 1000px. Save as a jpg with maximum quality and don't worry about the filesize.

Does the above "maximum side length" assume the image is landscape and you're talking of the length of the picture (not the height from top to bottom)?

 

[Mono]

If I am posting images to the Web I usually make the maximum side length 1000px , so if a landscape image it would be WxH 1000x(say)800, if portrait it would be 800x1000.

 

[PaulCountyDurham]

If I am posting images to the Web I usually make the maximum side length 1000px , so if a landscape image it would be WxH 1000x(say)800, if portrait it would be 800x1000.

Many thanks for your help, Mono.

If it helps, I've just been looking around some YT videos at resizing tips and a professional designer has put something up there (Affinity photo). He doesn't crop before resizing due to image quality loss, instead he creates a template/new file at say 1000px x 650px, or whatever size you want, and then opens the original image and uses the 'place' option to drop it into the template. From there you can move the original image around (within the template) to include whatever part of the picture you want, while resizing, without having to crop. According to him this method retains image quality, unlike cropping. I've tried it with some edited photos I have and it's easy enough to do.

I haven't tried it with an unedited image yet as I don't have one at this point in time - but will try it to see if there is any noticeable difference in image quality to my eye.