compressing JPG files

[don911]

Anyone know how to compress JPG files? I'm trying to upload pix of my car into my profile but I keep getting an error. I think it's because the file is too large since I get an size error if I try to insert into the same pix into my post.
I have two photo programs. One Olympus that came with the digital and one Dell program that came with the computer. Neither seem to have any compression functions.
Suggestion?

[emcon5]

jpg files are already compressed. What you need to do is resize the images, and crop out the extra background stuff that isn't your car. There are several photo editing programs out there, if yours can't do this. You may give paint shop pro a try, a demo version is available here:

http://www.jasc.com/product.asp?pf_id=001

Tom

[Early_S_Man]

Don,

It depends entirly upon the programmer how much compression is 'applied' by default by the programs that came with your camera and computer. And, while eliminating unnecessary area outside the object of interest, it is not necessary to resize to smaller V x H dimensions to compress!

Try the Freeware program Irfanview ... it can use any Twain driver you already have, and can open and save in many, many formats! Also, for JPG, it offers variable compression you set by moving a slider in the 'Options' dialog box of the 'Save As' button selection. It is available at ZDnet and many other sites:

http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/stories/info/0,,38759,.html

Check the following thread for an example of a really huge JPG pic Jack O. posted that is only 49K:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate/Forum3/HTML/010677.html

Irfanview can be used with any camera or scanner that has a TWAIN driver available! I have used it through several revisions since 1998!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

[This message has been edited by Early_S_Man (edited 07-12-2001).]

[Zaphod32]

Originally posted by don911:
Anyone know how to compress JPG files?

If you don't have about a zillion pics, email them to me and I'll compress them to whatever size. I certainly know how to do it.

my email is: kera@iki.fi

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// jyri aka Zaphod32
-from Finland, Europe-
http://911porsche.cjb.net

[Jorgeman]

Don--You can use your Olympus program to resize your pics down to about 500 pixels width which will get you in under Pelicans cutoff. I have the same Program/Camera and it works quite well.

George 86T

[patalive]

Jack is the expert here, but when you compress images, you are not reducing pixel sizes. You are reducing the number of colors and resolution of the image. You can have a 100 x 100 pixel (about 1 inch square) jpg image that can be 500, 800 or even 1,000k in size, or it can be reduced to say 10k depending on the number of colors and resolution. For pics posted on the Internet, 72dpi is fine. Raising the dpi will have no effect on most home monitors - the image will look the same. Of course, when you print the picture, a 72dpi image usually looks pretty poor.
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I use Adobe Photo Deluxe to edit photos. It is very easy to use and is not expensive. This program allows you to first crop the picture (cut out unwanted background, etc), then resize the photo (say from 1200 x 2400 pixels to 200 by 400 pixels - so you can see it on the screen without moving the scroll bar), and then save it as a jpg image in a quality level between 1 and 10 (number of colors and resolution). (The 1 to 10 scale is Abobe's arbitrary resolution scale - other programs, like the big Photoshop and Fireworks lets you precisely set resolution and number of colors) For most of my web work, I usually use 3 or 4. This produces a photo about 400 by 300 pixels in physical size on the monitor and about 35k in file size, which is perfect for most applications on the Internet.
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Jack, a more technical explanation??
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Chuck
83SC

[This message has been edited by patalive (edited 07-13-2001).]

[Bill Verburg]

I also swear by Jasc Paint Shop Pro. currently using v7. I have also used Adobe, and Irfan but have been less than pleased with the results for varying reasons. JPSP offers 1 button resizing and the results are great. Other features of the program are a huge +.


[This message has been edited by Bill Verburg (edited 07-13-2001).]

[jlex]

Resizing photos and compressing photos (to save hard disk space) are two different things. If you really do want to "compress" photos so you can store many, many more on a floppy or your hard drive, I recommend an inexpensive program called Winzip. After any image is compresssed for storage purposes, it must be decompressed or inflated for viewing purposes. If sent to another person while compressed, the recipient must use a similar program to inflate the file. I believe Winzip can compress files so they can self-inflate later on once received by the recipient.
I'm not sure if you're really interested in compressing files, though... sounds like you're interested in editing them.
regards,
jlex.

[Don Plumley]

I also use Paint Shop Pro and think it has a great cost/feature ratio.

An important point about working in JPG format is to not do serial saves. Everytime you open, edit and save the file, you are appling the compression algorithm, and since JPG is a lossy compression, you degrade the image each time (links on this below). So when you download the image from your camera, make a copy (Save As) and don't edit the original image. I burn and store all my source photos off on CD's.

The science of balancing image size (both physical and storage) and resolution is important. Notice how some images on the board are huge, some are too small, some of the small ones are fuzzy, some of the big ones are sharp. In Warren's example, the picture is physically large and fuzzy.

Anyway, the real answer to Don's question is to use a decent photo editing product like Adobe PhotoDeluxe, PSP, etc. which let's you adjust resolution and image size independently (along with a thousand other variables). I don't have any experience with Irfanview, which probably works if you don't want to get photo editing software.

Image Basics: http://www.stellarsphere.com/tidbits/articles/vol1_imgformats/imgformats.html
JPG FAQ: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/jpeg-faq/

Don

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don@plumley.org
Das Zoom - '87 Carrera

[don911]

Thanks for all the help! I down loaded the freeware program last night but haven't had a chance to use it.
I'll give it a try this weekend and hopefully get some pix posted.

Don
87 coupe