Resizing for desktop and neighborhood photo lab

It depends on what printer your branch of Costco uses.

They have a nice brochure that describes their services, titled "Professional Digital Printing Services" and their printer’s profiles are maintained and available at Dry Creek Photo’s web site.
www.drycreekphoto.com

The printer’s available apparently are (with the proper file size for a 4" x 6" print)

Noritsu QSS 2901 ….. 400 ppi ….. 1600 x 2400
Noritsu QSS 3101 ….. 320 ppi ….. 1280 x 1920
Fuji Frontier ………….. 300 ppi ……1200 x 1800

And … they usually print out at the correct size (based on the ppi) when you do your part.

You also asked:
"…
If I increase the pixel size so that the document size ends up around 8×10 then the pixel size is huge!
…."

8" x 10" for the Fuji Frontier is not really that "hugh" … if you are accustomed to working with digital images. 8" x 10" for the Frontier (300 ppi) is roughly 7.8 megapixels, or roughly 23 megabytes.I routinely do 12" x 18" at my local Costco … which uses the Noritsu QS-3101 … and always use uncompressed RGB TIFF files. The file size is normally 22 megapixels …. or roughly 63.3 megabytes … but that’s why we have inexpensive recordable CD’s, isn’t it?

"Bryan" wrote in message

A little help with resizing, please.

I want to resize my digital photos so that they will print out as photo-quality 4×6’s using Costco Photo Lab services. The photo’s are

shot

as 2288×1712 HQ Olympus Camedia C-4000 Zoom images. The originals will

be

left as is, but the resized jpg’s will be placed on cd’s for friends or

used

as source for hard copy 4×6’s at my local Costco lab.

I’ve been correcting the levels and colors, then saving as max quality jpg’s. What’s the proper way to resize these edited images?
I tried Resize:
Pixel Size:1024(w) x 768 (h)
Resolution: 300 ppi

and the document size ends up as a 3.4×2.5 (inches) image.
I chose 300 ppi so that it would have decent print quality and I chose 1024×768 so that the images would fit without adjustment onto the desktop

as

wallpaper or slideshow images.

If I increase the pixel size so that the document size ends up around

8×10

then the pixel size is huge!

What should I be doing?

Again, my goal is to have resized and edited jpg’s that will print as

4×6’s

at photo quality using my local costco photo lab and that will also fit

well

onto my desktop.

Thank you

P.S., I’ll see what I can find with google as well.

I’ve got a lot of basic questions!

If I understand you correctly, you’re suggesting that I set my ppi to 320 and my pixel size to 1280×1920 for a final print of 4×6 for the Noritsu QSS 3101. Is this correct? Do I need different settings for different final print sizes; e.g., 5×7 or 8×10?

One of the things I’m confused about is the relationship between pixel size and it’s effect on document size in the adobe resizing window. As I decrease the pixel size in the resizing window, the document size (or image on paper) gets smaller. What’s the relationship between pixel size, ppi, document size (image on paper), and print size (photo printed at Costco)?

Thanks for the dry creek link and other info.

"RSD99" wrote in message

It depends on what printer your branch of Costco uses.

They have a nice brochure that describes their services, titled "Professional Digital Printing Services" and their printer’s profiles are maintained and available at Dry Creek Photo’s web site.
www.drycreekphoto.com

The printer’s available apparently are (with the proper file size for a 4" x 6" print)

Noritsu QSS 2901 ….. 400 ppi ….. 1600 x 2400
Noritsu QSS 3101 ….. 320 ppi ….. 1280 x 1920
Fuji Frontier ………….. 300 ppi ……1200 x 1800

And … they usually print out at the correct size (based on the ppi) when you do your part.

You also asked:
"…
If I increase the pixel size so that the document size ends up around 8×10 then the pixel size is huge!
…"

8" x 10" for the Fuji Frontier is not really that "hugh" … if you are accustomed to working with digital images. 8" x 10" for the Frontier (300 ppi) is roughly 7.8 megapixels, or roughly 23 megabytes.I routinely do 12" x 18" at my local Costco … which uses the Noritsu QS-3101 … and always use uncompressed RGB TIFF files. The file size is normally 22 megapixels … or roughly 63.3 megabytes … but that’s why we have inexpensive recordable CD’s, isn’t it?

"Bryan" wrote in message

A little help with resizing, please.

I want to resize my digital photos so that they will print out as photo-quality 4×6’s using Costco Photo Lab services. The photo’s are

shot

as 2288×1712 HQ Olympus Camedia C-4000 Zoom images. The originals will

be

left as is, but the resized jpg’s will be placed on cd’s for friends or

used

as source for hard copy 4×6’s at my local Costco lab.

I’ve been correcting the levels and colors, then saving as max quality jpg’s. What’s the proper way to resize these edited images?
I tried Resize:
Pixel Size:1024(w) x 768 (h)
Resolution: 300 ppi

and the document size ends up as a 3.4×2.5 (inches) image.
I chose 300 ppi so that it would have decent print quality and I chose 1024×768 so that the images would fit without adjustment onto the

desktop

as

wallpaper or slideshow images.

If I increase the pixel size so that the document size ends up around

8×10

then the pixel size is huge!

What should I be doing?

Again, my goal is to have resized and edited jpg’s that will print as

4×6’s

at photo quality using my local costco photo lab and that will also fit

well

onto my desktop.

Thank you

P.S., I’ll see what I can find with google as well.

"Bryan" asked:
"…
If I understand you correctly, you’re suggesting that I set my ppi to 320 and my pixel size to 1280×1920 for a final print of 4×6 for the Noritsu QSS
3101. Is this correct?

…."

Yes

Then "Bryan" asked:
"…
Do I need different settings for different final print sizes; e.g., 5×7 or 8×10?
…."

Yes … OBVIOUSLY

First:
Go to the place where you will have your images printed.

Second:
Ask the main (or lead, or senior) mililab operator a few questions … such as

(a) What brand and model number is their printer?

(b) What are the standard print sizes on their printer’s menu?

(c) What is the ppi (some may erroneously call it dpi) of the printer?

Third:
Select a print size from 2b, above

Fourth:
Multiply the width of the print selection made in step three by the ppi found out in step 2c

Fifth:
Multiply the height of the print selection made in step three by the ppi found out in step 2c

Sixth:
Resize your picture to the dimensions determined in steps 4 and 5

Then … "Bryan" … asked:
"…
One of the things I’m confused about is the relationship between pixel size and it’s effect on document size in the adobe resizing window. …."

I’m not sure what your question really is here. The ‘Short Answer’ would be something like … believe the Adobe **PhotoShop** ‘Image/Resize’ window …. it is always correct. Some help in understanding this may be that there are three input boxes … one for width, one for height, and one for pixels per inch. Thus image size **in pixels** would be

(Width) x (pixels per inch) x (Height) x (pixels per inch) = Number of Pixels

And … The image size … in bytes … would then be

Number of pixels x 3 = File size at 24 bits per pixel (3 color … RGB)

It’s all relatively simple arithmetic … actually.

<Rant Mode>
Adobe is a company name. I do not understand what you mean when you say "… the adobe resizing window …"?

FWIW: Adobe Incorporated is one of the world’s largest computer software vendors, and their annual gross sales is very close to Micro$oft’s in total dollars. They sell several **hundred** different basic programs, and several thousand different high quality fonts every year.

Do you really mean something like "… the Adobe PhotoShop Elements ‘Image / Resize’ window …"

Please do *not* refer to your image editing program as "Adobe" … it makes you appear to know very little about what you are discussing. </Rant Mode>

"Bryan" wrote in message

I’ve got a lot of basic questions!

If I understand you correctly, you’re suggesting that I set my ppi to 320 and my pixel size to 1280×1920 for a final print of 4×6 for the Noritsu

QSS

3101. Is this correct? Do I need different settings for different final print sizes; e.g., 5×7 or 8×10?

One of the things I’m confused about is the relationship between pixel

size

and it’s effect on document size in the adobe resizing window. As I decrease the pixel size in the resizing window, the document size (or

image

on paper) gets smaller. What’s the relationship between pixel size, ppi, document size (image on paper), and print size (photo printed at Costco)?
Thanks for the dry creek link and other info.

In addition to the responses you’ve already received regarding image size / pixels / printing, let me just add the following ‘general’ rule of thumb, that gives excellent printed results, regardless of what printer is used at what lab :

Multiply image size width and height (in inches) by 250 to get required number of pixels for a good print, i.e. for a good 8 x 10, image size in pixels should be 2000 (8 x 250) by 2500 ( 10 x 250) pixels. Use the ‘250’ rule for any print size ( 4×6, 5×7, etc.) and you should get excellent results on any printer.

Yes, you can get ‘better’ results’ above 250, and worse results below 250, but anything within +/- 20% of 250 will give good results 99% of the time.

My local lab uses the Noritsu QSS 3111. I’ll have to check into those other 3 points: 1) the senior tech; 2) the print size (I’m assuming 4×6 because larger prints aren’t part of the 1 hour service plan); and 3) the ppi of the Noritsu QS 3111. And I’ll work on being more specific re: software (e.g., Adobe vs Adobe PSE 2.0).

Thank you

"RSD99" wrote in message

"Bryan" asked:
First:
Go to the place where you will have your images printed.
Second:
Ask the main (or lead, or senior) mililab operator a few questions …

such

as

(a) What brand and model number is their printer?

(b) What are the standard print sizes on their printer’s menu?
(c) What is the ppi (some may erroneously call it dpi) of the

printer?

Third:
Select a print size from 2b, above

Fourth:
Multiply the width of the print selection made in step three by the ppi found out in step 2c

Fifth:
Multiply the height of the print selection made in step three by the ppi found out in step 2c

Sixth:
Resize your picture to the dimensions determined in steps 4 and 5
Then … "Bryan" … asked:
"…
One of the things I’m confused about is the relationship between pixel

size

and it’s effect on document size in the adobe resizing window. …"

I’m not sure what your question really is here. The ‘Short Answer’ would

be

something like … believe the Adobe **PhotoShop** ‘Image/Resize’ window … it is always correct. Some help in understanding this may be that

there

are three input boxes … one for width, one for height, and one for

pixels

per inch. Thus image size **in pixels** would be

(Width) x (pixels per inch) x (Height) x (pixels per inch) = Number

of

Pixels

And … The image size … in bytes … would then be

Number of pixels x 3 = File size at 24 bits per pixel (3 color … RGB)

It’s all relatively simple arithmetic … actually.

<Rant Mode>
Adobe is a company name. I do not understand what you mean when you say "… the adobe resizing window …"?

FWIW: Adobe Incorporated is one of the world’s largest computer software vendors, and their annual gross sales is very close to Micro$oft’s in

total

dollars. They sell several **hundred** different basic programs, and several thousand different high quality fonts every year.
Do you really mean something like "… the Adobe PhotoShop Elements ‘Image / Resize’ window …"

Please do *not* refer to your image editing program as "Adobe" … it

makes

you appear to know very little about what you are discussing. </Rant Mode>

"Bryan" wrote in message

I’ve got a lot of basic questions!

If I understand you correctly, you’re suggesting that I set my ppi to

320

and my pixel size to 1280×1920 for a final print of 4×6 for the Noritsu

QSS

3101. Is this correct? Do I need different settings for different

final

print sizes; e.g., 5×7 or 8×10?

One of the things I’m confused about is the relationship between pixel

size

and it’s effect on document size in the adobe resizing window. As I decrease the pixel size in the resizing window, the document size (or

image

on paper) gets smaller. What’s the relationship between pixel size,

ppi,

document size (image on paper), and print size (photo printed at

Costco)?

Thanks for the dry creek link and other info.

Let’s see:
I just printed 4 copies of 1 photo each at different settings. The original photo was shot with an Olympus C-4000 at HQ 2288×1720 settings. This photo was downloaded to a folder on my computer. I opened this photo with Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0 and saved as a max quality jpg after making some minor adjustments.

My next step was to resize this saved jpg photo using the PSE 2.0 image|resize tools. I adjusted the ppi of one copy to 320 and 3×3 document size and the pixel size to 2288×1712; a second copy at 72ppi and 10×14 document size and 1024×766; a third copy to 72 ppi and 23×32 doc size and 2288×1712; and a fourth copy to 320ppi and 5×7 doc size and 2288×1712.

I saved each of these images to cd and had the lab print each as a 4×6. Result: I can’t tell the difference between photos in terms of quality. Is there something wrong with my experiment or was 4×6 not big enough to show a difference at the settings each photo was resized to?

I also printed photos as tif vs jpg using the same 2288×1720 camera settings and couldn’t tell the difference in print.

Is there an experiment I can try using my camera, Adobe PSE 2.0 and the Noritsu QS 3111 that will demonstrate the difference in output based on settings?

Thanks

"Lenswork1" wrote in message

In addition to the responses you’ve already received regarding image size / pixels / printing, let me just add the following ‘general’ rule of thumb, that gives excellent printed results, regardless of what printer is used at what lab :

Multiply image size width and height (in inches) by 250 to get required number of pixels for a good print, i.e. for a good 8 x 10, image size in pixels should be 2000 (8 x 250) by 2500 ( 10 x 250) pixels. Use the ‘250’ rule for any print size ( 4×6, 5×7, etc.) and you should get excellent results on any printer.

Yes, you can get ‘better’ results’ above 250, and worse results below 250, but anything within +/- 20% of 250 will give good results 99% of the time.