Why Does Photo Image Resolution Get Downgraded In CS3?

AS
Posted By
Asoka_Selvarajah
Apr 2, 2009
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385
Replies
5
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Closed
Hi,

I admit from the outset that I am a Photoshop dunce, and try to run before I can walk. That said, I can get simple things done but cannot figuire out why this is happening or what to do.

I am creating a CD box image in CS3 using a pre-created Action to make the box image that was obtained elsewhere. The problem is that when I bring in a very high quality photo (231KB), it downgrades in resolution. When it first comes in, it is gigantic and of high quality. However, when I resize it, it becomes of poor quality. I think I apply the transform when this happens?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

Asoka
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F
Freeagent
Apr 2, 2009
a very high quality photo (231KB)

That equals about a 1500 pixels wide jpeg at compression level 8, not very high quality if you ask me…

You are indeed trying to run before you can walk. Slow down. Don’t use actions if you don’t know what each step does.

In particular: I bet there’s an "Image Size" in there. That’s the single most potentially disastrous feature in all of Photoshop if you’re not fully aware of what it does. Look in the lower left-hand corner of the dialog where there’s a check-box called "Resample Image". If that box is checked, you can ruin the image in the blink of an eye.

And here’s the important part: ALL THAT MATTERS IS THE PIXEL DIMENSIONS. That’s the size and quality of your image. NEVERMIND the dimensions in cm or inches. They don’t matter until you’re sending to the printer. Those numbers just tell the printer how big the pixels will be on paper. And NEVERMIND the file size in KB’s or MB’s. That’s completely irrelevant for anything.

Set up a test image and play with the image size dialog. Take a note of what it does, with and without "resample image" checked. Look at the pixel dimensions! Do it over and over until you get it.
AS
Asoka_Selvarajah
Apr 2, 2009
Thank you very much for your feedback and help.

Actually, you’re right about the image. I myself had a big question mark about the "high resolution image" when I went off to find the file size for this forum post, only to discover that it was less than even 1MB. Not exactly the highest resolution after all!

I got it from iStockphoto, and it was the small version of the images that I chose, i.e. for web use primarily. But I found that I was able to do a product box, even a website banner, without any problem at all. Also, when I bring it into Photoshop, it seems to be a mile wide on a 32 inch monitor but still shows pretty high definition. That is why I thought it was high resolution.

What I can’t understand is that I created a product box with another Action with the same images and that came out just fine. It’s when I try this CD box that the image quality seems to mysteriously downgrade.

You can see the product box here:

<http://www.surgeyourtradingsuccess.com/surgebm/>

and as you see, the result is actually quite good (and these are the same images photos, i.e. under 1MB file size).

However, when I do the CD case, this is what I get:

<http://www.surgeyourtradingsuccess.com/Case.htm>

You are correct that one should not really be working with Actions until one is experienced in the basic product. In my defense, I didn’t create the Actions but rather bought them as part of a graphics product: in other words, they were pre-created so that all I have to do is add the appropriate photos, backgrounds and text and then hit the buttons. It worked fine for the product box graphic and also for this CD box graphic, EXCEPT that the latter result is low resolution.

Any thoughts on what is happening?

Asoka
AS
Asoka_Selvarajah
Apr 2, 2009
Let me add to my last reply to you, since you mentioned it, that the image sizes are 400×300.

Asoka
F
Freeagent
Apr 2, 2009
They are both at roughly the same pixel dimensions, so that’s not it.

Here’s how both look at 400% (click thumbnail to see full size)

< http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1px7EDitng4uaoucrK ylrUgqQrfl9>

But note the histogram that I’ve pasted into each. These are GIF’s in indexed color. This is well outside my area of knowledge (I don’t deal much with the web) – but I always thought indexed GIF’s were 256 colors, which the one on the left apparently is. Someone else will have to explain why the one on the right has only six spikes in the histogram counting the endpoints – how many colors is that?

Anyway, this is what gives the grainy appearance.
JJ
Jim_Jordan
Apr 2, 2009
The grain is based on GIF dithering options.

Consider using another format, like PNG or JPG (which offer millions of colors and does not force dithering) – – – or experiment with the GIF dithering options until you get the desired result.

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