Please help! :\ - DPChallenge Forums

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

11/10/2008 02:47:56 PM · #1

Ok, so I've been trying to submit a picture for the Periodic Table challenge, but I'm having some issues.... In order to get my file size to be under 200kb, I have to resize my picture to be *really small,* and then it loses the editing I've done on it! So I'll try to re-edit is (now that it's small), but then it increases the file size back up to like 400kb. :( I'm sure this is a really stupid problem, but I just can't figure out how to get around it.

Yo_Spiff

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

11/10/2008 02:50:52 PM · #2

First question is: what application are you doing your editing with? Most applications have an adjustment somewhere within the file save dialog that adjusts the jpeg compression level. You need to find that and adjust it for the least amount of compression that will still fit within challenge limits. (There are some real jerks around here that will low vote you if your file shows lots of compression artifacts and a small file size. :-} )

Message edited by author 2008-11-10 14:53:00.

SaraR

Sony Alpha a7R III

Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM

11/10/2008 02:51:26 PM · #3

What processing software are you using?

jeger

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

11/10/2008 02:51:52 PM · #4

Have you tried reducing the .jpg setting when you save it so that it is under 200 kb?

cpanaioti

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

11/10/2008 03:10:54 PM · #5

60 - 65% quality is usually good enough and your file will usually be below 200kb.

If using PS, use the save for web function and optimize for the file size.

rossbilly

Nikon D200

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

11/10/2008 03:16:33 PM · #6

just trying to be friendly, but always try looking through tutorials & searching the forums first.

DPC resizing tutorial works a lot better than guessing

Cheers, and I hope this helps! :)

11/10/2008 03:17:13 PM · #7

I haven't been able to buy any kind of photo editing software yet (though I'm saving my pennies for the new Photoshop), so I'm just using the software that came with my XSi -- "Digital Photo Professional" -- to edit, but then I usually use "Microsoft Office Picture Manager" to resize them.

I haven't had this problem with my other challenge submissions, and the only difference between those ones and this one is that I used my point-and-shoot for this challenge (and my XSi for the others)...though I'm not sure why that should matter. :\

When I save the pictures using "Digital Photo Professional," I have to "convert and save" them, and I see there's an option for resizing the pic and/or changing the dpi (?) before I "convert and save".....but I don't really know what dpi is except for that it has something to do with the quality of a print (I think) so I haven't messed with it.

You can see how savvy I am. ;)

11/10/2008 03:27:41 PM · #8

Originally posted by jeger:

Have you tried reducing the .jpg setting when you save it so that it is under 200 kb?

Erm..I don't think so. :( The only way I know how to get it under 200kb is to resize it or compress it (is that what you mean? lol), and both make it look all fuzzy...but then when I re-sharpen it it goes back up to ~400kb.

I'm sure I'm being immensely frustrating at this point, and I just want everyone to know that I appreciate them trying to help me in my ineptness with all this--and to please not be too frustrated with me and that it's ok if it doesn't happen. :)

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

11/10/2008 03:34:08 PM · #9

Originally posted by cpanaioti:

60 - 65% quality is usually good enough and your file will usually be below 200kb.

If using PS, use the save for web function and optimize for the file size.

HAH!! I think this did it! :P When I would "convert and save," there was also an option to reduce the quality and I think that this did it! It looks like all my editing stayed pretty much in tact, and yet it was under 200kb -- THANKS!

Thank you, everyone! :D

Yo_Spiff

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

11/10/2008 03:34:43 PM · #10

Don't worry about the "DPI" setting. DPI is an abstraction until you go to put your image on paper. I've had a few discussions of the concept, both on photography and work related forums.

BTW, a good and free image editor I like to recommend is Paint.net

Good and inexpensive commercial choices are Photoshop Elements and Corel PaintShop Pro. (I use PaintShop Pro as my own weapon of choice)

Yo_Spiff

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

11/10/2008 03:35:28 PM · #11

Looks like you figured it out while I was composing my explanation!