Sharpening after resize for web

[Joerg Rockenberger]

It was pointed out a few times that some of my pictures are kind of soft looking. And yes, the originals are often much sharper. I use Photoshop 6.0 to resize my images for the web. I know that most folks do an additional sharpening after resizing. Now, whenever I do a USM on a resized file the filesize increases. Given the size limit here this would require to do another resize.

How are you dealing with that? Somehow I can't imagine that you make the file smaller in the first resize in anticipation of a subsequent file increase in the sharpening.

Thanks for your help! JR

[Doug West]

All I do is...

1. Resize to 800px on the longest size with a dpi of 72.
2. Apply a very small dose of unsharp.
3. Save as a jpg and adjust the quality to fit under the guidelines.

No resizing twice should be needed.

Doug

[Dan Brown]

John, I was having the same problem and Doug's #3 step was where I was going wrong. When you "save as" a jpg, a window opens with a slider that allows you to set a quality. On the right of the slider is the file size, and when you slide the slider left and right, the file size changes. Slide the slider so that the file size is just under 200kb and then click "save". If you reopen the file and play with it, and then resave, (this is where I was messing up) you have to look at the file size again and make sure it is still under 200kb and it may be different every time, depending on what you do to the file. I hope that this helps and is not too confusing.

Dan Brown

[Joerg Rockenberger]

Doug, Dan,

Thank you for taking the time to comment. When you say "Resize to 800px on the longest size with a dpi of 72.": are you doing this via "Image Size" in the Image menu or the "Save for WEb" in the File menu? I was using the latter and it saves a jpg as part of the resizing. When I then do a sharpening on this file the size changes.

And I noticed that "Save as" doesn't have the slider you describe to adjust the image quality/filesize. Maybe, it's because I use an old Photoshop version?

Confused. JR

[Doug West]

I use the "Image Size". I've never used "Save for Web"...I just never liked it
(I'm just weird like that :) ).

I'm using CS2, btw.

Lets say I have photo1.tif. I'm ready to convert it to jpg and upload it to
this wonderful, wonderful site.

1. First I resize it....Image->Image Size->
2. The Image Size box opens up. I then change the dpi to 72.

Then I go up to either Width or Length and put in 800 (make sure
its pixels).

This is just an example, but lets say my tif was 47m. After
changing to 72 and 800, my new image size is 1.2 meg.

Just a note...I always change the dpi first. Because if you change
the width (or height) first to 800, THEN change the dpi, you're 800
won't be 800 anymore, it'll be smaller.

Also, make sure all of the boxes are checked and Resample Image
is set to Bicubic.

No worries...click on OK.

3. Now my photo is 800xwhatever (or whateverx800) and 72 dpi.
Then I apply a small bit of Unsharp.

4. Time to save....File->Save As

5. In the Format box, I use: JPEG(*.jpg;*.jpeg;*.jpe) and whatever
file name I want to use. Then click SAVE.

6. The next box should be: JPEG Options.

Format Options: Baseline "Standard"

You'll also see Image Options and a Quality slider.

At the bottom a Size and a dropdown box. My dropdown
box is set at 56.6 kps.

As you move the slider back and forth, you'll see the estimated
new file size. Or you can type a number in or pick a Quality from
the drop down box and work from there.

Using the 200k as a max, lets say the number I come up with playing
with the Quality is 193k and it was a number 10. I'll change that 10 to
a 9, cause if the estimated file size is to close to the 200, it still might
be to much.

Then I click OK.

7. Then I upload and wait for the comments.

If for some reason you upload and you're still told the size is exceeded,
don't do a File->Save cause you won't get the Image Quality slider. Do the
File->Save As again. It remembers the last digit you put in, so decrease that
number by one again and try to upload again.

Doug

[Joerg Rockenberger]

Thanks for the detailed outline. I didn't know that after "Save as" there will be a second window which let's you adjust the image quality - even in PS6. :)

I wonder how people deal with that using the "Save for Web" route and if there are advantages compared to resizing via Image Size... But for now, I'll follow your directions. Thanks, JR

[Jason Vaclavek]

Using 'save for web' will allow you a better final web image as it discards all the useless info behind the image file.

[Robert Amoruso]

John and others,

Check out Artie's how-to in his article at http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=5598 on how to prepare your JPGs. This is how I do it and it works great.

[Joerg Rockenberger]

Big Thanks for the link! I always resized in the save for web dialogue but started using Image Size. Now, Artie suggests 96 dpi vs Doug's 72 dpi. How does it matter? Note, I am not printing my images at the moment. JR

[William Malacarne]

dpi makes no difference if you are not printing and just posting on the web. Try setting one at 72 dpi and then post it next to one at 300dpi and you will see no difference.

http://www.ekdahl.org/test_dpi/test2dpi.htm

Bill.

[Doug West]

Basically, the 72 dpi just makes the image initially smaller. I'm sure there's something more
technical about it, but I have no idea.

I think one of the things you're probably learning in this thread, there really is no perfect way.
Just do what you feel more comfortable using.

Doug

[Alan Melle]

300, 96 or 72 DPI makes no difference in the image size for web viewing. If the image is sized at 800 pixels wide it's 800 pixels wide...period. Where it makes a difference is if you are adding a type layer for something like a copyright notice. Then choosing 96 or 72 clearly changes the font size. As for which to choose, 96 vs. 72? 96ppi is about the normal resolution for PC monitors while 72 used to be the normal size for Apple monitors, although my 23" ACD has a native resolution of 96 and a fraction. Other than the font size I don't think it makes much difference.

[Robert Amoruso]

300, 96 or 72 DPI makes no difference in the image size for web viewing. If the image is sized at 800 pixels wide it's 800 pixels wide...period. Where it makes a difference is if you are adding a type layer for something like a copyright notice. Then choosing 96 or 72 clearly changes the font size. As for which to choose, 96 vs. 72? 96ppi is about the normal resolution for PC monitors while 72 used to be the normal size for Apple monitors, although my 23" ACD has a native resolution of 96 and a fraction. Other than the font size I don't think it makes much difference.

Alan has it right.

[Joerg Rockenberger]

Big thanks for the feedback! JR