image size

[party_pete]

Hi

This isn't strictly an actinic question, but..........

Can anyone recommend easy to use image editing software?

Basically i've got some JPEG images, various sizes, that I want to change the size of before I include them in my catalogue.

Cheers

[NormanRouxel]

Bet you'll get as many answers are there are Image processing programs out there.

I use Paint Shop Pro V7 as it is quite cheap and has most of the tools you would need for editing web-sites.

Adobe Photoshop does, however, have an excellent "save for web" function that lets you see a matrix of the same image at different compression factors. This lets you choose very easily how big or how detailed you need to go depending on how important the picture is to you.

There's also a much cheaper cut down Photoshop "Photoshop Elements". I don't know if this has the save for web feature but if it does then it would also be well worth consideration.

Unless you intend getting into heavyweight graphic design then you probably wan't need the full Photoshop.

Norman

[party_pete]

is this the one you meant?

? (http://www.dabs.com/products/prod-info3-info.asp?&m=y&quicklinx=10CZ&refererid=DT&refererid=DT)

[NormanRouxel]

Yep. That's the Paint Shop Pro.

I'd wait a few hours and see what others recommend. Particularly regarding whether the Save for Web feature is in Photoshop Elements.

Also check the CD's that came with any scanners / digital cameras you have. They may have something useful on them. However a lot of the bundled stuff is very simplistic and more for home photo album type use. If you've a reasonable bumber of pictures to work on you'll soon become proficient in the better packages.

Norman.

[BrianCurtis]

Hi Pete,

As Norman says, Photoshop is a BIG package if you're not planning on using it for other stuff but if you get into doing your own images, don't think about it just get it!

Macromedia Fireworks is also an excellent program for compressing files and also saving animated gifs (so is Photoshop because it comes with Imageready, exporting graphics for web use).

It all depends what you want to do really? I don't know if Photoshop Elements has the 'Save for web' function but I'll check.

Remember though, if the files are jpegged already and are small, it's not advisable to size them up, only down. You can't add pixel information to files without losing their quality but you can cetainly make them smaller.

Both Fireworks and Photoshop have wonderful Batch commands so you can save settings and then apply them across a whole folder of images which is superb and very time-saving.

Brian

[underwaterworld]

ive used fireworks and photoshop and recomend them highly. probably the best way to go would be to get Macromedia MX. This will give you fireworks, dreamwever and also flash

[BrianCurtis]

Pete,

Follow this Link (http://dynamic.macromedia.com/bin/MM/store/UK/product.jsp?category=/Software/Development/StandAlones/Fireworks&type=FULL) to visit Macromedia's current Valentines offer for Fireworks expires on Feb 15th.

£215 + Free on-line traing + Free Book

Brian

[pinbrook]

Photshop elements is really designed for digital photographers, it has all the stuff you need to edit/manipulate photos without all the other stuff you get with Photoshop proper.

Its a great package, obviously much cheaper than the full photoshop. And Yes it does Save for Web.

All the packages mentioned will do the job, you want...

i use Fireworks, PaintShop Pro and Photoshop they all have strong points, some are better for some actions, in the course of editting one picture I may well use all 3!

Basically decide how much you want to spend, and have a think about other functions you may want to use in the future.

[garyhay]

I have found using the resize function in XP a good starting point. Really brings the size (Kb) down but leaves really good quality.

Right click a group of images and choose resize.

By the way this is Free if you have Windows XP

[BrianCurtis]

Right click a group of images and choose resize.

Gary, I have XP and I can't seem to do this? I thought I'd check it out just out of curiosity but doesn't seem to work?

Brian:(