p.1 #1 · 100MP medium format down to 1000 pixels?!? Advice, please…
The detail in even a 1/4 size image, let alone full resolution, from a 100MP MF sensor is ridiculous. Just incredible. However, on my way from there, down to the 1000 pixels long edge images that I post online, the images turn to mush. If I zoom out on my monitor to a similar sized magnification of the larger image, it still looks good (probably because my monitor is nice resolution).
What is a reasonable downsizing approach for these massive files that does them even a little justice? I have both Lightroom and Photoshop and have used both for forever. I typically do several downsizing steps, about 20% per step, alternating between Bicubic and Bicubic Sharper, every few steps. I also have Phocus and am enjoying it for the raw editing side of these lovely files. Phocus knocks out gorgeous “medium JPG” size files, but those are still 5000 pixels on the long edge.
p.1 #3 · 100MP medium format down to 1000 pixels?!? Advice, please…
RoamingScott wrote:
Post online to where?
For FM, I post my 10,000+ wide px images...I want people to see the real deal!
If I'm posting to socials or something, I'll downscale them to around 4000 on the long side.
I don’t post larger than 1000 pixels on social media, which I also consider FM. I am not interested in large images being stolen. I have been down that road before and don’t want to ride that pony again.
p.1 #4 · 100MP medium format down to 1000 pixels?!? Advice, please…
If you want a final image that's less than 10% the resolution of the original and yet somehow approximates the detail of the original, I think you'll be hard pressed to find a decent "cheat"...missing data is just that.
p.1 #7 · 100MP medium format down to 1000 pixels?!? Advice, please…
Pay attention to the used algorithm to reduce the size. Do not use nearest neighbour (assumable default method for most of the software), it softens the picture when heavily reducing the size.
Use Lanczos, it should preserve the fine detail the best. As you are downsizing the picture that much, you might need to apply unsharp filter after resizing.
I use free software called XnResize to make smaller thumbnails/previews for the pictures I'm posting online.
p.1 #8 · 100MP medium format down to 1000 pixels?!? Advice, please…
I reckon that if you "need" the 100mp you shouldn't have any concern about people being able to see the true resolution, no way around data lost upon downsizing.
I moved away from GFX50 series back then cause I realize I really don't need the resolutions, and feels like I need to keep pixel peeping to actually enjoy the images. Also to my eyes MF output doesn't necessarily means better quality across the board, upon downsizing I can often see the "problems" that not everyone can see or particular about.
p.1 #9 · 100MP medium format down to 1000 pixels?!? Advice, please…
Grenache wrote:
The detail in even a 1/4 size image, let alone full resolution, from a 100MP MF sensor is ridiculous. Just incredible. However, on my way from there, down to the 1000 pixels long edge images that I post online, the images turn to mush. If I zoom out on my monitor to a similar sized magnification of the larger image, it still looks good (probably because my monitor is nice resolution).
What is a reasonable downsizing approach for these massive files that does them even a little justice? I have both Lightroom and Photoshop and have used both for forever. I typically do several downsizing steps, about 20% per step, alternating between Bicubic and Bicubic Sharper, every few steps. I also have Phocus and am enjoying it for the raw editing side of these lovely files. Phocus knocks out gorgeous “medium JPG” size files, but those are still 5000 pixels on the long edge.
Can you post or link to an example showing how your resized images look at 1000 pix? It sounds like you're trying something overly complicated. I use smart sharpen in Photoshop. It doesn't require one to sharpen iteratively at different scales.
In any case you cannot possibly entertain the idea that images at such small size and low resolution would fairly represent the image if there is a lot of detail in the original and if the detail is a part of the interest in the image.
p.1 #11 · 100MP medium format down to 1000 pixels?!? Advice, please…
With images from my 50 MP 5DS, I will post the entire image at 1024px, and then post separate images for crops of selected areas at full or partial resolution, to show details. I agree that anything related to small detail in the full image will not be apparent when the full image is posted at 1000px.
p.1 #12 · 100MP medium format down to 1000 pixels?!? Advice, please…
When I downsize a jpeg in PS, I look at its total size and try to keep it under 1.5mb after downsizing. It is simple in the export/export as/then resize on the output on the lower left side of the displayed image. I generally downside first the longest side at around 18--2500 pixels depending on the original image size and then hit tab to generate the total size and look at what total size PS gives me..
p.1 #13 · 100MP medium format down to 1000 pixels?!? Advice, please…
I gave up on worrying about photo theft a while back, so just try to follow general guidelines on sites like FM most of the time, although I think those are based on older monitor sizes and internet speeds. This is the place that I will occasionally post really large versions so others can enjoy the details on higher res. monitors. I certainly appreciate others who do the same. 1000 px across seems very small, dating back to the days of dial-up when you didn't want people to have to wait long for photos to load. Unless you are regularly selling your work, and worry that theft will bite into that income, I wouldn't worry about it.
p.1 #15 · 100MP medium format down to 1000 pixels?!? Advice, please…
Thanks, all. Yes, I realize that downsizing inevitably results in loss of detail. If that weren't true, then we would not need to buy high resolution sensors. It sounds like people are simply posting larger images than I am comfortable with.
p.1 #16 · 100MP medium format down to 1000 pixels?!? Advice, please…
I find if going from very large files (100MP, 150MP) in Photoshop to something like 1200px or 2400px on the long edge, I use "Bicubic (smooth gradients)" as the resample option. Depending on the image content, that might be "good enough". If there was a loss in perceived sharpness, then my next step is to use Filter --> Sharpen --> Smart Sharpen. That might overcook things, to dial it back, I go to "Edit" and there is an option "Fade" the last step. Pulling it back to 33% of 50% usually does the trick.
It really is a case by case basis and depends ALOT on where the image is going. For example, Ebay completely destroys images uploaded from the computer. Whereas forums like this seem to leave things be. Social media can resize & compress. If you want some sense of control over your content, you can host it yourself (on shared hosted space) and disabling things like hot-linking, right clicking, etc. I doubt that does anything to stop AI frame scraping sites.
p.1 #17 · 100MP medium format down to 1000 pixels?!? Advice, please…
I tend to keep my internet images to a smaller size to limit useful potential theft, typically between 1100 to 1400px long side. That said, my largest financial settlement for copyright infringement was against one of the leading technology companies in the world and involved thumbnail images.
I keep downsizing as simple as possible, typically resolution 72, bicubic sharper and then a low level Unsharp Mask if necessary. I post many images to various fora here on FM if anyone cares to see the resulting files.
The only folk who will ever see anything like my full size files are those who send me mucho moolah.
p.1 #18 · 100MP medium format down to 1000 pixels?!? Advice, please…
you can use Lanczos non-separable in Affinity Photo, it seems to work better than photoshop's bicubic. however 1000 pixels is just too small. 1536px is a good minimum
p.1 #19 · 100MP medium format down to 1000 pixels?!? Advice, please…
My screen is 2560x1440. I find it very difficult to get a good look at photos which do not fit on my screen entirely, so I usually just skip them. Just another data point.
p.1 #20 · 100MP medium format down to 1000 pixels?!? Advice, please…
The trick I have found for sharpness is to do 50% or 25% nearest neighbour then bicubic sharper to the long edge size you want.
When nearest neighbour is used in a binary fraction (1/2, 1/4, 1/8 etc) it is incredibly (and often excessively) sharpening, keeping the last step as bicubic takes some of the edge off.
