Help with getting the best quality on fotopic

[adamp]

Hello,
Im struggling abit lately with getting the best out of fotopic. Before I ask how to get the best quality ill explain what I normally do.
Firstly I edit the pictures using Serif PhotoPlus X2 to edit the sharpness, contrast etc.. then I resize the pictures using Microsoft Office Picture Manager by 75% of their original size. Then upload them to Fotopic.

This seems to get me 'average' results but not how I want them. Compared to other websites, most have a better camera than me but the quality is so good i often wonder how they get it so sharp without the big file sizes.
So are there any ways e.g. save in a different format or shoot in RAW for example which are going to make a big difference to my fotopic?
Thanks
-Adam

 

[73110]

Hi Adam. What camera and lens do you you use?

 

[adamp]

I use a Canon 400D with a standard Canon 55 - 200mm lens (came with the camera) and sometimes the 18 - 55mm which also came with the camera.
-Adam

 

[73110]

Hi Adam. I just had a go at resizing with MS Picture Manager and it doesn't give you any other option other than resizing, i.e it doesn't ask how much quality you want to preserve.

What I use for mine sometimes is Irfanview. This gives you an option to preserve picture quality when doing the resize. I think also Picasa3 does a good job too so I would try either of these first. Both are free to download if you don't have them already. Picasa gives you some good standard predefined 'tweeks' for your pictures and is a good index system too if needed.

Have a try with Irfanview first and see if there is any difference.

http://www.irfanview.com/

http://picasa.google.co.uk/

Keep us informed how you get on with these, let us know if they have helped at all.

 

[33056]

What sort of Fotopic account ot you have? I believe that the "free" accounts compress images a little which will have a bearing on quality when viewed.

The other issue might be how you re-size them before uploading, I have never used Microsoft Office Picture Manager so have no experience of what results are like from that program. How big is the image after it has been resized?

 

[adamp]

73110 - Thanks for the links, I will download and let you know tomorrow
33056 - I have a premium account and I resize them by 75% which gives a size of 2916x1944 so still pretty big. I usually do this so fotopic compresses the pictures to 1024x786which I though would make the quality better but it clearly doesnt.
-Adam

 

[73110]

Adam could you put up a before and after picture to compare the quality if possible?

 

[33056]

Hi Adam, now that I am on a computer where I can access Fotopic; I notice that the following note appears at the top of your images

To save Quota, pictures uploaded after mid August 2009 have been reduced by 50%. Due to this, quality has been lost in most images.

so it looks as if you are uploading them at too large a size and they are being compressed by Fotopic.

Personally speaking I use Adobe Photoshop Elements and always resize myself to around 900x600 and 300kb in size (quality setting 9 or 10). Comparing my photos to yours, they do not have the message above the individual pictures and the pictures load a little quicker. In fact that is the first time I have seen that message on anybody's Fotopic site!

Try Irfanview and Picasa (or even Photoshops Elements if you can spare £60-70) to resize your pictures and remember to keep them to no larger that 1024x1024, which is roughly what will fit comfortably on the average screen, there is no need for them to be any larger than that.

 

[adamp]

Wow.
Just resized a random picture to 1024x768 and the quality difference is shocking!!!!
Heres a picture before resize:
http://gbrailwayworld.fotopic.net/p60936099.html

And after: (Open both then switch between tabs)
http://gbrailwayworld.fotopic.net/p62133360.html

Another e.g.
Before:
http://gbrailwayworld.fotopic.net/p62114168.html
After:
http://gbrailwayworld.fotopic.net/p62133551.html

The quality is clear! And the file size is only 673KB.
With RAW shooting, quality can only get better?
Thanks very much 73110 and 33056 for your help!
-Adam/GBRailwayWorld

 

[33056]

Hi Adam, looks like you have got it cracked now

The new pictures load a lot faster and, strangely enough, I can no longer see the message above your pics. If you take RAW files, do use them - though it is rather time-consuming to edit and convert them.

 

[adamp]

Thanks
I removed the message now as im going to resize all my pictures with this new programme.
I will give RAW a try next time im out.
Thanks again

 

[73110]

Hi Adam, glad to be of help, there is a real difference there, this is just the beginning for you!

I suggest you shoot everything in RAW then have a mess about with the levels when you have downloaded them at home.

A simple Contrast boost for example can make an amazing difference and 9 times out of ten I will adjust the exposure for one reason or another. If underexposed then simply move the slider until you get a perfect exposure, same as if over exposed, simply adjust the slider until it is how you want it. You can do this for all levels in your pictures, make blacks blacker, boost mid-tones and highlights too.

I don't take the perfect picture every time and most photographers, if they are honest, will admit that too and this is just a great way of adjusting your images to how you should have taken the shot in the first place, but hey, not everyone can take a perfect picture every time can they!!

Converting images in RAW is brilliant! If you can try and get hold of Adobe Lightroom. you can adjust every single level in your pictures with that, it is a really powerful tool if not have a play with the Canon RAW software that came with the camera and have a mess about there.

 

[50041]

I'd heartily recommend Zenfolio:

http://class50.zenfolio.com/

Unlimited storage and their algorithms for displaying your photographs at differing resolutions depending upon the size of a user's screen are very good. The support is also second to none. If you choose to sign-up, using the coupon code JR5-ZS7-R9Z will also get you a $5.00 discount.