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Storing Files in the Cloud is Resulting in Sharpness Degredation
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Jan 27, 2020 18:50:25   #
Wanderer2 Loc: Colorado Rocky Mountains
 
Recently I began trying Amazon Photos cloud storage since it is free to Amazon Prime members, which I am, with unlimited storage. However the images from files stored there consistently show substantially diminished sharpness. Other image features are not negatively effected. My initial thought was that this might be due to my internet connection, which is by satellite as I live in a very rural, mountainous area in Colorado and satellite is my only option.

I called Amazon Photos customer service and they felt the satellite internet connection might be responsible but the representative had never heard of this before and was not certain. I next called my satellite internet provider, Viasat, and they did not think their service was responsible but they did suggest I change my browser from Chrome to their own browser, which they said would work faster and might solve the problem (the uploading of files to Amazon Photos is agonizingly slow with my system). I am trying the Viasat browser but it has not made any difference in the sharpness degredation in Amazon Photos, and very little if any difference in the uploading speed.

If anyone has also experienced this with any cloud storage provider and/or has any suggestions, I would be very grateful. It would seem the next step would be to try a different satellite internet provider but I am still under part of a two year contract with Viasat and a penalty would presumably result if I cancel. TIA for any suggestions.

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Jan 27, 2020 19:03:11   #
JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco
 
Has the size or resolution of the photos changed? I can't see any way that just uploading files would corrupt them in such a way that they would just become less sharp.

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Jan 27, 2020 19:06:40   #
DoriguzziPA
 
Waiting to see what the issue is!

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Jan 27, 2020 19:18:45   #
rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona
 
John brought up the same points I was going to mention. Download a file to a different directory and look at the size compared to the original. I'd suggest comparing RAW files as jpg files are changed when they are saved. If it is a simple copy command that transfers them from your computer to the cloud and the same when transferring from cloud to your computer then they should be the same regardless of file format.
--Bob
Wanderer2 wrote:
Recently I began trying Amazon Photos cloud storage since it is free to Amazon Prime members, which I am, with unlimited storage. However the images from files stored there consistently show substantially diminished sharpness. Other image features are not negatively effected. My initial thought was that this might be due to my internet connection, which is by satellite as I live in a very rural, mountainous area in Colorado and satellite is my only option.

I called Amazon Photos customer service and they felt the satellite internet connection might be responsible but the representative had never heard of this before and was not certain. I next called my satellite internet provider, Viasat, and they did not think their service was responsible but they did suggest I change my browser from Chrome to their own browser, which they said would work faster and might solve the problem (the uploading of files to Amazon Photos is agonizingly slow with my system). I am trying the Viasat browser but it has not made any difference in the sharpness degredation in Amazon Photos, and very little if any difference in the uploading speed.

If anyone has also experienced this with any cloud storage provider and/or has any suggestions, I would be very grateful. It would seem the next step would be to try a different satellite internet provider but I am still under part of a two year contract with Viasat and a penalty would presumably result if I cancel. TIA for any suggestions.
Recently I began trying Amazon Photos cloud storag... (show quote)

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Jan 27, 2020 19:23:54   #
ralf Loc: NJ
 
Here is a question: If you upload to cloud and then pull the file back to your computer, are the file sizes the same as the original (pre-cloud) file size? If the file sizes are not identical, someone (cloud vendor?) is changing your files.

Can you compare the files bit for bit? Compare the pre-cloud file to the post-cloud files.

Hint: in Windows there should be an FC.EXE program accessible from a command line prompt that compares files in "binary" mode. You may have to search for FC, but it has been there for 20+ years. Try looking in C:\windows\system32.

If the files are identical bit for bit, then, well, uh, the problem is in your imagination. If the files are different, someone is changing your data. I/O errors during up/downloading ARE NOT likely to cause data to be changed. Someone is intentionally messing with your cloud files.

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Jan 27, 2020 19:56:01   #
DavidM Loc: New Orleans, LA
 
I have also used amazon photos for file sharing and have noticed the shared images are not as sharp when viewing them from the link provided by amazon but if you download the images then they are as sharp when viewed on my laptop. It's similar to downloading images from this site (UHH) ... images are sharper after downloading them.

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Jan 27, 2020 20:02:21   #
Wanderer2 Loc: Colorado Rocky Mountains
 
JohnSwanda wrote:
Has the size or resolution of the photos changed? I can't see any way that just uploading files would corrupt them in such a way that they would just become less sharp.


Thanks for the very quick reply.

I had uploaded a file earlier today as a final test before posting on this and checked the file data of the pre-uploaded file and the file in the cloud and the file size and dimensions were identical in the two. This was a heavily processed landscape photo that started out as a somewhat over 40 mb DNG file and the uploaded version was a TIFF of 128.5 mb and 6885 x 4375 dimensions in both the pre-uploaded TIFF and the uploaded TIFF. I have uploaded numerous much smaller DNG files also and every one shows this decreased sharpness in head to head comparisons. Thanks again. Any further thoughts will be much appreciated.

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Jan 27, 2020 20:02:51   #
TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC
 
The internet connection has nothing to do with it. If you’re storing raw files, then the file is the file, and what you store is what you get back. Both the transport layer of your internet and the storage has parity checking for any errors in transmission and storage/retrieval. If it’s a compressed file such as a JPEG, then all bets are off since the file can be stored with various levels of quality and size.

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Jan 27, 2020 20:05:37   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
A file is a file unless they reduce it on upload.
THAT would be VERY nasty!

Sharing sites are not necessarily the same as <archival> storage sites.
I would not be surprised if sharing sites (not transferring sites like One Drive) shrink images.
I wouldn't be surprised if Facebook shrinks them also.

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Jan 27, 2020 20:06:06   #
DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA
 
Load the original file and the returned file into layers in Photoshop. Set blending to difference. If there's a change in sharpness, you will see a nonzero result.

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Jan 27, 2020 20:06:52   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
JohnSwanda wrote:
Has the size or resolution of the photos changed? I can't see any way that just uploading files would corrupt them in such a way that they would just become less sharp.


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Jan 27, 2020 20:14:47   #
Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan
 
DavidM wrote:
I have also used amazon photos for file sharing and have noticed the shared images are not as sharp when viewing them from the link provided by amazon but if you download the images then they are as sharp when viewed on my laptop. It's similar to downloading images from this site (UHH) ... images are sharper after downloading them.


Bingo. That makes sense.

Mike

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Jan 27, 2020 20:16:23   #
Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan
 
Wanderer2 wrote:
Recently I began trying Amazon Photos cloud storage since it is free to Amazon Prime members, which I am, with unlimited storage. However the images from files stored there consistently show substantially diminished sharpness. Other image features are not negatively effected. My initial thought was that this might be due to my internet connection, which is by satellite as I live in a very rural, mountainous area in Colorado and satellite is my only option.

I called Amazon Photos customer service and they felt the satellite internet connection might be responsible but the representative had never heard of this before and was not certain. I next called my satellite internet provider, Viasat, and they did not think their service was responsible but they did suggest I change my browser from Chrome to their own browser, which they said would work faster and might solve the problem (the uploading of files to Amazon Photos is agonizingly slow with my system). I am trying the Viasat browser but it has not made any difference in the sharpness degredation in Amazon Photos, and very little if any difference in the uploading speed.

If anyone has also experienced this with any cloud storage provider and/or has any suggestions, I would be very grateful. It would seem the next step would be to try a different satellite internet provider but I am still under part of a two year contract with Viasat and a penalty would presumably result if I cancel. TIA for any suggestions.
Recently I began trying Amazon Photos cloud storag... (show quote)


The Internet connection is not relevant to this issue.

Mike

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Jan 27, 2020 20:23:31   #
bleirer
 
I've heard they use a compression scheme to save space. I'll look for a reference.

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Jan 27, 2020 20:31:00   #
Rongnongno Loc: FL
 
Well, if 'storing' a file means storing them on a site like this one... Chances are that the displayed file is heavily compressed. Unless you use the 'full size' download you will lose something.

Your issues are likely here more than some 'conspiracy' against you. Consider that the more space you use the more you will pay even if you have a 'free space' as once it is filled, just forget about the free thingy.

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