FunkyL Loc: MD

My cousin posted a photo (jpg)on facebook and asked if I could print it for him. He commented that he'd received it as a text, and might be able to obtain it in a larger file size if needed. I downloaded it and made a copy to play with and noticed that while the downloaded original and the copy I made are both sized 2690 x 1797, the download is 417.4 KB, and the copy is 1.1 MB, more than twice as large. I'm curious as to why this is so? I'm guessing the original was more compressed that the copy I made, but that's just a guess...

2nd question is, is this relevant in terms of print quality? He's not looking for a very large print, and I think that at 2690 x 1797, I can give him an acceptable print at 6X9 or 8x10 without asking him to track down and send me a larger file, but would a 6x9 or 8x10 print from a larger file look significantly better at normal viewing distance?

Thanks for your help!

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

FB stores a compressed version of the image, so whatever you download from FB will be much reduced vs the original file.

For printing, the 'gold standard' is 300 ppi - pixels per inch. You'd look at your desired print size and then the pixel resolution of the file, 8x10in would be 2400x3000 pixels.

The byte size of the image file is irrelevant. You're concerned about the pixel resolution so as to determine the ppi ratio for the target print size. Less than 300 ppi is typically quite acceptable, but seek the 300 ppi gold standard if you have the original file and all the original pixels from the camera.

btbg

I wouldn't try to print an 8x10 from a file that small, but that doesn't necessarily mean it won't produce acceptable results. Whether or not it will work depends on several factors including what the actual image is, how much sharpness and clarity you actually need, and what results you find to be acceptable.

I work for a newspaper and we have occasionally put photos in the paper from files that small. They generally do not print well, but that is not always true. For example, a photo that is printed two inches high and 1.5 inches wide may have sufficient sharpness for newsprint, but take that same file and try to print across three columns of newsprint and it will not look sharp at all.

A secondary issue is how sharp the photo is to start with and how many pixels per inch it currently is. So, for example, if the file is currently 300 pixels per inch you could probably enlarge the file so that it is 150 pixels per inch and still get an acceptably sharp print, but if it is already 150 pixels per inch than printing it anything larger than 100 percent of the actual file size will degrade the image quality significantly.

FunkyL Loc: MD

Thanks for the info; I realize the pixel resolution is the important thing, but am just curious as to why the byte size is larger on the copy. I'll print it, see what it looks like, and ask my "cuz" if it's good enough, or if he'd like to try to come up with a larger file for me to print from.

FunkyL Loc: MD

Thanks; since I don't have the original, my cousin may need to decide if what I can print is good enough or if he wants to go to the trouble to get a less compressed version for me.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Have him send you the original. Then, you edit to desired size / attributes for the intended print size.

Byte size depends on lots of things, including the pixel resolution and the JPEG quality compression. Unless you do that work yourself, no one can say beyond wild guesses what might have happened to any JPEG image prior to inspecting the file size.

BebuLamar

Sometimes when you open a JPEG and then save it the file size gets larger. They rarely get smaller when you do that.

FunkyL Loc: MD

Thanks, guys. I'll consider the increase in byte size to be a mystery beyond mortal comprehension, and ask my cousin to try to get me a copy with more pixels to work with.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

I expect that the program (app) you used "saved" the file rather than "copied" the file. If so, it depends on the selected "save" settings of the program.

SteveFranz Loc: Durham, NC

If you are doing your own printing, why not print out a copy and see what it looks like? If you are sending it out for printing, what will an 8X10 cost? If it's not prohibitive, print out a copy and see what it looks like.

Then you are the judge & jury.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Spend money instead of doing something free?

SteveFranz Loc: Durham, NC

Yep, you decide if it is worthwhile.