posted on May 12, 2006 08:21:08 AM
OK - so i finally get a new digital camera hp r818 5 megapixel to replace my hp 2 mp 6 year old camera
I have called hp 3x & 4 hours later I still cant get anywhere with their farmed out technicians in India ... they are telling me that with the better technology and dip and clarity of the mega pixel the images are large and can not be reduced in KB size - which i can not understand how they can not come down to 10-50 kb which is where all my images are pretty much sized on vendio now from my old digital camera
after being cropped and even reducing the camera down to use only 1 or 3 of the 5 megapixels available ( then loosing quality of the image and the reason why i bought the new camera) ...the images are coming in at 300-400 kb for the most part - some larger than that that wont even upolad to vendio ...
issues i have :
1. I will use extreme amounts of space on the vendio site and go into big time $ for my image hosting
2. the images will be so large that people on dial up will take forever to be able to see the image on the screen
I am doing something wrong?
hp reps - 3 so far - cant figure out how to get the kb 's down - which i can not understand
what have you people done - any suggestions - i am ready to return this expensive camera and stay with my old 1 megapixel hp or is there another camera out there that works good with vendio and ebay that you can suggest - very fustrated here
posted on May 12, 2006 08:40:10 AM
What image editing software do you use?
The software I use, an old version of Corel Photopaint that I never bothered to upgrade, allows me to RESAMPLE my images, and choose lower resolutions, etc. Pretty much any image software will let you do the same, it's just a matter of finding the right commands.
Or are you just loading the pics straight from the camera into Vendio? If this is the case, then I would have to agree with the camera support people and say you may not be able to do that. Most camera buyers what high quality, large images to print or view, and that just isn't the same demographic as eBay sellers.
Dr. Arcane, revelator of mystical secrets http://www.drarcane.com
Got questions about the secrets of the universe?
posted on May 12, 2006 08:46:55 AM
Maybe I'm not very bright when it comes to digital photography. Somebody please explain why anyone would shoot at over 640 x 480 for eBay photos.
posted on May 12, 2006 08:51:47 AM
You can size the picture to a manageable size with image editing software. One probably came with your camera.
If not, IRFAN is a FREE easy to use program (download at www.irfan.com )
After downloading images to your pc, you open the image files in IRFAN (or your own photo editing program) and crop, resize and compress images to sizes that work well with ebay.
Also, I think if you use Vendio's BULK image upload function, you can ask Vendio to resize images to a standard size automatically (I don't use this but it is one of the options when I upload images so it must work).
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Shooting at much higher resolution than 640x480 allows you to edit the photo (change light/dark, contrast, crop, etc.), and then save the image in a size similar to what you mention.
There is a big difference between editing a megapixel image and then saving a 50k image versus editing a 50k image. It's like recording music; in the studio, they have first-rate equipment for recording and editing, and then they create the crap CDs.
I'm not explaining this very well, but there is a real, not only theoretical, difference.
posted on May 12, 2006 08:59:44 AM
If you shoot at 640 X 480, and do not have to edit for ebay, is there then a reason to shoot at a higher resolution?
posted on May 12, 2006 09:08:04 AM
The brand of the camera has nothing to do with it, and it's a waste of time to try to get help from HP tech support. Any picture shot with any camera rated at more than 1 meg is unsuitable to be used in an Ebay auction as it comes from the camera. You need to put it through an editing program such as Irfanview first. After you crop, resize, tweak colors etc. you will use the "save as" function to give it a name and save it. It is this function that will determine the final file size of the photo, and that is determined by the compression ratio you select when you first set up the editing program. Most people will select about 75% as a starting point. While the pic is being "saved as" a new image, it will be compressed down to a smaller size. Although the quality will be somewhat less, it is not noticeable by the human eye on a computer monitor and is only an issue if you intend to make a large size hard copy.
If Murphy's law is correct, everything East of the San Andreas Fault will slide into the Atlantic
posted on May 12, 2006 09:26:14 AM
i am using the hp software that came with the camera - HP image zone i have the latest edition and XP on my computer
i always do my cropping etc on the computer before i sent to vendio mgt program
COMPRESSION sounds like the key world-but they are too dumb to figure it out - when i crop and resize it does not change the kb
i will take a look at download at www.irfan.com
cashinyourcloset - i dont understand:
"There is a big difference between editing a megapixel image and then saving a 50k image versus editing a 50k image. It's like recording music; in the studio, they have first-rate equipment for recording and editing, and then they create the crap CDs."
posted on May 12, 2006 09:38:50 AM
I still use the old Adobe 3.1 and I love it. I have tried the newer versions, and other editing programs, but nothing I can find has all the features and so easy to use. I like to be able to sharpen, remove elements, etc. My camera also take huge images, but they are so easy to reduce to the correct size.
posted on May 12, 2006 09:46:13 AM
adobe 3.1 is where you compress the size ? ... do you also crop , rotate etc there as well...
i think that might conflict though with the online usps shipping asst which needs to run on adobe 5.0 - do you use the shipping asst to print out labels and free priority mail delivery confirmation labels?
i am on the phone again with them now and he is still "researching" he mentions me going down to below 1 megapixel ( they why do i need a good camera with 5 megapixels and expensive price !!) when i am getting lower quality pictures and they are still 60-70 kb - he is telling me to use " winzip " of some sort? i guess it is similiar to that irfan.com ?
fustrating is not even the word at this point - you would think this was the 1940's !
posted on May 12, 2006 10:02:17 AM
( they why do i need a good camera with 5 megapixels and expensive price !!)
For eBay,you don't. All you need is a camera with a good lens and the ability to close-focus. (Macro feature)
Edited to add----I Love My Mavicas
[ edited by max40 on May 12, 2006 10:03 AM ]
posted on May 12, 2006 10:24:49 AM
Stacy - I have nothing but HP - cameras , PCs, Printers etc. LOVE them.
I just purchase a new R717 Tuesday.
The HP Photo Zone imaging is not near as good as using Picture It or Adobe. MOST prefer Adobe -I paid about $70 for it and rarely use it -I use Picture It
I know about the Big-O photos coming up on HP P Zone.
I think it probably can be worked out but I've never had time to do it nor do I speak or understand Indians from New Delhi
posted on May 12, 2006 10:29:12 AM
stacyp: Yes, I can compress the size to anything I want, crop, rotate, change colors etc. etc. It came with an old digital camera that I had. We have bought 2 new cameras since, that had never versions of Adobe, and I didn't like them at all.
No, I don't use online USPS, I live in Canada.
posted on May 12, 2006 10:51:09 AM
stacyp - Be careful. You're talking about different types of programs when you mention Adobe and WinZip.
You're refering to Adobe Acrobat 5.0 when others are talking about photo editing programs offered by Adobe.
WinZip is a program used to "zip" files to compress them - usually for storage or transfer via e-mail because that program reduces the file size so that they can be easily sent. If WinZip can be used to compress files "for view via a Web browser" - that's news to me.
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
posted on May 12, 2006 11:03:52 AM
so much for what hp told me - i am trying to download vendio's express image publisher- will that do it ?
since your camera is very similar to mind- i should have saved the extra $ and gotten that one but the wonderful rep " sold me " this one
with your new r717 - you are using picture it - and it can make them small to around 50 kb so it does not eat up all our storage space and money on vendio ?
what megapizel are you using- they have had me do down to 3 mp then to 1 mp and only slightly decreases the kb size - i have spent all day today and last night on this issue and still not resolved... i am almost ready to return the whole thing and go back to my old hp 1.0 megapixel camera from 6 years ago that works still
posted on May 12, 2006 11:16:48 AM
Stacy directions for IRFAN
1) Find your image and open it in IRFAN (file tab - "open"
2) Draw box around portion of image and hit "Crop" (Edit tab)
3) Using the Image Tab you can enhance colors etc and determine the size you want your image to be ("resize/resample" - 800 pixels wide is about as big as you want an on screen image to be to prevent scrolling)
4) when you get image as you want it, click "save as" on the File tab (indicate you want to show details - you should see a sliding tab that lets you determine the amount of compression you would like - start at about 80%)then you hit "save" and the image should be edited, resized and compressed.
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posted on May 12, 2006 11:25:42 AM
thanks for your help - i am going crazy today
i had uninstalled and am reinstalling the ifran- when i get to point in installation where it asks me : " do you want to associate extensions with ifranview and then it lists about 30-40 starting with ANI BD3 ( i see jpeg jpg in there in the middle) thru WMA- do i want to check them : all , none or just jpg ?
posted on May 12, 2006 11:49:41 AM
Whatever you check will open with IRFAN from now on by default (instead of your normal image viewer) - I like it because I always use IRFAN but you may not want to use IRFAN if you can't figure it out - try not checking any (Or just .jpg and >jpeg).
posted on May 12, 2006 01:34:03 PM
Don't know about Irfan but when you are playing with your image be sure to either use "SAVE AS" or copy the original image and not save the original into the file. When closing original image also click do not save changes... That way you have the original intact in case you want to do different editing to see what you like best. Never click the "SAVE" because it will save any changes you make to the original image.
I use Paint shop pro to edit my images and love it. With my 3.5 meg camera I reduce best quality images to about 50% of original size. I do recommend that you try reducing the image save as mane it and then go to that file and right click it to view its KB size. I notice in image editing software that the size it shows is NOT the final size of the saved file.
Most of my images I use on auctions of late if I am not using my Mavica images are around 150 to 250kb but that is they way I like them and doesn't interfere with my Vendio usage since I don't sell so much stuff and keep them deleted when sold. I have the 55 meg plan pay as you go that I try to stay under.
**************
Some minds are like concrete,
thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.
posted on May 12, 2006 02:31:35 PM
You asked what Vendio's Express Image Publisher was. It is a handy little tool to upload images to vendio image hosting. You open your image folder on your computer and sellect the images you want to put in your vendio image hosting and click on publish to web. You log into your vendio account and it uploads all the sellected photo's to Vendio for you. You don't have to use the cluncky online system they have. It also has the option that let's vendio automatically resize your photo's to 3 different sizes when they are uploaded them. Handy little feature.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. - Albert Einstein
posted on May 12, 2006 07:04:45 PM
I use the upload tool all the time but I don't let it resize my images for me as I am always having odd size images and if it reduces them to their size it will distort them if I have already done so with my image editor. OR at least i think they will be distorted cause if they are not in size of original and I have squared them up they may get shortened too much on one direction making them distorted. Don't know this for sure as I have never tried it with my odd sized or shaped images. Just a thought for you if you do use it.
**************
Some minds are like concrete,
thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.
posted on May 12, 2006 07:43:26 PM
Try Faststone Image viewer (you can find it free on download.com) I consider it the best Ebay friendly image program I've ever seen (including Paint Shop Pro, Irfan). What's cool about it is the batch feature which lets you resize, rename, rotate, watermark, put text (and other things) all at once and send it to another file at the same time. It'll crop and do all the other things too.
What I do is do a batch where I resize from a larger file, put my website name in the corner in a colored box and send them all to my thumb drive at work (dialup) which I then upload to Vendio at home (DSL). Once you set it the way you want it you can do it over and over. It only takes a few seconds to do a batch of say, 15 pics.
No affliation by the way with the program (it's free/donationware anyway). I've been searching for a way to resize pics in groups and Faststone has been a fantastic discovery.
Over 40 years of serving the musical community!
posted on May 12, 2006 10:01:46 PM
stacyp - the road to good eBay digital photos is a journey that takes time and effort, but is ultimately worth it.
Any digital camera with a zoom lens will do. Doesn't matter if it's 2MB or 10MB - any resolution is okay. If possible, use a tripod or clamp to hold the camera steady, and position the object against a neutral-coloured background (an old white sheet is ideal). Use existing lighting to "light" the object so it doesn't have deep or distracting shadows; you can use a piece of white cardboard to bounce light into shadow areas.
Transfer the images to your trusty PC and in your favourite image editing software, crop and downsize the images. Save as jpg with a maximum size of around 30 - 60 kb each (optimal for dialup). There are various plug-ins and export modules for PhotoShop, Corel, etc. that do show the final image size before the image is saved - ideal for image tweaking purposes.
posted on May 12, 2006 11:40:14 PM
cmusic THANKS! that Faststone is very nice for batch resizing and all the renaming. I have been wanting to find one and I tried that program just now and it is really nice and FAST. LOL thus the name I guess. Thanks again.
**************
Some minds are like concrete,
thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. - Albert Einstein
