Best way to reduce the size of a file?

Hooley.J

Hooley.J

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Jack
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I tried uploading some new photos taken with my camera the other day, however the file sizes were too large. on my camera the image size was set to small and the resolution on a normal setting, is there something I need to do on a computer or can I change this from my DSLR?
I have a Nikon d3300

any help with this is greatly appreciated.
 
As a general rule, I always try to capture the largest images possible on the camera otherwise I'm throwing away image data before I start doing anything else. Once on the computer, the image can be resized using the image processing/editing software. In my case if I use Photoshop Elements 11 to resize images for uploading to the web or sharing with others.
 
Thanks very much @GeeJay57 I was worried that I was throwing away a lot of data from the image just to upload the file. Ill start using my software more
 
Maximise the camera file settings as far as you think is sensible - you might want to make a big print one day.

The following workflow might be to load those files to your computer and keep them as they are - they become your archive.

For web or email you can then re-purpose an image as needed by resizing it with software - I wouldn't then re-save it with the same file name (thereby over-writing the original), but with a modified (or diferent) one, and even to a different folder ...

It's a bit personal exactly how you swing it ...

But if you want to upload to the forum directly (rather then linking to another image location), check this: https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/t...o-and-insert-an-image-from-your-tp-gallery.8/
 
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Like Glenn, I always capture at the maximum size and minimum (JPEG) compression - in Nikon terms, L, Fine and then resize as necessary in PhotoShop Elements (PSE) or similar, although for some quick and dirty resizes, I use my cameras' resizing options.

For the forum and other web usage, I resize to 800 pixels on the long side while constraining the size to the original image ratio (usually [for me] 3:2) then Save As a JPEG using the preview pane in PSE to show me the final file size using the highest quality to get the appropriate file size.

FWIW, I resize for Flickr at the same size (800x?) so they (Flickr) don't do it again and resharpen the image introducing new problems.
 
Hooley.J said:
I tried uploading some new photos taken with my camera the other day, however the file sizes were too large. on my camera the image size was set to small and the resolution on a normal setting, is there something I need to do on a computer or can I change this from my DSLR?.
Click to expand...
I let the camera take a high-quality large file,
then use FastStone (excellent free image editor) to make smaller files for posting or whatever.
 
'file-size' and 'Image Size' are not quite the same thing.
The Image size, is the number of pixels, or MegaPixels, the little coloured mozaic squares that make up the picture; so many squares wide, so many tall. More of them, the bigger the image.
The file size in Mega-Bytes, is the amount of computer 'code' used to describe those pixels that make the image, that is stored on the camera or computer.
The relationship between the two is a long way from directly proportions. More pixels would tend to demand more data to describe them, but the format the data file is in, and the amount of 'compression' it uses as well as the amount of detail in the actual picture all have influence.
This tutorial explains it in more detail.Understanding; Mega Pixels, Mega Bytes; tif, jpg, bmp, nef, & raw?

Answering your question, however, for most 'upload to web' purposes, images generally need to be in jpg format, and sized to a pixel count of no more than about 1000 pixels on the wide-side.
Even set to the 'small' image size, as shot, your camera is probably making pictures that are many times larger than many photo-hosting sites will accept! Crikey, even the potato that pretends to be a camera in my antiquated mobile-telephone makes pictures with a pixel count that need to be 're-sized' in a photo-editor on the computer before I can up-load them to many places!

As other advice, you need to use a photo-editor on your computer; open the photo from file, use whatever 're-size' option it has to change the pixel resolution to about 1000px on the wide side, and then save with a new file-name to avoid over-writing the original photo, in the jpg format for most applications, and if your photo-editing software has the option, you may be able to select the 'compression' rate, to make the file size even smaller for easier electronic transmission, though many host sites apply their own compression when they save your picture to their server anyway.
 
I usually shrink the image size to around 1000 pixels wide, then shrink the filesize : both in FastStone.
It takes ... about 15 seconds by hand per picture but can also be batch-processed.
 
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