How can a host tell how large the file is? I've hosted several contests and never knew how to check this. Pixel length shows up in properties but not file size, at least none that I can tell. I don't have the time to download every photo into photoshop to check. I've always just assumed that the entrants are formatting their pictures correctly.

I do agree with you that there is a quality issue. I usually work with very large files in PSD and after they are reduced to a small JPG they look almost fuzzy.

Ever since I switched to digital I've done any necessary sharpening in camera raw. What do you use to sharpen your jpegs?

For input sharpening (at the start of the post processing) I use either FocusMagic or Nik's Sharpener.

For output sharpening, I either use Nik's Sharpener or the standard Unsharp Mask in the editor.

After resizing a picture down, my USM settings are usually around
Clipping: 5
Radius: 0.7
Strength: 50

And isn't that resolution limited automatically by a DU scrip?
If so why not have that the limiting factor for the Photo Contests?
Then there is the issue of slow Internet connections. A string of large pictures will slow down the loading beyond the usefulness of the higher resolution most people won't see anyway.

If someone wants to just post their prize winning 20 meg (compressed jpg) picture in its own OP, that is one thing, but for the contest, I think we need to keep control of the file sizes.

I use Irvanview as my default photo program. It is a simple matter to adjust the resolution.

difference in quality.

Since these pictures are not stored on the DU web site, but rather all over the net, the reason for the size limitation may be to speed up the loading of the pages. Images for display should not exceed 72 DPI (dots per inch) as that is the maximum resolution for most all computer displays. Cameras typically take pictures at 240 or 300 DPI. If one does not reduce the resolution to 72, the resulting images will be much larger with no improvement in how they look on the screen.

Thus we get to the max size in pixels which is required to by 800 on the longest side, which controls how large the image is on the screen. This parameter will set the image size. In the case of long panoramas, this is a limiting factor to the quality of the image as it displays on the screen.

One may ask how to set these parameters. Users of Photoshop, Photoshop Elements and Lightroom, can easily do it when making .jpg files for display. Other image software should likewise have that capability.

So, it gets down to understanding why the limits at DU and should they be changed.

If I remember correctly the current limits are at 250K and 800 pixels.
Bumping them up to 300K and 1200 pixels would make it consistent with other places I post to.

people see it and comment. Eventually you may want to do a poll with either a yes/no or one with different sizes but I would keep the choices down to 3 or 4. I would guess most people have bigger monitors now so we could go a bit bigger in dimensions along with size. If you want to send me a PM when you make your poll I'll pin it too so everyone finds it.






BTW you do know you can pin threads still don't you? You still have host powers.

Sure there are those who have dial up, but if you look at other threads you'll see all sorts of higher resolution photos with no warning at all. At least those who do have dial up who click on photography threads know what they are getting in to. Also if you look at the submissions, people are routinely ignoring the 800 pixel limit anyway.

I think the restriction should be 1920 × 1080 with a 1 meg file size (50% compression). This seems like a more reasonable balance between quality and size.

I do all my DU viewing on my laptop. 1280 x 800 15.4" screen.

Of course, I could change the screen resolution, but then I'd need a microscope to actually read any text.

On edit, maximum screen resolution is 1440 x 900. So, No....

1200 max length would be better.

Maybe it would be better to do a survey in the lounge about what kind of connection people have.

Let the people show us
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1018245338