| Have you tried to enlarge an image from your | | | | image but saves space. |
| camera only to have it go all grainy and pixelated? | | | | Then there is image size. Often this is |
| Or sent someone an email with your image | | | | represented by pixel dimensions, so the bigger the |
| attached, only to find out it's so big they have to | | | | dimensions, the larger the image. Obviously, the |
| scroll around the screen to see it? Bet you have | | | | larger the size, the bigger the image can be |
| wondered why. | | | | enlarged without falling apart. But it will also take |
| It all has to do with the file size and quality you | | | | up more space on your memory card. You may |
| have your camera set to. In the days of film | | | | have noticed that with the small setting you can |
| camera it was never an issue. Film was pretty | | | | get 600 or more images, but with the large |
| much the same size for everyone. Digital cameras | | | | setting it's suddenly 20 images to fill your card. |
| of today are full of options and default settings. | | | | The rule of thumb is to always make your |
| Every camera has some choice settings for your | | | | images as large as possible with the best quality. |
| file size, but each camera maker has a different | | | | You can shrink the image down with software |
| name for them. It can be confusing, but | | | | but you cannot make it larger without pixelation |
| essentially you have two options that you can | | | | and loss of quality. Remember, though, when you |
| change. | | | | email the image to friends or post it on a social |
| You will have an option for image quality. Often | | | | page to shrink it down first. Usually 600 pixels |
| you will see an icon representation of the quality. | | | | longest side is great. When you send your file to |
| At one end the icon is smooth, and at the other | | | | an image site for printing, send the biggest |
| it's jagged. This relates to the compression level | | | | version, even if you are not printing it very large, |
| of the image file (usually jpg) with the icon | | | | and it will look better. There will be more detail |
| representing what is happening to your file. High | | | | and better color. Always save your file in a safe |
| quality creates a larger file with fine detail that | | | | place, back it up, and only work on copies of your |
| takes up more space; low quality is a rougher | | | | original file. |