Distorted/Blurry Images, Resolution Problem?

[kelsbeth]

Hello,

I am new to photography and am slowly learning my camera. I mostly shoot in manual in order to learn the most about the settings. I've noticed that while my photos will look good (enough!) on the computer, when I go to print them, they come out distorted. For example, when I order prints (from costco) online, if I try to order the photo bigger than 4x6I will get a resolution warning. I shoot my photos in both RAW and JPEG (haven't learned how to do post-processing on RAW yet) in Large format. Sometimes I will take several photos in the same settings, and only some of them have resolution problems.

Here is an example:

Flickr: Kelsbeth29's Photostream

(I've included explainations in the "description" box of the photos to explain which ones have resolution problems and which ones don't).

How can I fix this??

Thanks in advance!

[Krusty79]

I looked at the large size of your backyard shot and your image is only 800x566 pixels. That's not even 1 megapixel. Most cameras today are at least 10 megapixels. Why is your file so small? Have you already reduced the size? Are you shooting at the highest number of megapixels your camera can produce?

[RLucas]

Have you processed these at all? There is no EXIF, which leads me to believe it's been stripped in post. Check to make sure they aren't being resized when you create the file.

[kelsbeth]

Krusy79, I have your same camera but have never even messed with megapixel setting. I've just been taking pics with how the camera came. What is the ideal size I should be shooting in?

RLucas, I messed with the colors a bit in photoshop, didn't resize them but perhaps it was automatic. How do I make sure that doesn't happen?

Thanks!

[RichardTaylor]

What camera are you using?
What "Image quality" is it set to?

Best to use largest size and maximum image quality (or shoot in RAW (maximum image size) if your camera has it).

[kelsbeth]

I have a canon rebel xs with the standard 18-55 lens. I have the camera set to shoot in raw and jpeg, with file sizes large. I don't know how to do anything with raw yet, but I save the files on my computer for once I learn. I am not sure about the image quality setting. I will. Heck tonight and re-post. Thanks!

[Krusty79]

Our Canon XS is a 10 megapixel camera. I can't tell you how to get there off the top of my head, but there is a setting for the number of megapixels. It is good that you are shooting RAW. I shoot RAW + jpg also.

My full size images are 3888 x 2592 pixels, so you should be able to get that also. That will end those "low resolution" warnings.

You can edit the RAW files with the Canon Digital Photo Professional software that should have come with your camera. It lets you control the white balance and some color settings before you convert to jpg. Your images don't get as noisy when editing RAW files.

[mrteacherdude]

Can you tell us more about your workflow? That is, what exactly do you do with your photos once you import them into your computer? Information that can help are things such as: software used and what you do with your photos with that software. If you have some sort of routine that you use for editing your photos and resizing them for use on Flickr which is different than what you do for uploading to Costco, that could also be helpful. If you treat it all the same, than that is also helpful.

Just a thought though - if you are trying to print the same pictures you are displaying on Flickr, then they will not look good, which you already have discovered. The one that you described as being distorted when printed doesn't look like a 2:3 ratio to me, which will be distorted if you try to force it into a 2:3 ratio print.

As RichardTaylor suggested, you should shoot, and save, at your highest resolution possible for your camera. Those high resolution photos, either SOOC or edited, are the ones you need to upload to Costco to print. Do not allow your software to reduce the resolution of your images even if you edit them. Costco has a fast upload option that you can use though which greatly accelerates upload speed of your photos. These typically look fine for the smaller prints (4x6), as long as you used your full resolution photos to begin with. If you want to print larger, then use the full resolution upload feature. If you want to print at a ratio different than 2:3, then you may want to crop to that ratio prior to sending it your Costco account to print. There is an online cropping tool so you can resize your photo prior to printing it, and the software will prompt you for a crop if you try to ratio that is different than what you uploaded, but I don't know how well it works. I really haven't had much trouble with the service so I would imagine it works pretty well.

RAW files will ultimately give you a lot more flexibility from an editing standpoint, and can yield far greater information than the files right out of your camera. However, if you are not used to working with RAW files yet, then I personally would recommend you get comfortable with trying to get the best JPG out of your camera for awhile, and how to optimize those files first for printing purposes. Processing from RAW gives you many different options for post-processing that is not available to the JPG from your camera, but ultimately your RAW file will need to be converted to a JPG as Costco will only accept JPG files for printing; I found this out the hard way when I tried to upload a bunch of TIF's that I spent a long time working on, and got nowhere. If you are just starting out, then I don't think it is really necessary to dive right into trying to process RAW files as it can just add another layer of frustration - IMO.

I have used Costco to print many of my images from my Rebel XTi ( 10 megapixels I think), and have successfully printed as large as 12x18 inches. So - think highest resolution possible for printing.

[GTAltman]

I"m by no means any kind of expert here.

What I think you've done, is when you've cropped the picture you also "resized it". I'm not sure what you've used to crop them either (photoshop, LR, etc.).

For example, #2705 you provided the comment that it was distorted and blurry when printed. It also looks "square" meaning you cropped it.

But #2699 is "full sized" and you commented that it was fine.

I know when using PS after I edit and then do a save as, it asks me for the "quality". Maybe this is the issue at hand.

Regards,

Gary

[kelsbeth]

Krusty - I went under "quality" on the camera and I guess i was shooting in 'medium' size whith says 2816x1880. I changed it back to 'large' which is 3888x2592, so hopefullly that helps.

GTAltman - oh man! More stuff to learn! I haven't even considered what cropping does so I guess I will need to learn more about it before I do it

mrteacherdude - Thanks for ALL that info on Costo - I didn't realize that could be part of the problem. Usually when I take photos I download then straight to my computer using the canon software, then do really minor color edits in photoshop (which I have sooo much to learn on). Then if I want to print them out I go to Costco. Usually the 4x6 ones are fine but when I try to go any bigger it says "resolution warning." Although when I got some of the 4x6 prints even those were a bit distorted.

Does photoshop automatically change the picture size?

Sorry if this is a dumb question but what is the 2:3 ratio?

I am in no means trying to be a professional, I just want my random family/friend photos to come out well!