Image/graphic extension/format Question

I find that working with .bmp format to edit size or color manipulation works better than with the other extensions.
But always remember that there is a limit to what you can do with an image, specially resizing it with out compromising quality.

I know that you can only do so much with a graphic and size. I figured that .bmp might be the better out of them since it's uncompressed. But I was just curious.

TY Apocalypse for you input

I may be in the wrong frame of mind but I found that increasing or decreasing the pixel per inch instead of changing the "size" of the image works wonders.

.stn with http://www.lizardtech.com/solutions/photo/

I prefer to keep orginial files such as *.br5 for bryce 5, etc. But if thats not possible, I keep the orginal *.bmp file and make new files if I want to convert em to lossy formats such as jpg or gif. Png is other non-lossy format you can use.

Which format/extension would I have to make a graphic so I could enlarge it without a huge lost of quality? [examples: .bmp , .tiff , .png , .gif , etc]

You could use vector artwork to do that. Once you make one, you can make a any size bitmap out of that, even up to 8000x7000 or something!

Bitmap is the way to go....but results/quality of enlarging is more about the method or proggy used to do it...

Extensis has a new plugin that handles loss less enlargment for photoshop and plugin compliant applications...




[Message Edited]

I don't know what you're doing exactly, but keep this in mind.  Reducing a larger image, will work better than the reverse, most of the time. BMP is fine, if you don't need to save alpha transparency. Saving an image in a vector format means you don't have to worry about resizing issues.

btw........ shouldn't the title to the thread be "Image/graphic extension/format Question/query"

I don't know what you are trying to do, but if you want to save an image in a small format and be able to enlarge it later without quality loss, I suggest you save it in either EPS or TIF format at a higher resolution (300 dpi for example). That way you can always at a later time increase the size of the image by lowering the resolution without any difference on screen.

Other than that, any format will distort your image when it's blown. It will be worse with compressed images such as JPG. So, if manipulating the image resolution is not an option, then stick with the uncompressed formats such as BMP or TIF.

But I don't know what you are starting with. Optimally, the best would be to make your graphic originally in vector format (Illustrator or Corel). Vector images can be opened at any size.

Here is a example. Say I save a screenshot but want to keep it small in size so it doesn't use much space then I want to enlarge it later on for some other purpose. That's just a example. There isn't a orginal photo. Or if I want to capture a image from my webcam and enlarge it later on could be another example

The size on disk is directly proportional to quality of image.
If you want decent quality but less disk space experiment with different levels of compression with .jpg's.
My two cents.
Every time you save a .jpg you loose some quality because it is a compressed file format.
Every time you save a .bmp you loose nothing.
At least that is my experience.
So when you add something to a .jpg picture and save and then re open it add something and save it you are loosing quality each time you save.

It costs a bit but it is for commercial graphics and digital art shops, so..

pxl SmartScale
Advanced Scaling Made Simple

SmartScale creates high quality scaled images by preserving the color
and brightness data contained in the original image. Users can now scale
images up to 1600% with no discernible loss in printed quality. Since
every image is unique, SmartScale gives you the power to refine the
scale details, putting control over your end results in your hands.
http://www.extensis.com

It's worth the money if this is of value to someone. You might be able to find something of freeware or lower costing shareware that will do this almost as well. I do know that ACDSee 5.0 enlarges all formats without really bad loss if the origional graphic had enough scan lines (resolution) when saved and the compression turned down on it.

Vector graphics would be the best way really becuase you can load it up, enlarge it and save it to the format of choice for the moment as some have pointed out already. Also you could Zip them and use ACDSee 5.0 to view the actual compressed Larger graphic without expanding it.
You could also create thumpnails of your screens, then compress them all into one large file which you could selectively extract as needed as another solution.

just some thoughts...