What size to transfer?

[XLTKID]

Hello,
I have a Canon S5IS, it has 4 different sizes to pick from. I do not have a regular computer yet, still using this msntv2 and dial up. I will have a computer by spring though so i can post pics of my finds. That will be another subject for me then, how to post them on here.

I took my memory card to a ritz camera store at the mall and had the pics transfered to a DVD. Well, the DVD will not play in my player at all. I mailed it to my dad, same thing, but his player said the pictures were too big. I have my camera set on the largest size. Do i need to select a smaller size in order for them to play on the DVD? I am new to digital cameras too but got a higher priced camera than starting out with a pocket one. Kind of like starting out in Metal Detecting.

If i set my camera to a smaller size pic, will i still be able to change it back to the largest size, or will the pics only be seen at the size i took them on? You can size down on pics, but not up right? Thanks for reading, and any comments will be helpful and appreciated Thanks.

[JCWhite]

Always take your pictures in the highest resolution unless you know that they won't be important. JC

[KellycoChick]

Honestly, I've found that the second to lowest resolution is usually just fine for average pictures that are documenting events, weather, sunsets and such. For pictures of your finds, you'll need to have your photos on the highest resolution.

As for resolution and size - resolution is how detailed the pictures are, and how big they can be blown up. You can take photos in a super high resolution and change them to a small size, they'll be very crisp and clear tho - which is what you want. Photos that you take in a low resolution can't be blown up, if you do they won't come out very clear. So yes, you can size photos down, but not up. But you can take photos in one size, change the settings and take a couple of more in another size, and flipflop back and forth as you see fit.

The DVD not playing doesn't sound right. If they aren't playing on your dad's computer, it may be because he doesn't have enough memory to load the high-res photos on his computer with the other programs he's running at the same time. But your average DVD can hold 700 mbs of data, which should be plenty of photos in high resolution and a ton in low res.

So I hope I helped here... I'm sure there are some awesome photographers in this forum that can help more than I can. I just pick stuff up as I go along. Goodluck!

[Steve in PR]

Hi, XLTKid. My sense is that the file size is making it difficult. At 8 megs per picture, some pcs will lock up or be slow in processing the image. You have 5 different image quality settings on your camera. If you want to post pictures in a thread, you can upload a picture to a photo service like Photobucket (see the digital forum for how to instructions) and then share them with friends and family from there. That is one option.

Taking a picture at a lower quality setting is going to affect quality but mainly if you are planning on enlarging the picture. A 4 meg file will allow you to print a high quality picture about 22" x 32". I imagine 8 megs will near double that.

If you reduce the size of the pic by cropping it, that will reduce the file size.

On some photograph software programs, you can manipulate the overall size of the image with out sacrificing quality. Just select "image size" and change the image to 8" x 10". It will reduce the image on the screen but it wil display at the right size in a viewing program like Windows Photo and Fax Viewer

Uploading your pics to a photo-sharing website will reduce them automatically. I think Photobucket reduces the file size to 1 meg.

As JC says, don't reduce quality to pictures that are important to you. It is better (I think) to learn how to manipulate them in a software program afterwards.

Arkwater and I are looking into putting a procedure in the forum about how to do this using various easy accessible programs used to process pics like Irfanview and Windows Photo and Fax Viewer plus a few others we have access to.

Hope this helps.