Al wrote:
>Apparently my picture files are to big for sending. >>


First, there are 2 different meanings to the term picture size when applied 
to photos on your computer.

One is the physical size of the photo. ie say 2400x1800 pixels. Otherwise 
called the picture resolution.

  If downloaded direct from your camera, by default the resolution is often 
far too large for your computer and useful only if you want high quality 
prints.

Second there is the file-size, ie the size of the file on your computer. 
This depends on the rate of compression of each photo. Bitmaps (.bmp) are 
very large files, whereas the more useful jpegs (.jpg) are compressed in 
various degrees of compression either by your camera, or by software on 
your computer.

So there are basically 2 ways of reducing the "size"---
1. By making the photo physically smaller----"resizing" it from 2400x1800 
pixels to maybe 640x480. This alone will shrink the file size from about 4 
Mb to about 200 Kb. You can set this on your camera, or by software later 
in your computer.

2. By compressing it as a compressed .jpg file. Compressing it to about 65% 
results in very little loss of quality but will reduce the file size from 
around 200 Kb to about 40 Kb. That's ideal for emailing, and will retain 
good quality.

Thus by (1) resizing, then (2) compressing, you can reduce the file size 
for emailing down from say 4 Mb to 40 Kb. That's a 100-fold reduction.

Cropping the photo sometimes helps, too.

I recommend using proper software for this such as freeware Irfanview. I've 
found that pictures sent to me where people have obviously used their email 
program to do the reducing are generally such poor quality as to be 
practically useless.

In Irfanview, or most similar programs, after you've resized the photo, 
when you save it you'll be asked to set the compression rate. Use between 
80% and 65%---trial and error will guide you here depending on the quality 
of the original pix and just how much tradeoff you desire. I've always 
found that a compression of 65% is good in most cases.

So---to summarize---
1. Crop
2. Resize
3.Compress when saving.

Incidentally, I find the most graphic software programs that come with your 
digital camera are pretty useless and hard to use compared with Irfanview.

Don Penlington

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