Large file for avatar?

[21Reefman]

I have an 8.2 megapixel camera and even when I size a pic smaller than the 150 pixels (or whatever it was) And saved the file at 0 quality, 0 quality??? still I was like 180 bytes too large?

What's the secret?? Thank You in advance!!

 

[gregr]

I think the problem lies in the compression that you may not be doing but should be. There's two parts to resizing a file (for the web, avatar, email etc)-- one is to make the horizontal and vertical dimensions smaller and the other part is to compress the file. If you weren't doing that second part then that's all you need to learn how to do- and it's easy. Take a look at this article- it has tutorials on how to resize with Photoshop/Imageready and Irfanview (a free program).
Just holler if you have any questions about any of the steps.
Greg

 

[21Reefman]

Yeah, I do resize AND compress. I had already read that article, thanks.
I did the split screen(I have adobe PS elements) "save for web" and saved at zero res as I stated above. I even saved as a gif b/c it was i bit smaller.
I usually save it at around 7-9 for my web pics and for the avatar I went all the way down to 0 ..... Still too big?

 

[gregr]

That is wierd- I don't think I've ever needed to use a compression level of less than 4- usually it's around 5. That picture must have tons of detail in it. Would you be willing to send me a jpeg of it and I'll see if it works any differently on my computer? A longshot...
greg@gregrothschild.com is my email.

 

[greenstarman]

Compression. How is that changed in Irfanview? Downloaded software but only see option to resize. What am I missing.

Thanks.

 

[gregr]

Give that article a try- it explains the compression side of the Irfanview file shrinking process. After you click on 'save as' a box pops up giving you a slider- that's the compression amount.
Greg

 

[Frisco]

I make avatars in photoshop and also don't recall having to go under 5 for jpg compression on any of the pics I've played around with to date.

 

[gregr]

It's an unexplained issue at this point- 21Reefman emailed me one of the pictures in question and it worked as per usual on my computer- a compression level of 60 in Imageready (that'd be a '6' if you just did 'save as'). So something is going on with the program he's using- Elements. I just dunno...

 

[21Reefman]

gregr, Thanks for all the help!

And Thanks, to all who helped out.

 

[21Reefman]

UhhhhG!!! I really don't get it now!

gregr, I took the file you did for me, you sent it as a bmp. I opened it in PSelements, saved as, a jpeg, and still at 0 (after trying 8,6,4,and0) The file is TOO LARGE??





"The Pen is Blue, THE PEN IS BLUE, THe GD@M PEN is BlUE"

 

[gregr]

Ahhh- more new info
I sent you a jpeg so something is happening when the image reaches your computer- if it arrived in your email inbox as a bmp file that is completely unexplainable- because I've never created a bmp file in my life I always save files as jpegs for the internet.
Did you check the file extension before you opened it in Elements? Could it be that that program is changing pictures files because of some default setting? I'd be happy to send it to you again if you want. Regardless- that explains the large file sizes- bmp files are always big like that.
Greg