Software to compress JPG file to smaller file size

[TenOC]

My camera takes a JPG file that is about 5 to 7 Meg big. This is a large file to email. I am looking for a software program that will do a batch "compression" of the photos to a smaller file size.

[NRALIFR]

Gdetrailer wrote:

NRALIFR wrote:
You don't need to compress it any more. What you need is software that will reduce the image size (H x W) and quality, which in most cases will not noticeably affect the image for forum posting use. I believe Irfanview will do that, but to be honest I haven't really played with it much so I could be wrong. I have an old image editing program called Image Expert that has a very easy to use interface that allows you to choose four levels of image quality, and change the image size in pixels while maintaining the height to width aspect ratio. Doing that can have a dramatic effect on the file size, and still have an image suitable for emailing or forum posting.

Unfortunately, Image Expert isn't available anymore, but I'm sure there are other programs that willl do the same things.

:):)

There is no "magic bullet".

You can't have top quality AND large size and compress it into a smaller file size.

Personally, if the OPs idea is small file sizes to EMAIL then why bother taking the photos at top resolution setting on the camera?

If you have say a 10 megapixel camera, set it to take 5 or 6 mega pixel photos.. You will cut your photo file size in half and for all intents and purposes most folks on the other end of the email will never notice the difference..

You can easily cut the photo resolution (on the camera) down to 2 megapixels and still have plenty of detail to print off a 8x10 photo without noticeable pixelation..

Alternatively, if the OP wants the folks to get supersized photos without going to the hassle of resizing them all then I would recommend simply signing up for a Google email address.. You get 15 GB of FREE GOOGLE DRIVE online storage space and you CAN easily SHARE those photos.

On Google drive you simply setup a SHARED folder, copy your photos to that folder. Then you generate a URL link to that folder.

You then EMAIL THE GOOGLE LINK to the folks you want to share the photos with.

They then can view and download the photos they want.

I didn't say or imply that you could have both large size and top quality. The OP wants to know how to reduce the file size of pictures so they're suitable for emailing, and I told him of a way that works for me.

I don't always know what I'm going to do with the pictures I take, so I typically use the highest quality setting on my camera. It's very easy (for me) to then reduce the size and quality of the pictures I want to email, or post on a trip report in the Truck Camper forum, to get a file size that's easier to email or upload to my image hosting site. I've done this for literally hundreds of pictures I've posted on the forum, and I still have the original high quality/full sized image for my use. I rarely ever bother printing a photo in any of the traditional small format sizes. When I have a picture I want printed, I usually want it BIG, and that's when I'm glad I have the full sized, high quality image to work with.

You apparently like your way, I like mine.

:):)

[TenOC]

toedtoes wrote:
For Web and "sharing with friends", I downsize to 72dpi and no more than 720pixels on the largest side.

Can you do this in a batch? What Software?

[toedtoes]

It all depends on what you do with your photos and how serious of a hobby photography is.

For most folks, all these new cameras with 10+mp resolutions are way overkill - but folks buy them because "bigger is better".

However, I was told years ago by someone who said always shoot the highest resolution your camera allows - for 99 percent of the time, it's overkill. But for that ONE photo, you'll be glad you did.

I don't print anything less than 10x12. For Web and "sharing with friends", I downsize to 72dpi and no more than 720pixels on the largest side. But, I always keep a full-size print ready version (tiff) and the original raw format. I have never regretted keeping those large files, but I sure have regretted the loss of some of those large files. And being able to give a friend a large framed print of her daughter on a fashion runway was worth the storage of those large files.

[2oldman]

richheck wrote:
Microsoft Word incorporates a simple Photo resized for quick modifications

Paint has been there for years, but does one at a time.

[richheck]

Microsoft Word incorporates a simple Photo resized for quick modifications, copy, paste then resize.

[Clay_L]

I have used Fast Image PowerToy Clone Resizer for years.
It integrates into the right click menu.

Info below is from a download website.

Image Resizer Powertoy Clone is a very handy Windows utility that enables you to resize images very quickly. The program directly integrates itself into Windows’ contextual menu, giving you the fastest access possible to it. Unlike other image resizing programs, with this tool you do not need to locate your images or create lists of them beforehand - just right-click on any number of images and choose the “resize” option to change their dimensions. The good thing is that the resized images are saved to the same location where the original images are, though these are not modified unless you decide to overwrite the original files.

[fj12ryder]

If you never edit photos then you probably don't need high resolution. But if you like to crop and edit photos then higher resolution will allow you crop and cut and still have decent photos when you're done.

[Healeyman]

What do you guys do with all of these HUGE (high MegaPixel) pictures?

The ONLY time the pixel count comes into play is in printing.

No matter what the advertisements say, the average consumer level printer has a 300 dpi. maximum resolution.

I have a 13" X 19" printer and I cannot see any difference between an 8 MP print and an 18 MP print.

5 MP is plenty for a good 8 1/2" X 11" without pixilation.

As far as Emailing pictures, the native resolution of most consumer level computer monitors is still 72 dpi. Emailing anything more than 1-2 MP for a large computer screen makes virtually no difference to the viewer. I usually send 800 pix X 600 pix.

After having a couple of terabyte drives filled with a couple hundred thousand pictures, I don't shoot large any more. No one but me ever looks at them anyway.

Tim

PS: Didja ever wonder why new printers print in 8 1/2" x 11" format but most of the picture frames you can buy are in 8" X 10" or 11" X 14"? Hmmmmmm.............

[Gdetrailer]

NRALIFR wrote:
You don't need to compress it any more. What you need is software that will reduce the image size (H x W) and quality, which in most cases will not noticeably affect the image for forum posting use. I believe Irfanview will do that, but to be honest I haven't really played with it much so I could be wrong. I have an old image editing program called Image Expert that has a very easy to use interface that allows you to choose four levels of image quality, and change the image size in pixels while maintaining the height to width aspect ratio. Doing that can have a dramatic effect on the file size, and still have an image suitable for emailing or forum posting.

Unfortunately, Image Expert isn't available anymore, but I'm sure there are other programs that willl do the same things.

:):)

There is no "magic bullet".

You can't have top quality AND large size and compress it into a smaller file size.

Personally, if the OPs idea is small file sizes to EMAIL then why bother taking the photos at top resolution setting on the camera?

If you have say a 10 megapixel camera, set it to take 5 or 6 mega pixel photos.. You will cut your photo file size in half and for all intents and purposes most folks on the other end of the email will never notice the difference..

You can easily cut the photo resolution (on the camera) down to 2 megapixels and still have plenty of detail to print off a 8x10 photo without noticeable pixelation..

Alternatively, if the OP wants the folks to get supersized photos without going to the hassle of resizing them all then I would recommend simply signing up for a Google email address.. You get 15 GB of FREE GOOGLE DRIVE online storage space and you CAN easily SHARE those photos.

On Google drive you simply setup a SHARED folder, copy your photos to that folder. Then you generate a URL link to that folder.

You then EMAIL THE GOOGLE LINK to the folks you want to share the photos with.

They then can view and download the photos they want.

[NRALIFR]

You don't need to compress it any more. What you need is software that will reduce the image size (H x W) and quality, which in most cases will not noticeably affect the image for forum posting use. I believe Irfanview will do that, but to be honest I haven't really played with it much so I could be wrong. I have an old image editing program called Image Expert that has a very easy to use interface that allows you to choose four levels of image quality, and change the image size in pixels while maintaining the height to width aspect ratio. Doing that can have a dramatic effect on the file size, and still have an image suitable for emailing or forum posting.

Unfortunately, Image Expert isn't available anymore, but I'm sure there are other programs that willl do the same things.

:):)

[rbrand]

I've been using Faststone Photo Resizer for years it really works well and is free.

http://www.faststone.org/FSResizerDownload.htm

[2oldman]

How many pics we talking about?

I use Paint to resize, but only one at a time.

[sherlock62]

Second Chance wrote:
JPEG files are already compressed - that's their purpose. To get them smaller, they need to be resized. The process of saving them may compress them further, but they will also be further degraded. "Compressing" JPEG files is like mashing mashed potatoes.

Rob

You do not have to resize in order to make compression higher.

[theoldwizard1]

JPG is already somewhat compressed, so you are not going to get much more. The "industry standard" is 7-Zip. It uses a very good compression algorithm and will uncompress just about anything.

You are much better off using something like DropBox or even shared folder on Google Drive. Both allow you to specify individual person to share with. Google Drive allows you to share with "anyone who has the link", and the links pretty much can NOT be decoded !


BTDTGTTS

[RoyB]

I also store my JPEGs in a folder untouched... You can make them smaller but but you can't make them bigger so always have the biggest size stored somewhere and play with copies of it...

I use PAINT or MS OFFICE PICTURE MANAGER to resize my JPEG copies to what i need... Most computers come with these two photo programs already installed on them...

Roy Ken