Digital BW, The Print

Hi Mark,

The best way I have found for downsizing large image files for low res usage
is to downsize in increments of 50%.  I do this in image size, using the
pixel dimensions, choose 50 and then Percent from the pull down menu rather
than pixels.

Keep reducing by 50% until you come near your final image size, then
resample using your pixel dimensions until you have the required web size.
Don't worry about actual dpi numbers as they are irrelevant once you set
your pixel dimensions.

The reason large image files reduce to blurry files if you reduce in one
fell swoop is that Photoshop is throwing away so much info at once and  it
is not smart enough to throw away the right info...  IMO

If required I usually use USM set at 60% and .2 to .8 with no threshold.

Carolyn


> 
> I have wondered this question for years, and have never asked it:
> 
> If you start with a big scan for print, say, 20"x20" at about 240dpi,
> and then you wanna rez that down for display on the web, say
> about 600pix by 600pix at 72dpi, and you do, in one fell swoop,
> the image becomes very fuzzy. If you USM it at about 75 or 100%,
> it helps, but still doesn't look great.
> 
> Does anyone know why it gets fuzzy? And does anyone know a
> great technique to preserve sharpness and detail when
> prepping for the web, from an archive scan?
> 
> Thanks. Mark Tucker