Photo sizing

[fred the great]

I know that photo sizes are quoted in  pixels but I need frequently to have sizes in metric. As an example a UK Passport photo size is 35 x 45 mm and the UK are getting pretty critical about it. 35 x 45 mm size, head and shoulders, not too far, not too close, plain light background, must be taken by a Professional and so on.

I gather that pixel sizes vary according to the camera so what can we do. Recently, I started using Picasa as my Olympus programme has problems but I find that in most respects it is OK but for sizing photos it is difficult. My attempts last week resulted in quite a few wasted coloured photos, printed fortunately on plain paper until I found the right size.  I do have the Gimp Programme but didn't try it on this occasion.

Does anybody know of a Printing Programme where one can actually modify photo sizes as seen on the screen in metric or Imperial sizing or am I expecting too much?

And which is the least complicated Programme to use these days? I don't want to buy anything but simply edit the photos, sharpen etc, often crop them  and print them to a desired size. Oh and to remove lamp posts from heads also

[Mike J]

Irfanview allows you to do this, and its free  .

[Jaded]

I know that photo sizes are quoted in  pixels but I need frequently to have sizes in metric.

a 35mm  x 45mm photo could be:

35 x 45 pixels or,
5,250 x 6,750 pixels or,
1,575,000 x 2,025,000 pixels or,
3,694,090,050,000 x 4,749,544,350,000 pixels or

any other number of pixels, as long as the ration is 35/45

It all depends on pixel density.

[matthew]

I know that photo sizes are quoted in  pixels but I need frequently to have sizes in metric.

a 35mm  x 45mm photo could be:

35 x 45 pixels or,
5,250 x 6,750 pixels or,
1,575,000 x 2,025,000 pixels or,
3,694,090,050,000 x 4,749,544,350,000 pixels or

any other number of pixels, as long as the ration is 35/45

It all depends on pixel density.

And this depends on your printer resolution DPI (Dots per inch)

[Jaded]

I know that photo sizes are quoted in  pixels but I need frequently to have sizes in metric.

a 35mm  x 45mm photo could be:

35 x 45 pixels or,
5,250 x 6,750 pixels or,
1,575,000 x 2,025,000 pixels or,
3,694,090,050,000 x 4,749,544,350,000 pixels or

any other number of pixels, as long as the ration is 35/45

It all depends on pixel density.

And this depends on your printer resolution DPI (Dots per inch)

Not quite - you can send a picture that has way too many pixels to your print and it will print it out at its maximum resolution.

[nuttycyclist]

It is no accident that Photoshop has remained the market leader for over 15 years. Photoshop Elements is the value-priced version with the top-end features removed. It should do everything you want. 

The forum has its Microsoft fans so someone will be along to tell you that Word or Notepad can do it too. 

I don't understand this post?

I have a windows XP machine here that is running photoshop 

[Jaded]

It is no accident that Photoshop has remained the market leader for over 15 years. Photoshop Elements is the value-priced version with the top-end features removed. It should do everything you want. 

The forum has its Microsoft fans so someone will be along to tell you that Word or Notepad can do it too. 

I don't understand this post?

I have a windows XP machine here that is running photoshop 

Yes, but photoshop on Windows doesn't half play mp3s badly.

[nuttycyclist]

 

Now I am confused.

Why would I be playing MP3s in a photo editing package?

[andrew_s]

Irfanview resizes photos and plays MP3s 

[Biggsy]

You need to know about DPI and PPI if you want full control over print size and quality.

(Not that I understand much to do with printing).

Why would I be playing MP3s in a photo editing package?

Irfanview is primarily an image viewer and media player, with some basic editing functions thrown in.  You might want to browse mixed content with a single program.

It's excellent as an image viewer.

[fred the great]

Yes I know but I was just hoping that some  clever Programme had sorted it out.

[border-rider]

The Gimp can do this.  It's a really good photo/graphics editing program

Applications>Graphics> The Gimp

or right click on a file from the file browser, and select open with The Gimp

Then

Image>print size

and you can set the dimensions in anything from mm to yards

or

Image> Scale image

depending how you wish to do it

[fred the great]

Thanks Mal, I knew I had seen it somewhere and today downloaded the Gimp 2.6.4 update.

Which leads me to a further headache. Picasa kindly copied all my photos and moved them into some strange dated order. Not a problem as each folder shows all the thumbnails in it. BUT

How do I copy or move those Folders from Picasa to Gimp and to be able to see all the thumbnails in one window? I have tried the help file and failed. Somehow, I think I have to make a new Gimp folder and drag/copy the files to a Gimp window.

Invariably I print two or more photos each time on one sheet of photo paper which is simple in Picasa and my Olympus Programmes. I.E select, Control, select and so on and then print.

Can you guide me on Gimp. My  head is getting sore

[frankly frankie]

I don't understand this post?
I have a windows XP machine here that is running photoshop 

... so its all sorted out for you!  Sad that Photoshop is so expensive.

People have been remarkably unhelpful in this thread.

* I like dimensions expressed in pixels - on a PC screen, to me they make the most sense.
* I don't use it myself but Qimage http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage/feature.htm is considered the bees knees for photo printing especially if you like to think of dimensions in feet and inches or, for the modern man, mm - and don't want to do the maths yourself.
* DPI and PPI and LPI are resolutions expressed in ('I') inches, which is most unfortunate when you (like me) measure your photos in mm.  eg, PPI is Pixels Per Inch so a photo of 2000x2000px would print at 10" square, at 200ppi.
* A per se standard print resolution is 300 dpi (or ppi, lpi, call it what you will - pedant alert).  It is actually a bit OTT for photos but it is 'a' standard.  (One of many.) I have a macro programmed in Photoshop so that I just hit F3 to convert any photo to 300ppi without resizing it.
* This is needed because my Canon camera records images at 180ppi, my Olympus DSLR at 314ppi, and my partner's Casio compact at 72ppi, and they all could end up in print.
* To print a 35x45mm photo at 300dpi you need 413x531 pixels.
* However if you only have 273x354 pixels at your disposal, you could print at 200dpi to get the same size image, and you would be most unlikely to see any difference.
* A modern camera outputs around 3000x4000px - so downsizing will probably be needed.

I hope, as they say, this helps!

[Biggsy]

Although some software programs don't seem to realise, DPI (dots per inch) and PPI (pixels per inch) are not the same things.  Some/most printers have to use more than one dot per pixel to make a useful enough blob.

[fred the great]

For some reason I had totally forgotten that GIMP gives all the size information I need as stated in MV's earlier post. A couple of years ago I did some lovely photos of my wifes' Grandparents including removing unwanted things that were spoiling the pictures. I was in a very restricted space.

I have searched and searched the Manual and failed miserably to discover how it can (I think) open a window with a series of photo thumbnails similar to Picasa Folders. Other than that GIMP is a superb Photo editing and manipulation Programme. Perhaps with some spare time somebody else can try to locate the method. I will of course try the GIMP Forum as I am sure this must have been discussed.