Interpolated bad for quality?

[lupado]

I just got back two 11x14 prints - one image was converted in PS with the standard 3024x2024.. and the other was interpolated to its largest, 6144x4111. Though I've read that you lose quality when interpolating, I saw no difference. The color/detail was exact in both.

[jhawk1000]

Dave, Good news. Now, some details, please!

1. Why did you decide to interpolate up?

2. since there's no difference, do you plan on doing it again?

3. what type printer did you have do the work? Inkjet? Laser? photochemicals?

What did the printer recommend you do?

[Linda G]

AAAGGGHHH!!

I'm in Kansas City and didn't realize the laptop was already logged on to Mel! That last reply was from MEEEE!

[lupado]

Okay... so are you a man or a woman? :)


Well... before I heard that interpolation decreased quality, I interpolated everything to its largest. I mean, it's better to have too large of an image than too small (never know what size print the customer will want).

And do I plan to do it again?.. hmm... I think I will. If I personally see no difference, then yeah, why not? The only downfall is that working with a larger image takes a bit longer to edit and takes up more space.

Also, I have the lab do my printing. So as far as I know, they use chemicals.

[easternherp]

Lupado,

You most probably won't have seen any difference as the smaller one will have been upsampled to get to 14x11in. If you look onscreen at a 3024x2024 file at 100% and then at one that has been imported at 6144x4111 you will see that the latter is softer but will give slightly better results than upsampling the 3024x2024, although CS does a great job now.

[AzRich]

can't say much about the interpolating,

but that traffic light scares me!

[Linda G]

Guess I don't understand why anyone feels the need to have such large images if the quality isn't improved.

As for what method, as I've stated many times, talk to the printer, see what works best with their software/hardware combinations.

It only makes sense.

[easternherp]

I shoot mainly weddings and use the maximum size that cs allows me to import to. I do this as I dont know what final size picture couple may want. I do all my work on the large file and then save a copy as a Tiff. From that copy I then can create any smaller size that is needed and sharpen accordingly. This can be done using an action to produce a lot of say 8x6in prints. I can set the computer up and just let it do the work.

[jasonbrian007]

I use Photoshop CS ( Mac OSX ) and have recently began to use Genuine Fractal for image enlargement. After a FREE ( downloadable trial version gives you 20 demos) I thought the results seemed better than using PS image resize option.

Fractal can be used within Photoshop and adds more power to it

If you want to print at a larger scale than 11x4 you'll see the difference.

Don't know if that helps you!!!

cheers

Jasonbrian007 :)

[easternherp]

Thanks Jason,

There have been trials on this site with various pieces of software that claim to enlarge images with better results than PS. I have run a test using Photozoom Pro (previously S-Spline Pro) and found that it gave better results than the other available software but is a bit unstable sometimes on the Mac or at least the demo was.
So far I have been getting great results with ny method and get results that look almost as if I had shot the images on a Hassleblad.

[lupado]

The NY method?

Where can you can download fractal... can't seem to find it anywhere.

[jasonbrian007]

You can download a trial version for PC or Mac of Genuine Fractal 3.5 from:

http://www.lizardtech.com/download/dl_options.php?page=gf

If you try it please let me know what you think.

cheers

Jasonbrian007 :cheers: