Restoring photo quality ...

[TexasTimbers]

I noticed that after I resize photo files down to the FF requirements, and then I go back later to print them off, the quality is gonzo. I try to reset the numbers back to original specs but then it blows them up big enough to put on the side of a hot air ballon and then even grainier.

I know there has to be a way to salvage them besides downloading again from the camera. Any tips?  ???

[Furby]

Nope, once ya compress them, they are going to be off if you try to blow them up.
That's why it is important to keep at least two files, one for uncompressed ones and one for compressed pics.

[Tom]

The best tip I can give you is to NOT tamper with an original.  Download your pictures into an archive folder.  Then copy the one you want to mess with into another folder.  Mess with it.     You will always have your original on the computer for a backup.  Once in a while copy the archive folder to a CD for safekeeping.

Don't try to use your camera for an archive device. You handle it too much for the pictures to be safe.  If you have all of your pictures on your camera still, download them into a picture archive now.

[TexasTimbers]

Okay. Well it's good to know that i didn't delete any of them after I downloaded them. I just stored the used memory stick as the backup file and bought another stick. Is that a good/economical way to have backup uncompressed files or do you have a better way to clue me in on?
I'm paying about $65.00 for the 1MB memory stick and it holds a ton of pictures and/or alot of video. But then I will start to compile alot of memory sticks over the years I guess.  :

Okay Tom I need to study this more but I will take your advice. Just can't actually perform it right now.

[Tom]

Burn a CD.  It is economical.   You can store a years worth of pictures on a Cd.  You can make as many copies as you want. Just because you copy them to a CD doens't mean that you have to erase them from your computer.  You can store hundreds of them on a shelf.  That lets you re-use your memory sticks.

[TexasTimbers]

Ahhh. Okay. I bet even I can figure out how to burn 'em to a CD. Haven't done it yet but I bet I can figur it out. Domo.  ;)

[Minnesota_boy]

At least copy them to your hard drive instead of buying a new memory stick each time.  Memeory sticks are $65/Megabyte while hard drives are about $0.10/megabyte.  Yes, that's about a dime a megabyte and the price per megabyte keeps going down.   Then burn it to a Cd for backup for when your hard drive crashes.

[Norm]

You can buy remote hard drives that plug into your usb port. I have a 250 gig one that cost a couple of hundred bucks a year ago.

[DanG]

If you're using xat.com to reduce your pics, use "save as" instead of "save."  You give the modified pic a new name at that point, and the original is retained in your album, along with the new one.

[woodmills1]

what DanG said :D

[Onthesauk]

I've been burning them to a CD for backup and then just read in the last week or two that the expected life on the self burn CD is only a couple of years vs maybe ten for the commercial release.  Now not quite sure what to do?

[Ianab]

Now not quite sure what to do?

Burn another copy of your original CD after a few years.
Then that one will last for several years, and copy it again...
Repeat as needed.
Because it's digital files you dont loose any quality making multi generation copies.

Ian

[Larry]

Bout the only thing archival is or was mag tape and the only media accepted by the Feds.  Great, so I had this Colorado backup thingy that ran on schedule...course it was only good for a few meg.  Easy to use but HP discontinued support.  Now I burn a CD every 6 months...but don't trust em.  And who knows when the Cd's will be outdated. 

Also using a second hard drive as Norm suggested for a backup...which is a great idea.  And you could also beam your pic's off some place and let somebody else take care of em.