Photo Compression Freeware?

Foolmewunz · 2nd October 2009, 10:09 AM

Apologies if this has been addressed, but I'm looking for a photo compression tool. I use the one in Powerpoint at the office and it's actually quite functional for me. But I went a-googling for an answer and got nothing real solid in the way of advice.

Is there anything out there in freeware? Or do I have to invest some money? I don't have massive use for the home PC - just photos of the kid.

madurobob · 2nd October 2009, 10:22 AM

Any of these help?

http://www.econsultant.com/i-want-fr....html#graphics

ETA: also click the "open source freeware..." link near the bottom of the list for more.

elgarak · 2nd October 2009, 10:25 AM

Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but I always found IrfanView useful. Free, small footprint, does batch resizing and converting. And makes simple slideshows easily.

ddt · 2nd October 2009, 12:12 PM

For my modest graphics manipulation needs - mainly resizing of images and converting to another format - I always use ImageMagick. It comes more or less standard in any Linux distribution, but it also has downloads with Windows ports. Its main program, 'convert', has a gazillion options for everything and the kitchen sink.

often mrunderstood · 2nd October 2009, 12:47 PM

Fotosizer has been pretty good to me. I like the way it does many pics at once.

http://download.cnet.com/Fotosizer/3...-10647201.html

Foolmewunz · 2nd October 2009, 06:17 PM

Thanks, guys - I've got busy day, but I'll do some clicking later. A photographer did about 200 shots of my son's birthday dinner, but they're all in the 3 meg range (not ideal for sending to friends or posting on the JREF*), so I'll do some comparisons.

Appreciate the help.

* That's not a threat. I won't be posting 200 baby pics, I promise! (I'll limit myself to 175 of them

)

grmcdorman · 2nd October 2009, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by elgarak

Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but I always found IrfanView useful. Free, small footprint, does batch resizing and converting. And makes simple slideshows easily.

IrfanView isn't completely free - there is supposed to be a fee for commercial use. I keep complaining about this at work, though, and it often falls on deaf ears. Having said that, baby pictures (at least, your own baby) are about as personal as it gets, and IrfanView does provide a way to batch convert images.

ImageMagick is great for command-line use; not so much for anything else.

Note that you should expand on what you mean by "compression"; there's at least two meanings:

Reduce dimensions (e.g. 4086x2048 => 640x480 for the web); this will reduce storage size as a side effect.
Reduce file size (typically by using a lossy compression like JPEG, which reduces image quality)

Foolmewunz · 2nd October 2009, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by grmcdorman

IrfanView isn't completely free - there is supposed to be a fee for commercial use. I keep complaining about this at work, though, and it often falls on deaf ears. Having said that, baby pictures (at least, your own baby) are about as personal as it gets, and IrfanView does provide a way to batch convert images.

ImageMagick is great for command-line use; not so much for anything else.

Note that you should expand on what you mean by "compression"; there's at least two meanings:

Reduce dimensions (e.g. 4086x2048 => 640x480 for the web); this will reduce storage size as a side effect.
Reduce file size (typically by using a lossy compression like JPEG, which reduces image quality)

Ah, thanks - it's mostly the former. I still have the CDs she burned for me, so if I want to turn any of them into portrait quality prints I can always go to the source, but for posting on the web, e.g. VBulletin here you need the smaller sizes. Also for emailing - we've got family and friends all over the world.

dasmiller · 2nd October 2009, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by Foolmewunz

but for posting on the web, e.g. VBulletin here you need the smaller sizes. Also for emailing - we've got family and friends all over the world.

Another option, just to complicate your life, would be to set up a Flickr account. You could post your pics there and then simply send friends & families a link.

I spend a fair amount of time with both Flickr and Irfanview, though I haven't used Irfanview for family pictures.

Foolmewunz · 3rd October 2009, 07:30 AM

Thanks, guyz - I'm playing with IrfanView - seems to do the trick.

Paulhoff · 3rd October 2009, 08:04 AM

Originally Posted by Foolmewunz

Thanks, guyz - I'm playing with IrfanView - seems to do the trick.

I was going to post IrfanView........ he added a feature I asked for, after a year wait, Changing a .txt file into a picture file, it is very good for resizing any .txt file.

Paul

dasmiller · 3rd October 2009, 08:31 AM

D'oh! In the interest of correctness:

Originally Posted by dasmiller

I spend a fair amount of time with both Flickr and Irfanview, though I haven't used Irfanview for family pictures.

should have been ". . . I haven't used Flickr for family pictures."

madurobob · 4th October 2009, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by Foolmewunz

Ah, thanks - it's mostly the former. I still have the CDs she burned for me, so if I want to turn any of them into portrait quality prints I can always go to the source, but for posting on the web, e.g. VBulletin here you need the smaller sizes. Also for emailing - we've got family and friends all over the world.

ooooohhh...... you just want you resize images? If you're on a windows OS there is a very simple "power toy" from windows called "image resizer" that will quickly and easily resizes images for web posting, leaving the original files untouched. You just highlight a bunch of files and right-click to choose "resize images". I use it damn near daily.

2nd October 2009, 10:09 AM	#1
Foolmewunz Grammar Resistance Leader Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 10,131	Photo Compression Freeware? Apologies if this has been addressed, but I'm looking for a photo compression tool. I use the one in Powerpoint at the office and it's actually quite functional for me. But I went a-googling for an answer and got nothing real solid in the way of advice. Is there anything out there in freeware? Or do I have to invest some money? I don't have massive use for the home PC - just photos of the kid.
	__________________ Ha! Foolmewunz has just been added to the list of people who aren't complete idiots. Hokulele Microsoft is NOT the Borg Collective... the Borg have better tech support. Eleri

2nd October 2009, 10:22 AM	#2
madurobob Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Blue Heaven, NC Posts: 4,148	Any of these help? http://www.econsultant.com/i-want-fr....html#graphics ETA: also click the "open source freeware..." link near the bottom of the list for more.
	__________________ A well made Martini has more often been my true friend than any two-legged creature - me I only get drunk when I'm shot by yaquis - Eastwood. Last edited by madurobob; 2nd October 2009 at 10:24 AM.

2nd October 2009, 10:25 AM	#3
elgarak Muse Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 634	Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but I always found IrfanView useful. Free, small footprint, does batch resizing and converting. And makes simple slideshows easily.
elgarak Muse Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 634

2nd October 2009, 12:12 PM	#4
ddt Mafia Penguin Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Netherlands Posts: 4,084	For my modest graphics manipulation needs - mainly resizing of images and converting to another format - I always use ImageMagick. It comes more or less standard in any Linux distribution, but it also has downloads with Windows ports. Its main program, 'convert', has a gazillion options for everything and the kitchen sink.
	__________________ Proud member of the Solipsistic Autosycophant's Group I think I see a signature - nathan

2nd October 2009, 12:47 PM	#5
often mrunderstood Scholar Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 94	Fotosizer has been pretty good to me. I like the way it does many pics at once. http://download.cnet.com/Fotosizer/3...-10647201.html
often mrunderstood Scholar Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 94

2nd October 2009, 06:17 PM	#6
Foolmewunz Grammar Resistance Leader Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 10,131	Thanks, guys - I've got busy day, but I'll do some clicking later. A photographer did about 200 shots of my son's birthday dinner, but they're all in the 3 meg range (not ideal for sending to friends or posting on the JREF), so I'll do some comparisons. Appreciate the help. That's not a threat. I won't be posting 200 baby pics, I promise! (I'll limit myself to 175 of them )
	__________________ Ha! Foolmewunz has just been added to the list of people who aren't complete idiots. Hokulele Microsoft is NOT the Borg Collective... the Borg have better tech support. Eleri

2nd October 2009, 06:27 PM	#7
grmcdorman Muse Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 553	Originally Posted by elgarak Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but I always found IrfanView useful. Free, small footprint, does batch resizing and converting. And makes simple slideshows easily. IrfanView isn't completely free - there is supposed to be a fee for commercial use. I keep complaining about this at work, though, and it often falls on deaf ears. Having said that, baby pictures (at least, your own baby) are about as personal as it gets, and IrfanView does provide a way to batch convert images. ImageMagick is great for command-line use; not so much for anything else. Note that you should expand on what you mean by "compression"; there's at least two meanings: Reduce dimensions (e.g. 4086x2048 => 640x480 for the web); this will reduce storage size as a side effect. Reduce file size (typically by using a lossy compression like JPEG, which reduces image quality)
grmcdorman Muse Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 553	__________________ "Hello. My name is Inigo Skywalker. You are my father. Prepare to die."

2nd October 2009, 06:34 PM	#8
Foolmewunz Grammar Resistance Leader Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 10,131	Originally Posted by grmcdorman IrfanView isn't completely free - there is supposed to be a fee for commercial use. I keep complaining about this at work, though, and it often falls on deaf ears. Having said that, baby pictures (at least, your own baby) are about as personal as it gets, and IrfanView does provide a way to batch convert images. ImageMagick is great for command-line use; not so much for anything else. Note that you should expand on what you mean by "compression"; there's at least two meanings: Reduce dimensions (e.g. 4086x2048 => 640x480 for the web); this will reduce storage size as a side effect. Reduce file size (typically by using a lossy compression like JPEG, which reduces image quality) Ah, thanks - it's mostly the former. I still have the CDs she burned for me, so if I want to turn any of them into portrait quality prints I can always go to the source, but for posting on the web, e.g. VBulletin here you need the smaller sizes. Also for emailing - we've got family and friends all over the world.
	__________________ Ha! Foolmewunz has just been added to the list of people who aren't complete idiots. Hokulele Microsoft is NOT the Borg Collective... the Borg have better tech support. Eleri

2nd October 2009, 07:33 PM	#9
dasmiller Critical Thinker Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 425	Originally Posted by Foolmewunz but for posting on the web, e.g. VBulletin here you need the smaller sizes. Also for emailing - we've got family and friends all over the world. Another option, just to complicate your life, would be to set up a Flickr account. You could post your pics there and then simply send friends & families a link. I spend a fair amount of time with both Flickr and Irfanview, though I haven't used Irfanview for family pictures.
	__________________ "I know lots of people are smarter than me. But I have this philosophy: So what?" Julie Brown - "'Cause I'm A Blonde"

3rd October 2009, 07:30 AM	#10
Foolmewunz Grammar Resistance Leader Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 10,131	Thanks, guyz - I'm playing with IrfanView - seems to do the trick.
	__________________ Ha! Foolmewunz has just been added to the list of people who aren't complete idiots. Hokulele Microsoft is NOT the Borg Collective... the Borg have better tech support. Eleri

3rd October 2009, 08:04 AM	#11
Paulhoff You can't expect perfection. Join Date: May 2005 Location: South Florida Posts: 8,366	Originally Posted by Foolmewunz Thanks, guyz - I'm playing with IrfanView - seems to do the trick. I was going to post IrfanView........ he added a feature I asked for, after a year wait, Changing a .txt file into a picture file, it is very good for resizing any .txt file. Paul
	__________________ "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." Albert Einstein Much worse than the Question not asked, is the Answer not Given. Mine "Still looking for that honest person." besides you Randi Never in the history of humankind, have so many, known so little, about so much. Christianity, Years of fear. - mine I'm so old I remember when dirt came to life

3rd October 2009, 08:31 AM	#12
dasmiller Critical Thinker Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 425	D'oh! In the interest of correctness: Originally Posted by dasmiller I spend a fair amount of time with both Flickr and Irfanview, though I haven't used Irfanview for family pictures. should have been ". . . I haven't used Flickr for family pictures."
	__________________ "I know lots of people are smarter than me. But I have this philosophy: So what?" Julie Brown - "'Cause I'm A Blonde"

4th October 2009, 03:59 PM	#13
madurobob Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Blue Heaven, NC Posts: 4,148	Originally Posted by Foolmewunz Ah, thanks - it's mostly the former. I still have the CDs she burned for me, so if I want to turn any of them into portrait quality prints I can always go to the source, but for posting on the web, e.g. VBulletin here you need the smaller sizes. Also for emailing - we've got family and friends all over the world. ooooohhh...... you just want you resize images? If you're on a windows OS there is a very simple "power toy" from windows called "image resizer" that will quickly and easily resizes images for web posting, leaving the original files untouched. You just highlight a bunch of files and right-click to choose "resize images". I use it damn near daily.
	__________________ A well made Martini has more often been my true friend than any two-legged creature - me I only get drunk when I'm shot by yaquis - Eastwood.