about photopass cd image file sizes, did i make a mistake?

[m-tinkerbelle]

hi everyone!
I'm checking my photopass pictures and I feel a bit let down. When I ordered the CD I did it at the Main Street photo shop (sorry I can't remember the name). I asked the Cast Member about the image file resolutions available for the CD and she was like... ??? as if she had never heard that image files had resolutions and different sizes.
she said that it included sizes that could be printed in canvas sizes (and she showed me a large framed picture they had in the shop).

so, I ordered the cd and left. Now I'm home and I signed up for an account to view the pics online just for the fun of it, everything went well. Except that now I see that the photopass cd pictures usually default to 4x5 size unless you choose a 5x7 size before ordering the cd.

I was taking a look at the pictures taken with my own camera (nikon d3100) and they have a higher resolution. I feel a bit ripped off, specially when we only had 24 pictures in our CD, and we decided to order a photopass cd because some pictures were only taken with the photopass guy's camera because i ran out of batteries

how come the cast members aren't well informed about the photopass products they sell? :/

I ordered the cd in the parks because we're from Spain and we were told we wouldn't have free shipping if we bought the gallery cd. so we wanted to play safe and get the cd before leaving the parks... now I see it might have been a huge mistake

do you think that if i contact disney they'll sort it out and allow me to download the pictures in the correct size?

did i get things wrong and the image files size i got is the correct and largest size available for the photocd? They're 3216x2136 (we don't use inches here, so I don't know if that's 4"x5" or 5"x7"

thanks a lot!

 

[Eeee-va]

My Photopass CD from October 2010 labels all the images as 4x6. Our biggest images appear to be about 2000 x 3000. If http://graphicssoft.about.com/cs/digitalimaging/f/pixelsprint.htm is to be believed, that's plenty big for printing out at 5x7 inches, or even 10x13 inches. I don't think the images Disney took are much (any?) bigger.

That said, I thought the gallery CD DID give you free shipping overseas? Unless they've changed that.

 

[blackjackdelta]

I would contact Disney ask them why your images were resized, their cameras have the capability to be much larger unless they have a set resolution they have to shoot at.
You can coorect some of the issues with photo shop, but in al reality most folks never go larger than 4x6 print size. Good luck,

Jack

 

[Bonniec]

They likely weren't resized. The resolution and inches are going to vary based on what the dpi is saved on the cd. Your camera will be different. You can do some Googling on resolutions to understand it more because I can't explain it well. But based on the resolution numbers you listed, that should be good for most sizes including larger canvas prints.

 

[blackjackdelta]

They likely weren't resized. The resolution and inches are going to vary based on what the ppi is. Your camera and the cd are likely going to show different resolutions because of that. You can do some Googling on resolutions to understand it more because I can't explain it well. But based on the resolution numbers you listed, that should be good for most sizes including larger canvas prints.

PPI is a printing term and if you click on the photo and go to properties it will tell you the actual size of the photo, like 800x600 or 1200 x 800. The camera's usually Nikons are capable of at least 4000x 2000 depending on what the sensor is cabale of and what the camera was set at. Most of the photo's I take can go at least 30 inches or poster size if processed well.

Jack

 

[Bonniec]

PPI is a printing term and if you click on the photo and go to properties it will tell you the actual size of the photo, like 800x600 or 1200 x 800.

Thanks Jack, you worded that much better than I did, lol. She said her images were 3216x2136 so that should be large enough for most things. I doubt they are shooting RAW. Probably a medium or large jpg to save space

 

[Eeee-va]

3216x2136 is in the ballpark of 5 MP. Unless they're a few years old, Disney's cameras should be capable of higher resolution, but that would limit the number of pictures they could take on one card for not much benefit.

Never mind that if the images are bigger, they take up more space on the CD. I imagine Disney has no motivation to make images bigger than needed to print up large size prints, when it means they may end up sending more CDs to people who got a lot of pictures and that the photographers will go through more memory cards.

 

[blackjackdelta]

3216x2136 is in the ballpark of 5 MP. Unless they're a few years old, Disney's cameras should be capable of higher resolution, but that would limit the number of pictures they could take on one card for not much benefit.

Never mind that if the images are bigger, they take up more space on the CD. I imagine Disney has no motivation to make images bigger than needed to print up large size prints, when it means they may end up sending more CDs to people who got a lot of pictures and that the photographers will go through more memory cards.

You may be correct but memory is super cheap and thousands of Hi res pics can go on 1 card, I do it every trip.

Jack

 

[Eeee-va]

It wasn't TOO long ago that 5 MP was considered high resolution--the camera I got for Disneyland's 50th was 2.1 MP. It was a point-and-shoot, but given that a 256 MB memory card cost at least $20 (I think more like $30), more than 2.1 MP could have been a problem. Things have changed a lot in 7 years.

Of course, memory is very cheap nowadays, so cost shouldn't necessarily be a hindrance for Disney. But we know how they like to pinch pennies sometimes. And on the other hand, I don't see much benefit for Disney in doubling the file sizes, given that they have to host them on their own computers, albeit temporarily.

Actually, I wonder if Disney's systems might not be set up for photos bigger than about 5 MP. Realistically, that size should work for almost all uses anyway, unless maybe you wanted a huge poster of your Photopass pic.

 

[m-tinkerbelle]

no well, actually I'm more worried about the fact that the CMs don't even seem to know what they're selling. I guess the size is just fine but reading on the website that they could have been 5x7" and I got a 4x6" bugged me a lot.
I'll contact them just to let them know that they should inform their guests better. Had I known this I would have made each photopass photographer take our pics with our camera (and with their own camera as well) and then just not buy the cd or the digital downloads

more than $60 for 24 pics is like a lot of money to not to get what you were expecting. and my camera is a beginner's camera!

I'm not interested in huge printings but I do need to photoshop my pics, I have a few scars on my face I always want to conceal in the pictures and I couldn't wear makeup that week so I do need high resolution pics.

But they're still fine though if I could have gotten 5x7 that would have been even nicer, but I wasn't even offered the chance and it's not like we had 400 pictures in our album ;(

Thanks everyone for the replies and information

 

[Bonniec]

But you can make 5x7s with that size, even 8x10s or larger! You are not stuck with a 4x6 size. There is also no problems with you photoshopping them. It would not be easy for them to make it more clear because resoltution is not easy to explain though they should put something on it so people don't think they are stuck with 4x6 prints. Are you using actual photoshop or a different software?

 

[m-tinkerbelle]

thank you Bonnie! it's just that I'm afraid that even if getting larger prints is possible they might turn out a bit pixelated. I hope not!
Still, I'm not planning to get large prints in the near future but I don't want to be denied the chance of getting high quality prints (specially when I paid more than 60$ for these few pics)

I contacted disney just in case, I'll let you know what they reply back

 

[Bonniec]

They won't be pixelated at that resolution. Another way you can tell if you know photoshop, open your image and crop it using a printable dpi (240-300). If your file size does not increase you are fine.

They didn't give you 4x6 images, ignore it, it's just how it's saved on your cd. They likely didn't give you the max sized files their cameras can produce because they aren't shooting with the largest file size. I.e. you cant call them back and ask for a bigger file. This is likely more just to save money on their end by fitting more images on their cards and taking up less space in their computers.

The size they gave you is sufficient for just about anything unless you are gonna print some huge 30x40 print. And since canvas doesn't need as much dpi, you could likey get a 20x24 canvas off that.

Most places that you print from will let you know if your file size is not big enough. Don't be afraid to print bigger.


P.S. EEva's link is a good one for reading up on it.

My Photopass CD from October 2010 labels all the images as 4x6. Our biggest images appear to be about 2000 x 3000. If http://graphicssoft.about.com/cs/dig...ixelsprint.htm is to be believed, that's plenty big for printing out at 5x7 inches, or even 10x13 inches.

 

[Vala]

They're not going to be pixelated, don't worry.

I had the same issue that suddenly 4x6 was showing up and had them printed fine as 8X10, 10x12 and whatever the next usual European centimeter poster size after that is in inches.

 

[starshine514]

The first time I did a CD, I didn't think about image size either and ran into the same problem - images optimized for 4 x 6 prints that couldn't be zoomed in without pixelizing. From then on, I've saved every photo as an 8x10 image and have had something I have more flexibility with for my digital scrapbooking. I'm not at my computer now, but I can tell you that the file size is definitely larger for the 8x10 files than the original 4x6 images.

I would be asking them for larger images if I had specifically asked and been given bad info like that.

 

[sabmom]

Just replying so I can check out that link on resolution later and try to understand it.

 

[m-tinkerbelle]

The first time I did a CD, I didn't think about image size either and ran into the same problem - images optimized for 4 x 6 prints that couldn't be zoomed in without pixelizing. From then on, I've saved every photo as an 8x10 image and have had something I have more flexibility with for my digital scrapbooking. I'm not at my computer now, but I can tell you that the file size is definitely larger for the 8x10 files than the original 4x6 images.

I would be asking them for larger images if I had specifically asked and been given bad info like that.

exactly that's my point.
And I did ask them for larger images again, but first I got a standard reply that basically said that I had to re-order the CD again. Then I replied explaining everything again and I still was told that there was no solution possible.

This is the last reply I got, in case it's useful for anyone:

"
Thank you for your recent visit to DisneyPhotoPass.com.
I think there is some confusion as to what your PhotoCD contains. Yes, your PhotoCD has images which are in a high resolution as requested even though they are formatted to a 4x6 size. Images on the Disney's PhotoCD will be in .jpg format and are high resolution (1.5 MB/300 DPI/6.1 megapixel) so you can obtain high-quality prints, up to 8" x 10" in size, without losing quality. A Limited License will also be included with your Disney's PhotoCD. This Limited License will allow you to take the PhotoCD to the developer of your choice to have the photos printed.
The difference between sizing within the In-Park purchase and the online purchase includes borders. Since your order does not contain borders ( purchased in-park ), you would not need to change the size of your photos. The only reason you would need to change a Photo Default size is if you add a border to your photo due to the artwork. Otherwise, the orignal Photo can be printed up to a 8x10 photo.
If you have any questions, please contact us."

So, be careful when you order your photopass CD in case you want really large photos! I don't know if they don't understand what I write or say because of my bad English or what, ...but I wasn't offered a valid solution, and of course they have an unhappy customer (even when 4"x6" is a pretty decent size/resolution)

If they do offer the chance to get larger photos why did they deny them to me? I guess they don't care much for international customers

 

[Bonniec]

You shouldn't be unhappy. Read that link posted on the other page, it does a pretty good job at explaining how the resolution process works. You can print those at 8x10 and honestly, even larger despite what they say.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

My very limited understanding on the difference between saving a picture in 4x6 size and 5x7 size was mostly the way they are cropped. Which is is why I try to save in both sizes. But I've "blown up" our 4x6 pics to 8x10+ for our photobooks without issue. They only issue I've ever had is sometimes the cropping is different and I possibly loose the outer edges of a picture. This is only a big issue on large group photos (we had 20 people in some) or if it cut off part of a border.

 

[Disney Dreams]

Okay, here we go (warning: it's long, but it's thorough in an effort to help you feel better about what you have)...

The really simple answer
Based on the email you shared, you are fine. 300 dpi is what you want, unless you are planning on making poster-sized prints. You can take a 300 dpi picture at 4x6 and resize it to 8x10 and be just fine.

For what it's worth: I have done graphic design for many years, work with photos, and am knowledgeable about dpi.

Okay that's the simple reply. Now...

The much more detailed reply

...And I did ask them for larger images again, but first I got a standard reply that basically said that I had to re-order the CD again. Then I replied explaining everything again and I still was told that there was no solution possible....

You don't need larger "images." When working with digital photography, there are the prints and the file of the image capture. They have placed 4x6 "images" on the CD for you to see the image capture. That capture is made up of pixels. With the resolution that they have stated in the email, you are able to make "prints" up to 8x10 (and possibly more depending upon varying factors, like material, i.e. canvas). They could provide you with "images" that are 20x30, but that means absolutely nothing in terms of what size "prints" you will be able to get while still retaining focus. (By the way, the reason you can go larger if you print on canvas is that the graininess that states to show in the image when expanded that large, will be perceived as a factor of the texture of the canvas.)

The reason they told you that you would have to re-order the CD again is that (I am guessing) they are offering to go back in and resize every "image" on the CD to a larger size for you to see on your computer. That does not change the number of pixels or the size "print" you will be able to get while maintaining quality. They were just offering to do something for you since you were asking for larger "images" (which are completely irrelevant when making "prints"). Essentially, they were offering you good customer service since you asked for this repeatedly. They cannot provide you with "images" in a higher resolution because the "image capture" has already occurred (you had your picture taken).

...but I wasn't offered a valid solution, and of course they have an unhappy customer (even when 4"x6" is a pretty decent size/resolution)

But you DO have a valid solution, the CD you received. You don't need a different solution unless you are wanting to make GIANT prints (i.e posters). I would not be unhappy if I were you. In fact, I have three photopass CDs from WDW and DLR that are exactly what you have and love them.

even when 4"x6" is a pretty decent size/resolution

I think this is where you may be confused and getting upset unnecessarily. Size and resolution are NOT the same thing in digital photography. 4x6 is a decent size. 5x7 is a larger size. 8x10 is an even larger size. 150 is a decent resolution. 250 is a larger resolution. 300 is an even larger resolution. Size and resolution are NOT the same thing.

If they do offer the chance to get larger photos why did they deny them to me? I guess they don't care much for international customers

They sell all sorts of sized "photos," but the "images" are 300 dpi and that is fine. Your frustration truly comes through in your last sentence about Disney not caring about international customers. I am guessing you don't really believe that, but if you do --- I am sorry you feel that way. From what I observe, Disney loves international customers, err, guests. They are offering you the same product they offer others. I hope you can step back once you feel better about your CD and see that this has nothing to do with you being from Spain.

Hope this helps. If I can explain anything above further, let me know.

- Dreams

P.S. As an added bonus, if you want the math of it all:

Ideally, a "print" will come from a 300 dpi "file." It can come from a 250 dpi file and still be fine.

If you make an 8x10 "print" from a "image" of 300 dpi resolution you have:
(8x300)x(10x300) = 7.2 megapixels.

If you make an 8x10 "print" from an "image" 250 dpi resolution you have:
(8x250)x(10x250) = 5.0 megapixels

Disney has provided you (based on the email you shared) "images" at 6.1 megapixels.

You have exactly what you need for nice prints. And have now probably graduated Digital Photography 101. Congrats!