Digital Still Images ETT June 2004
Multimedia Assets Still Images Audio Video
Digital Images Uses Multimedia projects Prints Web CBL ?
Digital Image Categories “Artsy” “Artsy” Drawings (create) Drawings (create) Clip art (get, don’t create) Clip art (get, don’t create) Regular Regular Animated Animated “Realistic” “Realistic” Photos Photos
Image Technical Details Digital Graphics Types (+ / -) Digital Graphics Types (+ / -) Bitmap (aka “raster”) Bitmap (aka “raster”) = Pixels (picture elements) = Pixels (picture elements) Used for detailed art / photos Used for detailed art / photos Vector Vector =Formulas for component objects =Formulas for component objects Used for clip art, CAD, etc Used for clip art, CAD, etc Cf. fonts Cf. fonts
Digital Image Creation Draw / Paint Software Draw / Paint Software Create drawings, clip art Create drawings, clip art Bitmap or vector Bitmap or vector Time consuming Time consuming Need artistic talent Need artistic talent Tools, e.g. graphics tablets Tools, e.g. graphics tablets Examples: Paint, Freehand Examples: Paint, Freehand
Digital Image Creation Direct “Copies” Direct “Copies” Scanner (prints, slides, strips) Scanner (prints, slides, strips) Digital cameras Digital cameras Digitizing boards (video) Digitizing boards (video) Bitmaps only Bitmaps only
Digital Image Creation “Borrow” from web pages “Borrow” from web pages Right-click; save (target) as... Right-click; save (target) as... Legal issues? Legal issues? See copyright section on web See copyright section on web
Digital Image Manipulation Graphics software “Fix” problems “Fix” problems Light / dark Light / dark Color Color “Retouch” (hair, red eye, etc.) “Retouch” (hair, red eye, etc.) Add interest Add interest Special effects (“filters”) Special effects (“filters”) Combine for “new” images Combine for “new” images
Still Image Hardware Digital Camera Precursors “Xapshot” (analog) Apple QuickTake
Still Image Hardware Digital Camera Features Resolution (megapixels) How many do you need? Zoom type and ratio Optical vs Digital More __X is better
Still Image Hardware Digital Camera Features Storage medium Capacity Flexibility Speed of save Card types Transfer to computer methods Cable (issues) Card reader
Still Image Hardware Scanner Types / Features Flat bed Bed size Transparency Adapters ADF Sheet Convenient, but limited Slide Auto feeder?
Still Image Hardware Scanner Features Interface method Early Now Scanners & Resolution What do you “need”?
Digital Image Size Factors Physical Size (on screen) Physical Size (on screen) Initial size (in/cm, if scanned) Initial size (in/cm, if scanned) Screen resolution (variable) Screen resolution (variable) Image resolution (variable) Image resolution (variable) Scaling (not all software has) Scaling (not all software has) MS Viewer = Y MS Viewer = Y PowerPoint = Y/N PowerPoint = Y/N Browsers = N Browsers = N
Digital Image Size Factors Physical Size (printer output) Physical Size (printer output) Image file dimensions Image file dimensions Printer resolution (dpi) Printer resolution (dpi) Printer vs image resolution Printer vs image resolution Software “scaling” Software “scaling” Your software Your software Photo finishers Photo finishers
Digital Image Size Factors Physical Size (screen, print) Physical Size (screen, print) File Size File Size Image pixel dimensions Image pixel dimensions Color depth (1-24 bits) Color depth (1-24 bits) Calculate base examples File format impact File format impact Compression Compression Preserve a HQ original Preserve a HQ original
Impact of File Size
Digital Image Size Factors Physical Size Physical Size File Size File Size Graphic file formats (examples) Graphic file formats (examples) jpg, gif, bmp, png = bitmaps jpg, gif, bmp, png = bitmaps tif, tga, bmp = top quality tif, tga, bmp = top quality wmf, cgm = vector wmf, cgm = vector pcx/pct/pict = obsolete pcx/pct/pict = obsolete
Format Characteristics Color potential “true” color (24-bit) B&W (gray scale, 8-bit) Line art (B or W, 1-bit) File size “Raw” Compression In digital cameras = “quality”
Format Characteristics ( JPG Full, subtle color Compact, but “lossy” GIF Limited color (#, areas) B&W (gray scale) Compact & lossless PNG ( May equal quality of tif Flexibility of color depth, etc Not patented (as gif is)
Format Characteristics TIF Full color Limited compression BMP Full color Little/no compression
Format Characteristics WMF Vector Microsoft clip art CGM Some clip art PCX Old clip art format
Typical Format Choices For best prints / “archive” tif bmp psd (Photoshop) For on-screen display gif jpg png
Working with Image Formats Load image Manipulate Original Quality is the KEY Crop / Resize / Orientation Colors / Brightness / Contrast Color Depth Effects (“filters”) Save as... (choose format)
Assignment & Demos