Optimum Image size for slide show

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Level 1

4 points

Optimum Image size for slide show

What is the optimum image size for a slide show? I plan to import many 35 mm slides that have been converted to JPEG images into iPhoto for a slide show. I want to resize the images to conserve file space. I assume I want to match my Cinema Display at 1920 x 1200 pixels. Should I be concerned with pixels per inch? Re-sizing will be done in Photoshop prior to importing.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.7)

Posted on Jul 15, 2009 8:42 PM

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Answer 1

Yer_Man

Level 10

165,972 points

Jul 15, 2009 11:39 PM in response to Longknife23

Welcome to the Apple Discussions.

Depends.

If you plan on planning and scanning - i.e the Ken Burns effect - then you'll need larger than your monitor. I would go about 50% larger than your monitor.

Pixels per inch are meaningless unless you're printing.

Regards

TD

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Answer 2

Longknife23 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 17, 2009 4:02 PM in response to Yer_Man

It appears that the only way to reduce the 20 MB JPEG files is to save them using the "Save for Web" feature in Photoshop and select a low or mid quality. Or, use "Save As" and select 5 for quality.

Does that sound reasonable? Or, other suggestions.

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Answer 3

Yer_Man

Level 10

165,972 points

Jul 17, 2009 11:28 PM in response to Longknife23

Why not scan at a lower resolution?

Regards

TD

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Answer 4

Longknife23 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 18, 2009 6:53 AM in response to Yer_Man

My images are from 35mm slides taken while serving in the Army in Vietnam. They were scanned by a photo service agency. Most digital files are around 20 MB.

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Answer 5

Yer_Man

Level 10

165,972 points

Jul 18, 2009 7:02 AM in response to Longknife23

Well as they are already scanned then that's that.

Regards

TD

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Answer 6

Longknife23 Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 16, 2009 1:26 PM in response to Yer_Man

I am returning to this thread because I still don't have an answer to my original question.

1. Yes, the slides have already been scanned by a professional service and most images files are 20 MB.

2. No, that is not all that can be done. I have Photoshop and can resize the images to reduce the file size and ultimately save hard drive space.

3. My question is what parameters should I use to resize the image files so they will show well in an iPhoto slide show?

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Answer 7

Yer_Man

Level 10

165,972 points

Sep 16, 2009 1:40 PM in response to Longknife23

It doesn't really matter. IPhoto will compress the images when you export the slideshow anyway.

Regards

TD

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Answer 8

Longknife23 Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 16, 2009 2:35 PM in response to Yer_Man

Terence,

Thanks for the reply but we still are not on the same page. I have the scanned images saved to a DVD. I plan to import the images into iPhoto. Each image is 20 MB. If I import them, as is, it will take a lot of hard drive space. I would prefer to resize the images before importing to iPhoto with the intent of using the images in a slide show. And, conserve my hard drive space.

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Answer 9

Yer_Man

Level 10

165,972 points

Sep 16, 2009 2:59 PM in response to Longknife23

Here's what +doesn't matter+ to the iPhoto Slideshow: The File size.

What matters is the dimensions - length by breadth - of the photograph. If this is smaller than the screen you will be viewing it on, then you're Ken Burns effect may be blurry. If you want to pan and scan (use the Ken Burn's effecr) zoom etc, then use dimensions larger than the screen.

Other than that, the file size - i.e - how many megabytes - doesn't matter.

So, by all means reduce the file size if you want. How much by is impossible to say because it will depend on the quality of the actual photo and the scan. If it's a crisp sharp images and you can still see a crisp sharp image having chucked away 95% of the file size, then do that.

Alternatively, Import the large files. Make your slideshow. Export it as a QuickTime movie. The remove the large files.

Regards

TD

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