recommendations for image size/resolutuion

[DeniseL]

I may have missed this in the user's guide or videos, but is there a recommendation for image size and resolution linked to people and sources? I manage my images in Adobe Lightroom and store digital files on an external hard drive.

In order to use the multimedia linking with Reunion, it sounds like I should export JPG copies of my selected files to Dropbox in the same folder as my Reunion family file. This is fine, but since I would like to print reports with media, should these files be 300 dpi instead of 72 dpi for screen view? This is creating large JPG files for my Dropbox folder. Not a big problem, but just wondering if it's overkill for what I'm trying to do.

Does anyone else store images on an external drive with copies for Reunion in another location? Or is there another way to do this?

[donworth]

Re: Leister recommendations for image size/resolutuion

My original scans are mostly 600 dpi (which is the highest resolution that still produces detail in old Black & White photos). The best you can do with scans of color prints is 300 dpi. For slides and negatives you can still pick up additional detail at 3000-4000 dpi. So for archival purposes (where you don't know what you're going to do with the images in the future) you scan them at those resolutions base don the media (B&W or color print, neg or slide).

When it comes to printing reports, you want your image, once it is sized for the report, to be at least 200 dpi, which for most consumer printers is the best you are going to be able to see. If you scanned an image from a larger print (say, 8x10) at 300 dpi and are printing it in a report at 2.5 x 3.5, then obviously you don't need all the pixels you scanned just to get to 200 dpi for printing. But it doesn't hurt to have "too many".

When I publish a book I duplicate the original scanned file in a separate folder for the book and adjust whatever I want to adjust on it (contrast, color, clean up damage, etc). I usually don't bother to resample the photo up or down in resolution since the printer will handle that. But I guess if you're worried about disk storage you could resample it to 200 dpi at the size you intend to print it.

As I understand it, Reunion creates thumbnails from larger scans. This is particularly necessary because it is synching them to your iPhone or iPad. But I would think for a report you'd want the full resolution (or at least 200 dpi).

Don

[Mark]

Re: Leister recommendations for image size/resolutuion

In order to use the multimedia linking with Reunion, it sounds like I should export JPG copies of my selected files to Dropbox in the same folder as my Reunion family file.

It is not necessary to put the files in your Dropbox folder. Generally, we recommend keeping the multimedia files in:

Pictures / Reunion Pictures /

However, that's not necessary -- as long as the multimedia files are located somewhere that Reunion can access (somewhere in your users Home folder, an external hard drive that's always connected) there shouldn't be any issues.

...since I would like to print reports with media, should these files be 300 dpi instead of 72 dpi for screen view?

When Reunion places the images in reports, it resizes them and uses a DPI of about 144. Essentially, for best results you'll want the images to have a DPI higher than 144.

HTH

[DeniseL]

Re: Leister recommendations for image size/resolutuion

Thank you, Don and Mark
My scanning protocol is similar to Don's, but I was hoping to be able to draw print quality images through the Reunion link rather than locating them separately. Your suggestion of using 200 dpi might be a good tradeoff that takes into consideration Mark's suggestion of bumping up from 72dpi.

I haven't spent much time with linking and uploading media because I use different database programs and the images don't transfer well. That said,however, I like seeing family faces when I'm working on the file.

For photo file storage, I use an external hard drive but it isn't connected all the time. Mark's suggestion to leave the files there rather than Dropbox might be better.

[Mark]

Re: Leister recommendations for image size/resolutuion

For photo file storage, I use an external hard drive but it isn't connected all the time.

For what it's worth, not having the drive connected will just mean that Reunion won't be able to find the images to use them for creating reports/charts, and may lose the links. As long as you connect the drive before opening Reunion, and access it via Finder (to ensure OS X properly mounts the volume), you shouldn't run into any issues.

[DeniseL]

Re: Leister recommendations for image size/resolutuion

Sounds pretty straightforward. I'll push on and see how it goes. Thank you.