Image Resizer

[RichardM]

For anyone concerned about file sizes of images being uploaded, I strongly encourage you to check out Microsoft's XP PowerToy Image Resizer available at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

It allows you to resize images (either as a copy or by modifying the original) using Windows Explorer.  It's a fairly small download (521Kb) and once installed lets you right-click on a file and resize it.  You can select from one of three default size settings or specify your own.  Loss of clarity/resolution is minimized while file size is greatly reduced.  For most of my pics, resizing to "medium" drops them from ~500Kb to less than 100Kb.

Those of us with slow connections thank you in advance.  

P.S.  There are some other useful/cool tools available on that site.

[SHANEA]

THANKS!

[SHANEA]

This is the coolest tool - I use it all the time.  Got any other tools/plugins that we should be using?  This tool has become helpful at work for resizing pictures for emailing to those with snail connections, etc.   8)

[RichardM]

I downloaded the TweakUI tool which allows you to monkey with system settings.  Haven't used it much.  I doubt it could ever approach the usefulness of the Image Resizer.

[RichardM]

David pointed out another image resizing tool:

2. Download the free Photo Resizer from here: Photo Resizer Download

[RichardM]

Another free image resizer with a rather obvious URL:  http://www.imageresizer.com/
Available for download at http://www.tucows.com/preview/284910

This one also does image rotation and conversion to/from bitmap, JPEG, and GIF.  In the one short test I tried the file size wasn't reduced nearly as much as by the Windows XP PowerToy Image Resizer, but the rotation and conversions tools are useful.

[Mark D]

I downloaded Image resizer from the ms website. But now how do i get to the program? It doesn't show up on Start/All Programs.

[Casa Grande]

I downloaded Image resizer from the ms website. But now how do i get to the program? It doesn't show up on Start/All Programs.

should I assume you also INSTALLED it? Where did you download it to?  Can't really help you out there.  Might want to contact the program's tech support.

[RichardM]

I downloaded Image resizer from the ms website. But now how do i get to the program? It doesn't show up on Start/All Programs.

That's because it's not a regular program.  It's really an add-on for Windows Explorer.

It allows you to resize images (either as a copy or by modifying the original) using Windows Explorer.  It's a fairly small download (521Kb) and once installed lets you right-click on a file and resize it.

[Mark D]

Thanks Richard M, I see now that when I right click on the jpg file in Win Expl, the option of Resize Picture shows up. I was looking for it in the Start menu, which is where Tweak UI showed up.

[RichardM]

It'd be nice if they made it a standalone program, but it's Micro$oft.  That ain't gonna happen unless they can charge for it.

[BIBEARCH]

For anyone concerned about file sizes of images being uploaded, I strongly encourage you to check out Microsoft's XP PowerToy Image Resizer available at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

Loss of clarity/resolution is minimized while file size is greatly reduced.

Somewhere on this site I ran across http://www.showyourphotos.com/ and found their photo resizer pretty friendly. Is XP Power Toy advantageous for some reason?

[RichardM]

Somewhere on this site I ran across http://www.showyourphotos.com/ and found their photo resizer pretty friendly. Is XP Power Toy advantageous for some reason?

Haven't checked that one out.  The main thing I like about the PowerToy Resizer is the ability to resize in batch.  Of course, that's essentially the only way you can use it, so whether that's a good or bad thing is up to the user.  My typical M.O. for a trip report is to use whatever editting tool I feel like using to crop/enhance/etc on all of my pics, then resize them all at once with the XP Image Resizer.  Of course, if I weren't too cheap to buy PhotoShop or the equivalent which has a "Save for Web" resizing option....

[Casa Grande]

Of course, my plan is to have an automatic resizer that will resize when you upload to this site....it'll come fairly soon


Moderator note: while the automatic resizer is active for the board, it only changes the size of the displayed image, not the size of the file itself. In other words, if you embed a 10MB image, it'll still take forever to download even if it only displays at 640 pixels wide.

[SHANEA]

For anyone concerned about file sizes of images being uploaded, I strongly encourage you to check out Microsoft's XP PowerToy Image Resizer available at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

Unfortunately, Microsoft's XP Powertoy Image Resizer hasn't been reconfigured to run under VISTA  (duh, the name XP PowerToy...)

For those using Vista, this FREE Image Resizer works well.  VSO Image Resizer