Rephrased Printing question

[slophotos]

I thought I would try a new approach to my printing section and place it here. I have attached a pic. My goal is to retain a good printer resolution and crop it to a 4x6 and then be able to print it as a 4.6 without additional cropping happening involuntarily when I press "print".

This pic is a scanned negative as a 4x6. http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?pic=1ErIxb7kg3C0K974hp4c84wSIO4gu

However, I'd like to be able to the do the same with my many digital pics I have. I am making a scrapbook for 4 teenagers and need to be able to crop the pics at particular sizes.

Does this make sense?

I'd like to get this project finished this weekend since I promised it a couple of weeks ago and keep getting snagged by the printing.

THANKS!

Slo

P.S I hope my post on pixentral works as that was my first time too!

[Mary]

I was able to save your Pixentral picture and get a print that measures exactly 4 x 6 without changes the image size. (I did flip it though)

when do you get the different print size? Are you using 4 x 6 photo paper or are you printing multiple images on one sheet?

I am sure someone will pinpoint your problem - let us know a few more details. :)

[slophotos]

Oh, you're great!

You said it printed 4x6 when you printed it which I hope it would because it was scanned as a 4x6 photo. But, what if you tried to crop the photo and then print the cropped photo as a 4x6?

This is what I did:
Since it was already a 4x6 (usually my dig photos aren't) I prest the crop size to 4x6 with res of 300. I cropped the photo. Next is interesting. I have two printers (Canon IP5000 and an Epson Picturemate designated 4x6 printer). If I print using the Canon onto a 8.5 x 11 then it's fine. But, if I try to print it on the Epson or change my paper to 4x6 on the Canon, then in both I get a message that the photo is too large and it will be cropped. I have attached the cropped pic. Would the fact that the resolution and change from Tiff to jpg make any difference between what you are working with and what mine is? http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?pic=1flkclWPFsQy7xec8CZnKXPBwzrExJ

Now, I am going to practice with a digi photo and tell you the steps I go through for that kind of photo and the results.
Any more ideas?

Another sort of related question: how do you get the pic into pixentral without being so large. My original pic after editing was more than 6 mg. I reduced it in PSE to be web ready and to the size it is now, but it was still way too large.

You addressed another issue I also tried working on, but couldn't find in any of my books or the "help" section and that is how to flip the photo so the numbers on their shirts read properly. I finally gave up as I couldn't find how to do it anywhere, but I was pretty sure it was doable. I'm trying to limit the number of questions I am asking as I am beginning to feel as is I am monopolozing with all my questions.

How did you flip the pic?

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your assistance because I have spent way more hours than I want to admit trying to figure this out.

Slo

[Mary]

I couldn't get back into the forum for awhile but I did see your rotation problem got sorted out - that's good. :)

The print size issue is one that has had a lot of us scratching our heads. The best way I can explain it is that if you have a picture the exact size of the paper you are using e.g. 4x6 - then it leaves no grace area and the printer can't print all the way out to the edge. If you have "borderless" printing selected on your print dialog then it tries to expand the 4x6 picture even more so the grace area is off the paper.

There are other times when it gives the message that some clipping will occur and it doesn't. If I am going to be printing a lot of pictures I create a new 8 x 10 (not 8.5 x 11) document and place my 4x6 pictures onto that page and then print. It wastes some paper but at least I get the exact size I am looking for.

I am sure you will get other suggestions but be sure and let us know how you are getting on with it.

[gheartland]

I'm not sure if this will help or not. In particular take a look at the Borderless Conundrum section.

http://www.steves-digicams.com/techcorner/March_2005.html

[GaryK]

For your Pixentral question

Use file>save for web and save with a different name, with the longest side saved at around 700 pixels. Then browse from pixentral to your saved location.

The posted link is great..it explains a lot.

Gary

[slophotos]

I have done all except changed the size, I must of missed where that option is. I will try it.

You must be referring to the link to Steve's DigiCams? I went there immediately and have been side-tracked for the last 2 hours plus reading info from his website. In fact, I'm almost convinced to pay $43 to get the Qimage program which in theory may solve my printing problems and address some of my color management issues as well. I've been looking for reviews on it to see if it is a recommended program and just how complicated it is.

It was an excellent suggestion by gheartland.

In the meantime, I have continued to struggle with getting it "right" because while the link gave some great info, it didn't solve my problem. Earlier I worked with a dig photo and the same thing happened.


Thanks,
Slo

[GaryK]

Slo

I thought that Qimage had a couple of free tries before you had to register/buy. I could be wrong, but I remember thinking I would give it a shot when I had something important to try.

Gary.

[slophotos]

Yes, Qimage does have a 30-day free trial period.

I was trying to hold off until the weekend when I could devote time to figure it out as apparently there is a bit of a learning curve. Also, it seems to me that I should be able to figure out my printing problems without having to purchase another program - although it sounds like it might be the way to go.

Others must have ran into the same problems as I described in the first post?

Slo