upsizing a cell phone photo?

Help!

The bad part about being even marginally capable with a camera and
computer is that my friends think I'm a wizard--which I most certainly am
not.

So my buddy sends me a photo from his cell phone of his 95 year old
mother and his 1 year old grandson--and wants me to get great prints for
him.

I cleaned up the jpg as best I could, but it's still too tiny to get a
decent print from. Does anyone have any experience trying upsizing software
on these little bitty jpegs? I don't expect even a good 5 x 7, but I'd sure
love to be able to get him a decent 4 x 6 print.

Any ideas? Any suggestions?

Thanks

Chris

"Chris Pisarra" wrote in message
. ..

Any ideas? Any suggestions?

Let us see it, Chris.

Gummo

Chris Pisarra wrote:
Help!

The bad part about being even marginally capable with a camera
and computer is that my friends think I'm a wizard--which I most
certainly am not.

So my buddy sends me a photo from his cell phone of his 95 year old
mother and his 1 year old grandson--and wants me to get great prints for
him.

I cleaned up the jpg as best I could, but it's still too tiny to get
a decent print from. Does anyone have any experience trying upsizing
software on these little bitty jpegs? I don't expect even a good 5 x 7,
but I'd sure love to be able to get him a decent 4 x 6 print.

Any ideas? Any suggestions?

Depends how bad the original is; if the pixel count is too low,
the subject (or camera) moving too much, or the focus too "off"
you're fundamentally stuffed.

BugBear

Chris Pisarra wrote:
Help!

The bad part about being even marginally capable with a camera
and computer is that my friends think I'm a wizard--which I most
certainly am not.

So my buddy sends me a photo from his cell phone of his 95 year old
mother and his 1 year old grandson--and wants me to get great prints for
him.

I cleaned up the jpg as best I could, but it's still too tiny to get
a decent print from. Does anyone have any experience trying upsizing
software on these little bitty jpegs? I don't expect even a good 5 x 7,
but I'd sure love to be able to get him a decent 4 x 6 print.

Any ideas? Any suggestions?

Thanks

Chris

Much depends on how many pixels it had to start with. Add in that most
cellphone cameras have LOUSY lenses, and the problem is made worse.
Other than upsizing with several different methods to pick the best, and
sharpening, there probably isn't much you can do to make a silk purse
from that sow's ear.

I cleaned up the jpg as best I could, but it's still too tiny to get a
decent print from. Does anyone have any experience trying upsizing
software on these little bitty jpegs? I don't expect even a good 5 x 7,
but I'd sure love to be able to get him a decent 4 x 6 print.

http://www.general-cathexis.com/inte...ion/index.html

In rec.photo.digital Chris Pisarra wrote:
Help!

The bad part about being even marginally capable with a camera and
computer is that my friends think I'm a wizard--which I most certainly am
not.

So my buddy sends me a photo from his cell phone of his 95 year old
mother and his 1 year old grandson--and wants me to get great prints for
him.

I cleaned up the jpg as best I could, but it's still too tiny to get a
decent print from. Does anyone have any experience trying upsizing software
on these little bitty jpegs? I don't expect even a good 5 x 7, but I'd sure
love to be able to get him a decent 4 x 6 print.

You have to explain to him that photographic wizardry is defeated
by the powerful curse of the phone camera.

--
Chris Malcolm DoD #205
IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
[http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

Chris Pisarra wrote:
Help!

The bad part about being even marginally capable with a camera
and computer is that my friends think I'm a wizard--which I most
certainly am not.

So my buddy sends me a photo from his cell phone of his 95 year old
mother and his 1 year old grandson--and wants me to get great prints for
him.

I cleaned up the jpg as best I could, but it's still too tiny to get
a decent print from. Does anyone have any experience trying upsizing
software on these little bitty jpegs? I don't expect even a good 5 x 7,
but I'd sure love to be able to get him a decent 4 x 6 print.

Any ideas? Any suggestions?

Thanks

Chris

I can't think of a better opportunity to convince someone to start
keeping a cheap camera with them all the time. Another precious photo
op ruined by the cell phone.

--
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'

Jer wrote:
Chris Pisarra wrote:
Help!

The bad part about being even marginally capable with a camera
and computer is that my friends think I'm a wizard--which I most
certainly am not.

So my buddy sends me a photo from his cell phone of his 95 year old
mother and his 1 year old grandson--and wants me to get great prints
for him.

I cleaned up the jpg as best I could, but it's still too tiny to
get a decent print from. Does anyone have any experience trying
upsizing software on these little bitty jpegs? I don't expect even a
good 5 x 7, but I'd sure love to be able to get him a decent 4 x 6 print.

Any ideas? Any suggestions?

Thanks

Chris

I can't think of a better opportunity to convince someone to start
keeping a cheap camera with them all the time. Another precious photo
op ruined by the cell phone.

Not ALL cellphone cameras are bad, only MOST of them. Most cellphone
cameras intentionally reduce the resolution in order to conserve
storage, and reduce the time it costs to transmit the image to another
phone to something the customer is willing to pay for. It is the
PURPOSE that must be kept in mind. I believe the iPhone is 2mp, which
is pretty good (and the photos look good on the iPhone screen).

Ron Hunter wrote:
Chris Pisarra wrote:
Help!

The bad part about being even marginally capable with a camera
and computer is that my friends think I'm a wizard--which I most
certainly am not.

So my buddy sends me a photo from his cell phone of his 95 year old
mother and his 1 year old grandson--and wants me to get great prints
for him.

I cleaned up the jpg as best I could, but it's still too tiny to
get a decent print from. Does anyone have any experience trying
upsizing software on these little bitty jpegs? I don't expect even a
good 5 x 7, but I'd sure love to be able to get him a decent 4 x 6 print.

Any ideas? Any suggestions?

Thanks

Chris

Much depends on how many pixels it had to start with. Add in that most
cellphone cameras have LOUSY lenses, and the problem is made worse.
Other than upsizing with several different methods to pick the best, and
sharpening, there probably isn't much you can do to make a silk purse
from that sow's ear.

If he sent the image to you through the cellphone network, I would check
the original on the phone - maybe it downscales the image before
transmitting it, intended mainly for viewing on other cellphones? If so
you might be able to get a higher-resolution original off the phone
directly.

Ron Hunter wrote:
Jer wrote:
Chris Pisarra wrote:
Help!

The bad part about being even marginally capable with a camera
and computer is that my friends think I'm a wizard--which I most
certainly am not.

So my buddy sends me a photo from his cell phone of his 95 year
old mother and his 1 year old grandson--and wants me to get great
prints for him.

I cleaned up the jpg as best I could, but it's still too tiny to
get a decent print from. Does anyone have any experience trying
upsizing software on these little bitty jpegs? I don't expect even a
good 5 x 7, but I'd sure love to be able to get him a decent 4 x 6
print.

Any ideas? Any suggestions?

Thanks

Chris

I can't think of a better opportunity to convince someone to start
keeping a cheap camera with them all the time. Another precious photo
op ruined by the cell phone.

Not ALL cellphone cameras are bad, only MOST of them. Most cellphone
cameras intentionally reduce the resolution in order to conserve
storage, and reduce the time it costs to transmit the image to another
phone to something the customer is willing to pay for. It is the
PURPOSE that must be kept in mind. I believe the iPhone is 2mp, which
is pretty good (and the photos look good on the iPhone screen).


Fair enough... if the PURPOSE of capturing an image is for an insurance
adjuster to confirm a bent fender or the water line on the living room
wall, fine, use a cell phone. OTOH, if the PURPOSE is for capturing a
family moment, as described by the OP, reach for something more capable
for the task at hand.

--
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'