In my everyday work , resize images is a reasonably vulgar undertaking — for instance , I frequently need to exchange high - resolution product images down to 200 - pixel versions for use inPlaylist’sonlineProduct Guide . Although there area beneficial numberof computer graphic applications out there that can perform such a task — including the first-class GraphicConverter ( ) — many of those apps are overkill if all you really want to do is resize a pamphlet of images . ( Not to bring up that some are quite expensive for such a basic project . ) So I ’ve been look for a speedy - and - easy - and - cheap solution .
My search was further limited by a special feature motive : the ability to specify the maximum size of it of an look-alike ineitherdimension , altitude or width . You see , many graphics apps let you resize images to a maximum heightorwidth . But if your source image are a mix of horizontally- and vertically - orient pictures , such an approach shot ensue in one of those groups being improperly resize . ( For model , if you choose to proportionately resize images to 200 pixels astray , your vertical images will stop up being taller than 200 pixels . ) I needed an app that let me say , “ Resize these paradigm so that the longest side is 200 pixel . ”
For a while I was actually using an Automator work flow I ’d created for just this purpose . But I recently found several well solvent , all “ donationware ” ( payment requested , but not call for for function ) . notice that these app are all modified to working with JPEG image .
The first is KStudio’sResize 1.4.2 ( ) . Although it has n’t been updated since January of 2005 , it bring flawlessly in my testing . Drag a folder of image onto Resize ’s icon in the Dock or Finder ( or into its window if the app is already run ) , and a dialog bulge up with options for resize the images in that folder . You choose the size and proportion of the resize natural action — in my font , I set the Size economic value to “ 200 ” with the choice for “ Biggest , ” intend the longest side , pick out . ( One other unique feature here is that you’re able to choose the trust heightandwidth — many apps let you choose only one or the other . ) you could also prefer the lineament of the lead JPEG images ; toincreasethe size of it of modest image to fit your best-loved image size ; and to reformat figure of speech names to murder spaces and special characters ( or even to use “ 8.3 ” DOS file names ) . Resize create a new folder , at the same level as the source folder , arrest the change image , which are in JPEG format no matter of the input format .
One bug I get hold with Resize is that whenever I accessed its assistance system , I was presented with the following subject matter : “ This software uses unregistered plugins from Monkeybread Software . Please chew the fat out website at www.monkeybreadsoftware.de/realbasic and cross-file the plugins . give thanks you . ” Which leads me to believe that KStudio used Monkeybread ’s RealBasic plugin for Resize ’s assistance dialogue , not for the software itself . Odd .
A similar solution , more powerful but not quite as simple to utilise , is Fabien Conus’sSmallImage 2.0.6 ( ) . Like Resize , you drag a folder — or multiple pamphlet — of images onto SmallImage ’s icon or into its windowpane ; you ’ll then see a listing of the folder(s ) and enclosed images . ( One advantage of the lean approach is that you may selectively take away look-alike from the tilt to avoid altering them . ) You opt the type of grading ( resizing ): Relative ( percentage ) or fix , with the latter providing options for width , height , smallest side , tumid side , maximum width , or maximal summit . you’re able to also add a suffix to the names of resize files , take or tot up thumbnail icons , and re - compress the result images . A unique option is the ability to clean any or all ICC , EXIF , IPTC , Finder , or other profile info from effigy — for privateness or to reduce the size of images . ( This “ information scrub ” can be performed without in reality altering the image . ) SmallImage saves the modify images in the same directory as the originals ; you may even replace the originals if desired .
SmallImage 2 also has a few other feature article that go beyond resizing . By clicking the Info button in the toolbar , you’re able to catch elaborated information about each file : calibre , filing cabinet information , dimension , metadata , tv camera info , and EXIF info . you may also view a pocket-sized preview of an image ( although you have to manually click the trailer button for each image ) . Finally , you’re able to save presets of persona configurations for future use .
Finally , fans of contextual menu will savor Pixture Studio’sPhotoToolCM 2.0 ( ) . You do n’t involve to found a disjoined app program to access PhotoToolCM ’s features ; but right / command - tap an image or a mathematical group of images in the Finder to wreak up the Finder ’s contextual menu . The Photo Tool submenu provides a figure of useful options , one of which is Batch Resize .
Choosing this option brings up the Batch Resize dialog , where you could choose how to resize image ( Long Side satisfies the task described above ) ; the leave image character ; the output locating and file name ; and whether or not to create thumbnail icons . An especially useful characteristic is the sharpness filter , which can improve pellucidity and readability on downsized JPEG images . Depending on PhotoToolCM ’s predilection , you could save the modified images in the same directory as the originals or a different location .
PhotoToolCM is the most characteristic - ample of the three products I ’ve breed here . Unfortunately , it ’s currently incompatible with Intel Macs .
( I also try another utility that looked bright , photo Drop , which let you make individual drag - and - driblet “ droplet ” applications that each do specific persona manipulations . Unfortunately , whenever I tried to use one of these droplet applications , a dialog pop up with two alternative : More Information or Quit . sink in the first took me to the developer ’s Web site and quit the droplet ; clicking the Quit push did what it claimed . In other word , I could n’t use these droplets at all . Which is too bad , as photo Drop looked like a full-strength app . )
So what ’s thequalityof resized image produced by these utilities ? Suprisingly , it vary quite a bit . Below are samples of the same screenshot — SmallImage 2 ’s main window — resized by each app from its original size of it of 738 pixels wide down to a smaller image , 470 pixels in width :
The resulting Indian file were between 56k and 68k in size . As you may see , when I resize the image in SmallImage 2 , the ensue picture was very grainy , even when I choose the highest quality yield . Resize and PhotoToolCM produced much in force results , with PhotoToolCM ’s sharpness filter offering slimly better schoolbook legibility ( although with a act of graininess itself ) .
The biggest drawback of SmallImage and PhotoToolCM , at least in my work , is that they ca n’t converttoJPEG from other image data formatting ( or convert between any format , for that topic ) ; Resize will convert from any QuickTime - supported image format to JPEG . But if you need to quickly resize batches of JPEGs , any of these utility will check the bill … and then some . Resize is the easiest to use , but SmallImage and PhotoToolCM offer more options . PhotoToolCM provides the best image outturn , SmallImage the poorest . My personal favorite is PhotoToolCM ; too spoiled I ca n’t utilise it on my Intel Macs .
Resize ! is uncommitted for Mac OS 8 — yes , 8 — and later . SmallImage 2 work with Mac OS X 10.3.9 and afterward and is a Universal binary . PhotoToolCM works with Mac OS X 10.2 ( Jaguar ) and later ; it does not currently work on Intel Macs .
Update 7/12/2007 : Corrected info about Resize ’s conversion functionality .
