Tom Thumb: Increasing Photo Resolution

The example was made using the old algorithm of Magnifier.

The author of this tutorial is Gordon Sisson.

In his example Gordon Sisson has demonstrated one more aspect of the usage of AKVIS Magnifier - namely the ability not only to change the image's dimensions but also to improve on its quality. In author's words he frequently needs to increase the resolution of graphics dragged off the internet or clip art collection. These graphics are 72 dpi which is not acceptable for printing, so resolution should be increased to 300 dpi.

In order to compare Adobe Photoshop and AKVIS Magnifier (quickness and quality), Gordon Sisson decided to magnify a photo of a little boy. As everyone knows, growing a child is a very involved process. Let alone the boy is really small - the original image is just of 2.38 inches high! The author claims, however: this task can be done in just a couple of minutes.

Here is the Magic of AKVIS Magnifier:

• Step 1. Start AKVIS Magnifier and open the .tif image (drag it into the Magnifier program's window).
  
  Original photo (little boy)
• Step 2. Increase the Resolution to 300 dpi. This reduces the size to 0.57 inches high.
  
  Resolution change from 72 to 300 dpi

  In the New Size panel specify the final size you want (as percent of the reduced size of the original graphic — in this example 750%).

  
  New Size
• Step 3. Consider the parameters to improve the final quality of the graphic.

  Some experimentation may be required with the slider adjustments to achieve the best quality. At this level of enlargement, the system provides optimum settings for Sharpen Edges. Simplicity is reduced to zero, parameter Edge Smoothness is left unchanged, the checkbox Unsharp Mask is enabled with the group parameters Amount = 10, Radius = 1.0.

  
  AKVIS Magnifier program's window
• Step 4. Click on the button to process the image with the adjusted settings. The image height is now 4.28 inches - the boy has become two times taller and the image resolution experienced a four-fold increase.

  Save the final image – now it can be printed.

  This method produces a graphic of higher quality than the laborious procedure in Photoshop, in about one fifth of the time. The same procedure can be applied to other images as well.

  The result from AKVIS Magnifier	The same graphic enlarged in Photoshop