reduce Jpg image File size

[GilbertsGrape]

What is the best way to batch reduce file size of images. I have some images that are scans of negatives about 20mb each (300 or so of them) and I have them cropped to 4x6 but places like dot photo and Wal-Mart will not let you upload images over 8mb.

I have Photoshop CS2 and Microsoft picture manager.

Any other programs, how to's or info would be appreciated.

[Cubsfan]

You can reduce the resolution or reduce the quality.

To have them that big, the resolution must be huge (2-3000x2-3000?). Make that smaller, while still keeping the same dimensions.

Also, you can save it at a lower quality. If I had to choose between the two, I'd pick the lower resolution.

[mechmike0034]

Irfanview will do batch resize.

Here's links and a tutorial: http://www.mrbass.org/freeware/irfanview/

Here's how to do batch resize specifically: http://www.mrbass.org/freeware/irfanview/#batchresize

Use the Google, Luke! http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2006-04,GGLG:en&q=batch+resize+with+irfanview

[zero2dash]

You can use Photoshop to do it.
1) Open up one of the files. (Doesn't matter which.)
2) Open up the Actions palette. (on Mac it's Option-F9, I'm guessing in Windows it's Alt-F9 but it's also available under Window -> Actions)
3) In the Actions palette, choose to create a new action (either click the notepad looking button at the bottom or click the arrow on the right of the window and choose "New Action")
4) Type a name and click Record
5) Now in the Actions window, the record button should be active (red)

You now have two options as to what you can do.
You can either:
-resize the images and save them, or
-resave the images and enable some JPEG compression

A. If you want to resize the images -
(If you don't know this already, I'll tell you how)
Image -> Image Size
You can type a new size either by pixel dimension or document size, but I'd leave "Constrain Proportions" checked/selected; you should also (by default) have "Scale Styles" and "Resample Image: Bicubic" selected/checked.
Click OK in the Image Size window.
Save the document and close it. (Skip ahead to #6.)

B. If you want to resave the files and enable JPEG compression -
Either do File -> Save As or hit Open-Apple + Shift + S on Mac (or Control + Shift + S on PC) and select JPEG as the format. Click OK.
Under "Image Options", move the slider to a desired compression. The best way to figure out what you need to do in order to make a smaller size yet keeping the best image quality possible - pay attention to the file info at the bottom of that window. It should say "Size" and then list it. Pick a good size and click OK. Close the document.

6) You can now go back into the Actions palette and click "Stop Playing/Recording" (looks like a stop button, obviously).

At any time during recording you can check the Actions palette and expand the listings to see what it has recorded. For instance, if you do resize, it should say you resized it to x pixels or x inches, or for resaving the file, it will say that it saved as JPEG with x compression.

Now, you're set.

Go to File -> Automate -> Batch
Under "Play" choose the name of your recording (ie "resize images" or "resave images" for instance...whatever you named it)
Under "Source" choose 'Folder' and then choose the folder where all of your images are located; it'd be a good idea to make a copy of the images folder (if possible) because it will overwrite all of those original files. If you don't want to lose the original sized ones, make a copy.
Under "Destination" it should say "Save and Close"; if it doesn't, select it from the drop down menu
Leave "Stop For Errors" checked/selected
Click OK

Photoshop will not automatically open all of the documents in that folder and resize or resave them in the same manner as you did the first one.

[GilbertsGrape]

Thank you all i am trying out Irfanview now to see if it works or not

[Markel]

IrfanView is an incredible piece of free software. It one of the first apps that gets installed when I create a new system.

[mechmike0034]

IrfanView is an incredible piece of free software. It one of the first apps that gets installed when I create a new system.

:stupid:

It is just one good free app of many that gets put on almost every box I set up.

[ShawnLee]

Microsoft's power-tools offers an image resizer that works pretty well and becomes part of the shell. I like it for resizing pictures en masse.