[deanhills]

I thought I should make a separate topic from @xdude's thread about DSLR cameras.  This thread has to do with the size of photos when they are downloaded from one's camera to one's computer.

My camera is a little Canon A2400 PowerShot with 5 times optical zoom abilities (16.0 mega pixels).  It may be little but it takes great photos.  Usually when I download the photos they are HUGE as they contain the ability to magnify the photos when I work with them in GIMP.  I prefer it that way as I can then crop them as I wish.

So now I'm curious.  With the last batch of photos I downloaded, they were without the magnification and the size immediately gave it away.  They were approx 120kb each whereas previously they would have been 1 or 2 GB.  How did this happen?

[xdude]

Because either someone else or you have changed the image size in camera. All digital cameras have at least 3 image sizes depending on resolution. Now I don't know much but I know the max resolution size it 4,608 x 3,456 pixels in your camera, Canon A2400. Now its on smallest image size, im sure. Check the camera settings you can change it from there.

[deanhills]

Because either someone else or you have changed the image size in camera. All digital cameras have at least 3 image sizes depending on resolution. Now I don't know much but I know the max resolution size it 4,608 x 3,456 pixels in your camera, Canon A2400. Now its on smallest image size, im sure. Check the camera settings you can change it from there.

Thanks @xdude.  I feel kind'a foolish as last night spent some time figuring out the problem.  I was Googling it, then downloaded the software that came with the camera - which in the end was useless as it was just a super slow version of the one that came with Windows 7 and limited to viewing photos - nothing to do with the functions of the camera.  I also downloaded the Manual and followed the steps, searching for the resolution change option in the menu, and I couldn't find the same option in my menu - that now really puzzled me.  So I did that thing one sometimes does at the end of a frustrating "learning curve".  I gave up.  Relaxed.  Took the camera, pressed the Function key - and all of a sudden saw other options in addition to the menu that came up spontaneously on the camera screen - like S for small (which is what mine was on), L for the maximum resolution, and then M1, M2 etc.  The options came as parallel to the menu options and not part of the menu options.  All I had to do is use the cursor buttons to move to L for the largest 16 mega pixels and it was done.  Too easy!

So I guess discovering how easy it is - that is probably the reason how the L got changed to S by accident.  I must have touched something that changed it at some or other stage.  I notice that with the latest Manual that that function isn't where mine is any longer.  They've moved it to the menu so one has to move through the menu options for making the resolution change.  I guess they must have figured out it's too easy to change the resolution - people must have complained or something - who knows.

Those 16 mega pixels make a HUGE difference to the photos.  Am glad I have them back again as enjoyed my photo session yesterday.  Just sorry the photos look flat and almost grainy because of the low resolution.  Next week when the weather is good again I'll take the exact same photos and compare.

BTW here are the details of my camera.  I really love this camera.  Was very interesting as two Saturdays ago when I went for a passport photo shoot at a professional studio, the guy used the latest model of this camera.  I was a bit dubious to start, but this guy knew his stuff with it.   
https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/porta...t-a2400-is

[xdude]

I'm glad you have it figured out! 16MB is nothing when you check image size of those DSLR cameras. I get 85GB for JPSG's. I had a nightmare situation while I was editing images of my DSLR in Photoshop for first time. After editing like 20 photos, computer started acting funny. Suddenly it was soo slow and I was getting a massage saying no space in C drive. I coudln't understand it first because I was sure there were about 10 GB free space in C. Suddenly it has gone down to 100MB ! tried to sort it out for hour or so considered formatting the PC. Then suddenly I remembered Photoshop scratch memory problem. Yep Photoshop occupy about 5x of size image from memory for each image. Won't release till you close the problem even sometimes you have to run a cleaning software to clean temp files. That's when I checked the size of original images. Those were like 85MB, 98MB even 105MB!

I know your model coz one of my friends have it. She no longer use it but still its in working condition. I told her to send it to me since I collect cameras but more like my father have interest in it. Canon point and shoot cameras produce higher quality images compared to some other camera brands. Sony and Linux are exceptions.

[deanhills]

I know your model coz one of my friends have it. She no longer use it but still its in working condition. I told her to send it to me since I collect cameras but more like my father have interest in it.  Canon point and shoot cameras produce higher quality images compared to some other camera brands. Sony and Linux are exceptions.

Thanks for the feedback.  I can understand your friend not using the little Canon any longer.  I think if one has a smart phone these days they can do the same or better job than the Canon- and the Smart phone is much more portable.  I think when I change to using my smart phone as a main phone I'll probably have no need to use the little Canon. 

WOW!  Can't believe the resolution of the DSLR camera - 85/98/105 mega pixels.  No wonder it's hard to work with.  Already with my 16 mega pixels when I open the image in my GIMP it crowds the space.  But yes, for really fine work I'd imagine the 85 mega pixels must produce a brilliant image.  Also with limitless enlargement possibilities.  Has to be a great toy for sure.

Which photo editor are you using for the images?  Photoshop?

[xdude]

Yeah I'm using photoshop. I'm soo used to it. Can't move to anything else or have reason. Tried GIMP years ago but I couldn't get used it. Well those big images are big resolution is great but only for professional photographers who do shoots for TV or big billboards etc. Another reason is these images are saved in 300 bpi. Now when you change it to 72 bpi resolution decease in more than half.

Ah well my friend is not yet a smart phone person just like my self. She use it only for basic stuff mostly. She bought a new camera for bargain price. Got a Bridge camera for less than $200. That has about 40x 0r 50x zoom plus lots of other functions so it was totally worth the price. Only down side are those problems in low light conditions and when you want to take fast photos. But these are common problems among all compact cameras with smaller sensors.

[NomadicSingularityArray]

Try to shoot images in RAW format and work with them before you complain about big JPGs . They are absolutely without any kind of compression and as raw as it can get. The size is absolutely bonkers and massive but when you edit them you can get the best out of them. And working with them causes even more trouble than working on large JPGs because RAW format support was just added in the few last version of Photoshop and to see freeware/open source programs it was just added recently. You need a fast drive, an excellent CPU and a lot of RAM.