Larry,
With all due respect, similar discussions have taken place on the Epson
inkjet list as well. During the course of those discussions which took place
over a year ago, Frances at Altimira, who is their technical support person,
and I had several telephone conversations as well as several email exchanges
in which he said something slightly different. What he submitted to your
moderator is a greatly oversimplified description of what their product does
using marketing language as terminological analogies which Frances, it
appears, thinks will convey an idea of the product in a way an
unsophisticated user or potential user might understand. I have owned and
used Genuine Fractals Versions 1.0 and 2.0) for several years now; I have
not owned or used Genuine Fractals PrintPro whose only difference is that it
will work with CYMK files as well as RBG files like you suggest. Other than
that the two products are more or less identical.
While Atlimira promotes the software for upscaling and interpolating images
for larger print images without a degradation in quality, it can also be
used to down scale and decimate images so as to for smaller print images
with lower resolutions which can also be transmitted over the internet and
displayed on monitors. However, since the person who gets such a encoded GF
file over the internet needs a separate decoding application to decode and
read the file once it has been downloaded from the internet in order to
display it on a monitor or print it out, the program is indeed of limited
functionality for web use which is why Altimira does not promote it for such
purposes. My response was only with respect to an alternative to resampling
in Photoshop and not with respect to web image preparation. While the
question to which I was responding may have been implicitly in that
particular context, the explicit question was more general in asking for a
better or alternative way or method of reducing image size to Photoshop
Bilinear method (and/or Bicubic method).
>This is a true scaling algorithm.
It is a scaling algorithm; but as the statement implies, it is one of many
types of scaling algorithms. Other than marketing hype language, I am not
sure what "true" in this statement means. "True" as compared to what - a
"false scaling algorithm," a "quasi-true scaling algorithm," a "pseudo-true
scaling algorithm," or an "unreal scaling algorithm." I am not sure what
any of the alternatives which could be held in contra-distinction to a "true
scaling algorithm" would look like or consist of.
>The software encodes the image from raster (pixels) to vector (mathematical
equation) so that when you scale, you are
>truling scaling - this is not interpolation. Also, the encoding process
compresses the image into a smaller file size. We
>have both lossless and lossy compression.
I am afraid that Francis is speaking metaphorically here when he uses the
vector analogy. The program does encode the image data from raster data to
a mathematized fractal data in equation form which can be resized or scaled
in a resolution independent manner since it no longer is defined in pixel
terms but in mathematical terms. This is where it works like a vector based
data ( but it is not identical to or the same as a vector based data
generated by programs like Illustrator).
However, the GF program also permits one to change upward or downward the
resolution of the image at the designated size or scale as well as maintain
the same resolution for a smaller or larger rendering of the image upon
decoding. The rendering at different resolutions is like resampling but it
also is not the exact same thing as resampling (interpolation or decimation,
upsampling or down sampling) in the technical sense. This is because you are
not dealing with pixels per se or bit maps but with mathematical fractal
maps that define or describe the dot placement, pattern. and frequency that
is to be rendered. In short, each and every rendering of the data at any
given size or resolution is in effect a newly created image based on the
mathematical formulas which make up the data and the rendering instructions
which you provide when you specify a size and resolution. Each instance is
a new picture and not merely an elaboration of an existing set of patterned
pixels.
As for the file compression component of the program, "lossless" compression
of the file is a by product of encoding the raster bit data into
mathematically stated data which uses less storage space per bit of
information than does raster maps. The "lossy" compression employs
compression algorithms on the mathematically expressed data just as JPEG
compression does with respect to raster data; this allows for greater file
compression than would be the case for "lossless" compression where no such
algorithms are employed.
Not being a technician, I apologize if I was not able to articulate things
clearer; but I hope you get my points.
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Larry Berman
Sent: Tuesday, November 07, 2000 10:26 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: filmscanners: Best method for downsizing images
Hi Laurie,
With mutual respect to your response.
Genuine Fractals has no current place in web image preparation. It's only
use is for upscaling data to print large images. We went through this same
discussion on another forum (Nikon CoolPix 990) about three weeks ago and
the moderator e-mailed Altamira and this was their exact response:
Altamira has two software products, Genuine Fractals and PrintPro. They
both have the same functionality...to enlarge an image without losing image
quality. Genuine Fractals is RGB, while PrintPro is RGB + CMYK. This is a
true scaling algorithm. The software encodes the image from raster
(pixels) to vector (mathematical equation) so that when you scale, you are
truling scaling - this is not interpolation. Also, the encoding process
compresses the image into a smaller file size. We have both lossless and
lossy compression. The software is designed for print quality. Since
screen resolution is only 72 dpi, our software has limited functionality
for the web. We are currently bundled with the entire line of Coolpix
cameras sold in the United States. This is a Nikon decision.
For users in other areas that are interested in our product, we have a demo
they can download from our web site at http://www.altamira-group.com
The bundled version is an LE that scales to approximately 64MB. Please let
me know if you have any additional questions.
Regards,
Frances
At 12:34 PM 11/6/00 -0600, you wrote:
>With respect to your response, I would add in regard to question 2 that the
>best Photoshop method of interpolation is the Bicubic method. As for other
>programs handling this better, it is a controversial subject; but I would
>suggest that Genuine Fractals, a Photoshop plugin, might be as good or
>better when it comes to interpolation - especially when the interpolation
>may be in the extreme (either upward or downward) in conjunction with
>extreme resizing. However, whether or not one agrees with this, the method
>used by Genuine Fractals is very different qualitatively from any of the
>resampling methods used for interpolation by Photoshop; in other words, it
>is not merely a different alogrithm formula as in the case between Bicubic
>and Bilinear interpolation methods.
<:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:>
Larry Berman
Web Sites for Artists: http://BermanGraphics.com
Fine Art Photography: http://BermanArt.com
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