Perfect Resize and the Leica M8.

[jsrockit]

Anybody using this software with M8 files to produce large prints?

I haven't been happy with the prints I'm getting with the M8 at larger sizes and was looking for a solution. Came upon this after remembering genuine fractals. However, I've never used this type of softwware and have never seen any results from it. Does this software work well or is it fool's gold? Pros and Cons? thanks all.

 

[sepiareverb]

I've used it with the M9 to make oversize prints with great success. I did a 30x40" print from an M9 file that looked fantastic, and have many 20x30 prints. The 30x40 was a tricky image as it was lots of bold diagonal lines but the software worked beautifully - smooth as could be. I had a lot of people ooh'ing and aah-ing not believing that it came from a FF sensor (and a 35/1.4 pre-ASPH too). I've not returned to any M8 files to see what it would do yet, but would expect you could easily go 20x30 without any trouble.

 

[Photo_Smith]

I've used fractals in the past especially when I had my 3mp Canon D30 but not recently. I think the problem with interpolation is sometimes it works sometimes it fails. I think it actually depends quite a bit on the subject.
If you need detail; especially textural, distant foliage or randomised detail you'll struggle. If your images have smooth cyan sky or very defined shapes especially grid based like buildings you can go a lot larger than you'd expect.
I find with FF sensors I just use photoshop to interpolate, I don't see any real advantage to Fractals.

 

[Lss]

I haven't been happy with the prints I'm getting with the M8 at larger sizes and was looking for a solution.

How large is a larger size?

 

[jsrockit]

20x30" at the very least.

 

[Lss]

It depends on the subject matter and viewing distance, but that should be around the upper limit purely by the pixel dimensions of the M8 files.

 

[jsrockit]

Really? I'm just trying to figure out how these guys make 30x40" prints with the M8 (search google). Or 60" prints with 3mp cameras. I'm not happy with even 12x18" prints from the M8. I understand viewing distance matters, but I figured I could at least go to 20x30"... leads me to believe perfect resize is fool's gold? or is it just better used for billboards and stuff?

 

[Lss]

You can go really big, but you need to adjust the viewing distance accordingly. 12x18" prints from M8 should look great even in your hand.

I have no experience with billboard printing.

 

[jsrockit]

12x18" prints from M8 should look great even in your hand.

With or without this software? Perhaps I'm spoiled by my other cameras and expect too much from the M8?

 

[Lss]

With or without this software? Perhaps I'm spoiled by my other cameras and expect too much from the M8?

Without any magic. The M8 doesn't behave significantly different from any other camera with a similar pixel count. It is generally sharper due to having no AA filter, though.

 

[ray*j*gun]

You haven't mentioned the lens your using. One reason the M8 works so well is that it is a Leica M mount camera. The lens will have a lot to do with the results.

 

[gdi]

You probably wouldn't be happy with M8 files printed at 20x30 without interpolation; that would call for a DPI of around 130. If I were trying to print an M8 file that large I would first try QImage; it seems to have pretty sophisticated upsizing options. I have used it a bit and the results were as good as other options like GF....

http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage-u/tech-fus.htm

 

[jsrockit]

You haven't mentioned the lens your using. One reason the M8 works so well is that it is a Leica M mount camera. The lens will have a lot to do with the results.

35mm Summaron 2.8

 

[jsrockit]

You probably wouldn't be happy with M8 files printed at 20x30 without interpolation; that would call for a DPI of around 130. If I were trying to print an M8 file that large I would first try QImage; it seems to have pretty sophisticated upsizing options. I have used it a bit and the results were as good as other options like GF....

http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage-u/tech-fus.htm

Unfortunately, I use a Mac.

 

[Larry H-L]

Before you spend more on software, you can try stair-stepping the file image size upward in PS image size, increase the resolution about 10-15% each time until you get to your printing size. Works sometimes.

 

[jsrockit]

I should mention I use Lightroom, my M8's rangefinder is spot on, and the Summaron 2.8 is a sharp lens. I have a feeling that I am comparing it against higher MP cameras and expecting too much. It doesn't look worse than the film 16x20" C prints I made in the 90s. I guess I was just hoping that this software would work a little magic and get me closer to what I'm used to with my other cameras.

 

[jsrockit]

I've not returned to any M8 files to see what it would do yet, but would expect you could easily go 20x30 without any trouble.

This is what I expected when I sold my M9 (thinking I didn't need it anymore) and bought a M8 (once I missed having a M)...but it's not what I'm seeing. Regret. 😉

 

[gdi]

Remember that a lot of people who printed huge prints from the M8 also used techniques like adding faux grain to hide artifacts (a lot have probably moved on to the M9 or Fuji 🙂 ). Nothing wrong with adding grain and after trying the software you are considering, you'll know if you need to resort to that.

 

[sepiareverb]

I should clarify and say I think you should easily be able to get to 20x30 WITH Perfect Resize. When I print I size my files at 240 ppi. Here at home I print on the Epson 3880. At 240 ppi an M8 file can go up to almost 11" x 16 1/3". I'll admit I've not tried printing at 130 ppi, which would make a 20 1/4 x 30" print from an M8 file.

I think we have the same requirement that images be able to be studied at closer than the "minimum viewing distance" or according to one of those formulas that decides how "good" a print needs to be according to size. 240 ppi gives me that satisfaction of being able to get in close like one can do with a contact print.

 

[benmacphoto]

I used genuine fractals, which is a plugin for photoshop.
In the past I made 40x60" prints from an M8 an they looked fantastic even up close.