Image compression threshold?

#1

I’ve noticed that some images which I upload to my tree appear to be getting compressed. Like the image on this ancestor’s page, for example, where if you look closely you can discern kind of a grid pattern of pixelly artifact.

I understand the reason for compressing images, and I know that even with a paid account we get only a certain amount of media storage, etc., which is fine. My question is, is there a threshold at which uploaded images trigger the compression? Like, a certain file size or something? Because I know it doesn’t happen on all my images. I’d just rather adjust the pics myself if I could know how big is too big.

#2

Images are scaled down for thumbnails (100px x 100px) and when shown in the media pop-up (600px wide), but if you click on the image in the media pop-up, it will open full-size (the uploaded size) in a new tab. Likewise, if you click on the download button at the top of the media pop-up, the original image will be downloaded.

#3

Right, of course they’re scaled down for thumbnails, and I know you could click on the image to have it open in a new tab in the uploaded version. I should have clarified that I’m mostly concerned with the media pop-up version, which is what users will see if they click on a thumbnail or profile image, etc.

You say 600px wide – so would that mean 600px tall for a portrait-oriented image (that is, 600px wide OR tall, depending on how the image is oriented?

The image I linked in my message above was 640px tall (the standard size I’d arbitrarily selected to use for pics I upload to Rootsfinder). I made a 600px version, deleted the bigger one from Rootsfinder, and uploaded the smaller one. This smaller version now at least doesn’t have any noticeable compression artifact. So unless you tell me different, I’ll assume 600px is the sweet spot I was looking for. Thanks!

#4

I just double-checked to be certain, and in the case of the media popup, the full image is actually downloaded, not the 600px-wide downsized version. The browser downsizes the image to fit into the media popup, which is usually 500-550px wide, depending upon the width of the browser. So you might have even better results with a slightly-smaller image.

The image in the media popup is always 500-550px wide, regardless of whether it is portrait or landscape.

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