How to enlarge a photo without losing quality? Some useful tips

So, you have an image that needs to be enlarged. Today, there are many ways to achieve the desired result. But, wondering how to enlarge a photo without losing quality, you need to understand that you still have to sacrifice it. Any artificially enlarged image will not look stretched perfectly. Therefore, our main task is to reduce quality losses to a minimum.

We use standard tools Adobe Photoshop

Perhaps, no photo editor can compare with this program for the popularity and impressive functionality. Therefore, first of all we will consider how to enlarge the photo without losing quality using "Photoshop".

The final result depends largely on the quality of the original image, as well as on its format. The ideal option in this regard is the RAW format.

The main cunning, which is used by many designers, is a gradual increase in the image. It is believed that to increase the picture by only 10% can be without visible loss of quality. Therefore, first of all you need to select the menu item "Image" -> "Size". In the opened window, remove the checkmark next to "Interpolation" and change the resolution to 300 pixels / inch. Accept the changes ("OK") and re-open the resize window. Turn on the interpolation (return the checkmark to the place), and then increase the picture by 10%. To do this, select the change in width and height in percent, and then enter the value 110 in both fields (100% - the original size of the picture + 10%, which we increase it). For the best increase, you can select the bicubic interpolation in the drop-down list. Repeating these steps, you can gradually continue to increase the photo. However, note that you may need to later retouch it - smoothing and sharpening in different areas, painting certain elements. The more the image was changed, the more difficult it will be to correct it.

In principle, this way of increasing the photo without losing quality is very simple, and the result in most cases is quite satisfactory. But what do those who do not understand Photoshop and are not sure that they will be able to correct the enlarged and distorted image?

Specialized programs

As a rule, most of the really effective programs, useful for those who are looking for ways to increase the photo without losing quality, are paid. And licensed versions are not so little. Therefore, it makes sense to use them only for those who often face the need to change the size of images - professional photographers, designers, etc. And now we will talk about several of them.

1. Imagener. The developers provided three modifications of Imagener: Enhanced, Professional and Unlimited ($ 29.95, $ 49.95 and $ 99.95 respectively). The program works with many popular image formats, including PCX, PSD and ETC. The intelligent application module analyzes the space near each pixel so that the magnification is the best quality. With the help of Imagener, pictures without a noticeable loss of quality can be increased by 2-3 times. In the Professional version, these figures are even higher. And Imagener Unlimited allows you to achieve the maximum quality of the enlarged image, since it first transforms raster objects into vector objects, stretches them to the desired size, and converts them again into raster ones.

2. PhotoZoom Professional. Another program that can be useful to those who are looking for how to increase the size of the picture without losing quality. The cost of this application is 129 euros. From standard editors PhotoZoom differs in that it uses a unique technology of self-tuning interpolation S-Spline, which makes it possible to get rid of such defects as jagged edges and defocusing.

3. Qimage. This $ 45 program will be of interest to those who need subsequent printing of enlarged images. As you know, to the pictures and photos that will be printed, there are even higher requirements in terms of quality. That's why the Qimage developers have compiled new zoom algorithms that are much more intelligent and efficient than traditional bicubic interpolation.

4. Resize IT. This is not a separate program, but a plug-in for "Photoshop", which allows to improve the process of image enlargement. Each time he offers the user a choice of several interpolation algorithms, from which one can choose the one that will give the best result in each case. Before Resize IT requires registration, 15 images can be processed. So if you increase the photo without losing quality, you only need it once, boldly install the application.

Online editors and free programs

Of course, not all services for increasing photos are paid. There are among them and those that are available for free download. Here only practice shows that the quality of the images on the output practically does not differ from the one that we get using standard Photoshop tools. Do not experiment with hacked versions of paid programs - most of these tempting offers can carry your computer's threat in the form of viruses.