converting SD to HD

[friedpiggy]

have a couple old photos on the pc that are 640x480, anyone know of a way to enlarge these to a higher resolution without losingpicture quality?

not a image expert so not sure if its possible or not

thanks

 

[bwana]

There are a few apps like Genuine Fractals that will upscale photos a bit but by how much is another question. You're always going to lose some quality though.

 

[graviti]

Not really possible. I could imagine maybe a 5-10% growth using predictive algorithms, but after that, you have serious quality lose. Basically not possible.

Friend next to me read the question, and laughed. He said it's kinda like looking at a flower, and wondering how to make it bigger. "Add water" cames the retort from the guy behind us. Flipping heck, we just packed up. But seriously. A 640x480 image, and you want to make it bigger. Find the original before it was downsized. If that is the original, then don't expect any improvement I'm afraid.

 

[friedpiggy]

meh was worried that was gonna be the answer, oh well. doesnt look too terrible at 1900x1200 after running through photoshop and sharpening it a bit. also dropped it to black and white from colour and that made a large difference.

thanks for the response though

 

[SubliminalThought]

I have been writing some judging software for our photoclub and have been looking into resizing. There are algorithms, like the fractal algorithms, out there that will give you better up-sizing than what photoshop can give. Don't have the relevant link with me, but I'm sure a google search will reveal something. Further the article mentions that many of these algorithms are licensed so getting a free version will most likely not give you as good an image as a commercial version that employs the algorithm. They have packaged a library (code) to use for resizing.

 

[ponder]

Look into interpolation software. If you have so little to start with you though the outcome is not going to be all that great.

 

[noodleone]

try upscale in photoshop and add grain filter judiciously, it can help give it an old film arty look