Photoshop CC Zoomed, but not actual size

[pomf pomf]

Hey PSG

I recently got Photoshop CC on my new laptop, changing from Photoshop CS6 from my desktop. I don't know much about the technical aspect of photoshop like resolution, retina, settings, so I don't have any idea on how to workaround this problem :I

Anyway, I created a canvas that was 500x150 px in size, leaving the resolution 72 and the color to 8 bit. I wasn't sure what those two were since I never paid much attention to it in CS6 and it worked well for me, so I just left those two alone and adjusted the size. Here I noticed that the canvas was noticeably smaller than the intended size, but I saw that the zoom was 100% anyway so I just kept on going.

At the end, I was pretty happy with the result, it was pretty HQ and I liked it. However, when I uploaded it to imgur like usual, it was awful in quality and looked as if it had been enlarged. The size was 500x150 px, but it lost the quality.



Zoom says 100%, but it's not the actual size and loses its quality when uploaded. Any way to actually make it so that 100% is the actual size of the canvas?

Help would be greatly appreciated ):

 

[Tom Mann]

The easiest way to get to the bottom of this is for you to post the image in question here. We'll take a look at it and tell you if we see anything wrong.

If we see nothing wrong with it, then the problem is not your fault, and must be either in the process of posting it to Imgur, or in how Imgur handles small images like this. For example, if an image is smaller than a certain size (in pixels), does Imgur automatically scale it up to try to get it to be a certain minimum size on screen. I don't use Imgur, so I'm not familiar with the details of their processing.

HTH,

Tom M

 

[MrToM]

There is no mention of what platform this is on but I assume from the fact that you used the term 'retina' that its a Mac?

I also assume that this is not just a term you've heard of and that your laptop does actually have a 'retina' display?

I also have to assume that when you say 'noticeably smaller than the intended size' you mean that it just 'appears' smaller on the screen compared to what you've been used to?

I don't use a Mac so the info below is not based on personal experience.
Hopefully a Mac user will be able to correct my mistakes and fill in the blanks.

If you are not technically minded then it can be extremely confusing as to what is happening so I'll attempt to keep things as simple as I can.

The 'retina' display is nothing more than an increase of the amount of pixels the display, (your actual physical screen), contains.
This increase means that anything displayed on it will appear smaller than it would do on a lower density screen.
The Mac OS is set to use, (I think), 144ppi.
The PS UI was written using 72ppi and would therefore display at 1/4 of its intended size.

Adobe 'solved' this by literally 'doubling up' the pixels used in the UI to bring it back to something that was actually usable:


(The 'Marquee Select' icon in the PS UI)

However, this 'doubling' logic cannot be applied to the images in the actual 'workspace', if you want, (as in your case), an image 500x150px then it should be 500x150px and NOT 1000x300px......make sense?

The result is that your image WILL LOOK smaller in the workspace.

It doesn't look like Adobe have done anything to allow for this but not being a Mac user I couldn't say for sure.
One thing that is for sure is that if PS says the image is @100% then it IS @100%.

The quality loss when uploaded can only really be influenced by how you save the image from PS. Image hosting sites shouldn't up or down scale the image so what you see is what you uploaded.

Without knowing how you save your images its difficult to suggest a concise solution.

Sorry if any of that is totally wrong.

Regards.
MrTom.

 

[Tom Mann]

BTW, there is one thing we can be absolutely certain of: Adobe's "resolution" number (ie, 72 ppi) has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR PROBLEM. The only thing that matters for posting images on the internet is the dimensions of the image in pixels. An image that is only 500 px on the long side simply can't contain very much information and will look pretty grubby if you try to display it larger than a few inches, so this might be the root of your problem.

Tom M

 

[pomf pomf]

Sorry for necro'ing this thread but I haven't been on much. I'm still having trouble with this so I took a quick picture to properly explain what i'm having trouble with. I'm using Windows 8 and this was on Photoshop CS6 and CC. As you can see, the image in PS is much smaller than the one online, so when I upload it, the image also inflates. Not sure if it's a monitor resolution issue or settings issue. I've tried looking it up but I can't really explain what I'm looking for without going into specifics

Really appreciate the feedback guys, maybe this will shed some insight?

I'm pretty lost
:sad:

Can't post links so I just attached a image.

 

[MrToM]

Ah, right.

OK.....its all down to your Screen Resolution value in Preferences > Units and Rulers.
(I use a PC so adjust as necessary if needed)





To determine your Screens' (Monitors') resolution do the following:

Find the dimensions (just the width will do) of your monitors screen.
This does not mean 22" or 24" it means the width of the actual viewable area.....the bit where the pixels are.
You can do this manually (be careful not to scratch your screen) or via software.

I use AIDA64 but anything that tells you the dimensions of the screen will do.





From this you can then calculate the Screen Resolution which you then enter into the Preferences window in PS:



Now when you select View > 100% the image will be DISPLAYED at a 1:1, pixel for pixel size.

If that doesn't solve it then feel free to take me outside and shoot me.

Regards.
MrTom.

 

[pomf pomf]

I swear this will be the death of me.



I've taken pics of my steps, maybe something I'm not doing right?

:banghead:

 

[MrToM]

How are you displaying it in the browser?

This is what I get...



My method is to use File > Save for Web > Preview

'Preview' is bottom left of the Save for Web window.....if you haven't already set up your browser as an option then just click the small down arrow next to the 'Preview' button, choose 'Other...' and nav to your browser executable file....it will then be the default 'browser' to use when you click on 'Preview'.

See if that makes any difference.

We will get there....eventually.

Regards.
MrTom.

 

[pomf pomf]

Alright it turns out I am a complete idiot

My chrome browser was zoomed in 125% because it was hard to read some text on this computer. So when I upload things to the web, the picture turns out inflated... because I was already zoomed in. I turned the zoom on chrome to 100% and it was exactly the same as the one on PS. I only thought the size was wrong because I'm used to the zoomed sizes on my desktop PC.

FML.

Thanks a lot for the patience and help MrTom

Who knew the solution would hurt so much
;-;

 

[MrToM]

No worries...

You just beat me to it....I was about to say its all OK in FireFox...




Glad its now sorted.

Regards.
MrTom.