CS3 :: Upsize (Interpolation/Resize) Options?

We got a few good BIF shots -- They covered maybe 30-50% of the frame in some cases, they'll PP pretty well, but they're too small to print well.

What's your recommendation to approaching an increase in size of a photo in CS3?

Add-ins, standalone software, actions/techniques, any and all advice greatly appreciated in advance!

Image -> resize -> default algorithm. Don't overthink things.

No idea what BIF is.

BIF - bird-in-flight -- Yeah, sorry 'bout that.

The CS3 built-in resizing works, to a point -- It is not said to be the best way to approach the resize problem, so I was hoping for a POTN boost there CS3-specific.

I've seen it said that resizing in 1% increments using either actions or add-ins works best in CS2, but I don't know about 3 or add-ins.......... Off to the Google search. Will post back findings.

I'll say it again - don't overthink things. You're not going to find a significantly better way than doing a single step upsize using the default bicubic algorithm in Photoshop. The old maxim of doing 10% upsizes (not 1%) was years ago and doesn't apply any more.

As with most things in photography try it out yourself, print it, and see. Pixel peeping isn't helpful either.

That makes sense to me, Tim.

I'll give it a ride and post a pair of comparables. The real problem with those photos is user error -- Instead of setting up the camera for the correct bird exposure, I let it go with eval metering, so between being underexposed and boosting ISO with a 100-400, the result is poor enough that the photos simply will not hold sharpening/resize/shar​pen well -- IQ is poor and it is my fault.

Some lessons come hard. They really would have been nice captures.

tim wrote in post #3530321
I'll say it again - don't overthink things. You're not going to find a significantly better way than doing a single step upsize using the default bicubic algorithm in Photoshop. The old maxim of doing 10% upsizes (not 1%) was years ago and doesn't apply any more.

As with most things in photography try it out yourself, print it, and see. Pixel peeping isn't helpful either.

How about if the OP was also thinking of some other options besides Photoshop to do the resizing, like an aftermarket interpolation program? Would that be over-thinking it, too?

Or how about Bicubic vs Bicubic Smoother vs Bicubic Sharper? That, too?

^^ The 3rd pty add-ins might help, Leo - I'll be checking them out tonight.

I think I understand now why birders have a 500 f/4 in the trunk!

PacAce wrote in post #3531534
How about if the OP was also thinking of some other options besides Photoshop to do the resizing, like an aftermarket interpolation program? Would that be over-thinking it, too?

Or how about Bicubic vs Bicubic Smoother vs Bicubic Sharper? That, too?

Pretty much, yeah. Show me the difference on paper.

tim wrote in post #3533536
Pretty much, yeah. Show me the difference on paper.

OK, thanks. Was just curious where you were coming from.

I have Genuine Fractals and it really starts to shine when you want to go really big. I have found that Photoshop does a pretty decent job for about 10-15 % increase, anything over that I use GF.

Well, I think I need about 100% boosts to get enough to print 8x10's --- GF I read up on; sounds great!

Before you shell out on the full version try a trail version head to head with photoshop, in print, and see if there's any real difference.

^^ I hear you -- I'll do that, because looking at the pixels only leads to insanity.

Pixel + Insanity = Pixinsanity?