Slideshow oversharpens images

blouie

Would other posters please provide whatever insights they might have about the problem described below? At least such insights could be forwarded to the SmugMug engineers:

On April 20, I saw that Slideshow is oversharpening images. I had been checking my site regularly, at least up to a few days before April 20, so I think the problem probably started not too many days before April 20. SmugMug Support confirmed that it is indeed a SmugMug problem, but there is no resolution at this time.

For example, using Chrome with the browser window maximized, compare:

(1) https://www.markshapirophoto.com/1979-1984Slides/n-CnLT8C

(2) https://www.markshapirophoto.com/1979-1984gallery/n-DzMmVj/i-n2ZVMqg/A

(3) https://www.markshapirophoto.com/1979-1984Mobile/n-HkczNN

So (1) is oversharpened. (2) and (3) are not oversharpened.

But different results occur with different browsers:

Viewing on a 27 inch IPS full gamut 2.5k NEC:

With Chrome and Edge, if you reduce the browser window even just the tiniest amount then the oversharpening goes away.

With Firefox, the oversharpening occurs both with Lightbox and Slideshow and both when the browser window is maximized and when the browser window is reduced.

Chrome slideshow - window maximized - oversharpened
Chrome slideshow - window resized very slightly - okay
Chrome lightbox - window maximized - okay
Chrome lightbox - window resized very slightly - okay

Edge slideshow - window maximized - oversharpened
Edge slideshow - window resized very slightly - okay
Edge lightbox - window maximized - okay
Edge lightbox - window resized very slightly - okay

Firefox slideshow - window maximized - oversharpened
Firefox slideshow - window resized very slightly - oversharpened
Firefox lightbox - window maximized - oversharpened
Firefox lightbox - window resized very slightly - oversharpened

Viewing on a 27 inch retina iMac

With Safari, with both Slideshow and Lightbox, as you very gradually reduce the browser window size , the sharpening goes back and forth between rather sharp to rather soft. In other words, as the window is resized by just tiny amounts, you can see the image get sharper then softer then sharper then softer, etc. And you can stop resizing at any time to arrive at a sharp version or at a soft version.

This is not a tolerable problem. Oversharpening is ugly. It is a terrible detraction from image quality. Photographers use sharpening very carefully, to look exactly right, not oversharpened. Oversharpening makes the photographer look like he or she doesn't understand proper sharpening and thus the photographer looks unprofessional. It is inimical to the very purpose of showcasing oneself as a photographer with technical abilities and good visual taste.

Note: I am now using Lightbox instead of Slideshow as a workaround, but meanwhile Lightroom has its own unresolved issue:

https://dgrin.com/discussion/267812/lightbox-repeats-images-when-swiping-on-mobile#latest