Digital download question

KMW

Could someone please tell me if a 1 megapixel download is good for a screensaver or to save images to cd? How large are the images and can you see a difference in quality on your computer or if burned to cd? I understand there is a difference in quality if you try to print them but can you see the difference in the jpeg on the computer?

I have a customer who wants a cd of the original files just to have in addition to prints. I enabled a low res digital download for $3 per photo and she says she will still order prints but wants a full resolution file to have on cd. I am not comfortable selling my original size files and I would like to do everything through smugmug.

Please need advice..

Thanks,
Kath

Angelo

KMW wrote:

Could someone please tell me if a 1 megapixel download is good for a screensaver or to save images to cd? How large are the images and can you see a difference in quality on your computer or if burned to cd? I understand there is a difference in quality if you try to print them but can you see the difference in the jpeg on the computer?

I have a customer who wants a cd of the original files just to have in addition to prints. I enabled a low res digital download for $3 per photo and she says she will still order prints but wants a full resolution file to have on cd. I am not comfortable selling my original size files and I would like to do everything through smugmug.

Please need advice..

Thanks,
Kath

Ya know, in the "old" days photographers never sold their film negatives, except under special situations and for very substantial fees. Use the same argument. You're under no obligation to provide your original files.

KMW

Angelo wrote:

Ya know, in the "old" days photographers never sold their film negatives, except under special situations and for very substantial fees. Use the same argument. You're under no obligation to provide your original files.

Thanks Angelo...Is it true she will see no difference in quality on the computer monitor itself, but if she tries to print larger than a 5x7 there will be a degradation in quality? Will a 1 megapixel image be as large as the computer screen? She wouldn't need larger than 1 megapixel if it's simply for viewing on her computer right? She would only need a larger file if she was planning on getting prints somewhere else. I just want to make sure I explain this to her correctly.

SloYerRoll

Why not download the one MP version and find out?

-Jon

KMW

SloYerRoll wrote:

Why not download the one MP version and find out?

-Jon

The option is not available when I am logged in....How do I do that?

Angelo

KMW wrote:

Thanks Angelo...Is it true she will see no difference in quality on the computer monitor itself, but if she tries to print larger than a 5x7 there will be a degradation in quality? Will a 1 megapixel image be as large as the computer screen? She wouldn't need larger than 1 megapixel if it's simply for viewing on her computer right? She would only need a larger file if she was planning on getting prints somewhere else. I just want to make sure I explain this to her correctly.

you're kind of confusing things...

the size of the file has little to do with her ability to view the image on her monitor properly.

that has more to do with resolution and image size relative to her monitor resolution.

generally speaking any file above 72 dpi is a waste of memory and bandwidth for monitor viewing. And I would think anything larger than 800 pixels is a waste.

if she's insisting she needs more of either for monitor viewing she's either ignorant of how monitors work or trying to manipulate the discussion in favor of garnering an original image from you.

denisegoldberg

KMW wrote:

The option is not available when I am logged in....How do I do that?

You'll have to be logged out to do a download (as a customer would).

So yes, you will be charged for it... but I think you said earlier that you set the price at $3, seems like it would be worth spending that for a test.

Or maybe you could change the price to $.01, download, and change the prce back. Better yet, do this in a private gallery that the customer doesn't know about so there is no chance of her grabbing a download for a penny.

--- Denise

KMW

Thanks for your replies..

I did a test download and the image looks just like the original. She definitely would not need the original file if all she wants to do is save it on her computer.

She did a test download of one image herself today so hopefully she really is thrilled with the pictures and downloads all of them. She said she wants prints too. If she asks for the original image after seeing the download then obviously she wants to get prints through another vendor. I am not going to sell her the original though. She said she loved the photos so hopefully she'll buy a bunch.