My Pictures versus Adobe P/Elements

[deadshot]

VTphotog,
It's a Dell Ultra sharp, it was set on 1024 x 768 pixels and has been for 7 years.
I only recently found that it could be changed so I upped it to it's max which is 1280 x 1024 pix and the difference is very noticeable.
So much so that now I realize that a lot of my photo's appear to have been over sharpened D0hh!! this is the problem of picking things up on your own.
When I put my card in, PSE/4 photo downloader opens then places them into a folder of my choice in My Pics and also places them onto my PSE browser where I Tag them.When I then put them onto a memory stick or post them onto the web for example I have to do that from My Pics.I can E.Mail from PSE.

[VTphotog]

I think that what is happening is that the default program for opening your pictures is the Windows photo viewer, which is quick, but not too good. When you open from the PSE browser, you open to PSE, which is giving you a more accurate rendition. If you want to change that, you can set it either in the file menu of PSE, or by changing the default when you right-click on a picture in the My Pictures folder. I don't have PSE any more and would have trouble remembering the specifics for it.

brian

[deadshot]

VTphotog
I think you have hit on what is happening.
When I open a folder in M.Pics and click on a photo it opens it by default in Windows Picture and Fax Viewer. I can right click then select "open with" and choose Adobe PSE 4 I've not been able to work out how to make PSE 4 the default opener.
The problem is I am still having to post pics from M.Ps which is not as good visually.
I'm still not sure why M Ps images are not as contrasty or as sharp.I seems strange that I go to all the trouble to get the photo as I want it "save as " then I go to My Pics and it looks different. The funny thing is I never noticed it until I pumped up my PC screen to 1280 x 1024 on the original setting my screen didn't pick out the differences.
I was looking at PCs/Macs last weekend and they all show my photo's in full HD and they do look good IMHO that is.
The thing now is what to get ???
I might put a what computer should I get post on general discussion.
Thanks for all the help and suggestion all.

[VTphotog]

I am using Win7, and when I browse from Windows Explorer, or from My Computer, to my pictures folders, I can right-click, go to the 'open with' menu, and at the bottom, there is a 'choose default program' selection. I think it is the same in XP. If you select that, it should give you a window with several programs. PSE should be on the list, and if you select it, and have the box to always open this kind of file with this program, it will then use PSE instead of the Windows viewer.

brian

[DigMe]

Are these raw files or jpegs?

brad

[deadshot]

VTphotog.
Thanks for the info but for some reason it ignores what I do.I went through the routine you said and finished up at the "open with " window.Choose file, I select Adobe P/s 4. I check the box that says "always open with this type of file". It then opens with PSE4 but when I move on the the next pic I have to do it all over again, it isn't remembering always open with PSE4.?? for some reason. As soon as I double click on the photo it will open with windows picture viewer.I suppose I'm being lazy as all I have to do is always go thru open with and select PSE 4 in stead of double clicking.
John

DigMe
Jpegs.

[DigMe]

You really shouldn't be having to do this at all. When I look at photos in Lightroom or PSE they look the same as they do in Windows photo viewer. Part of that consistency is making sure that you're using the same color profiles throughout by using color management but you're talking about blurriness so that must not be the problem. I can't really remember all the settings in XP though for various picture viewing tweaks.

brad

[deadshot]

I guess you would call it not quite as sharp as with slightly less contrast.I wondered if it was the save process that was the problem by downgrading the image but
I have been out looking at HD pcs and my photos look amazing, compared to how they look on my pc .I honestly didn't realize how good my camera is or for that matter how good my last one was, the D5000.
I wonder how many out there like me are looking at sub standard images without realizing it.