Analyze several new image file formats (2)

Genuine Fractal PrintPro
The Genuine Fractal (Fractal) PrintPro by Altanira Group is a completely different product from Lura Wave and they target different objects. Although PrintPro can generate a 2:1 compressed file when using lossless encoding options, a 5:1 compressed file can be generated using the least lossy encoding, but it does not apply at all to large proportions of larger files. The situation of compression.

The real purpose of PrintPro is to create reusable data resources. Using fractal technology, PrintPro resources saved in a dedicated STN or FIF format allow the user to scale the file, resulting in a file quality that exceeds the native resolution image quality. Previous algorithms used to magnify images usually used an interpolation algorithm (stereoscopic interpolation), and the image quality after amplification was relatively low.

The ideal state is that once the image file is encoded, the user can apply the PrintPro Photoshop plug-in to simulate any resolution to scale the original image file and maintain excellent image quality.

PrintPro attempts to bring resolution-independent flexibility to users when scaling images. When the PrintPro plug-in is installed in Photoshop, this virtual resolution capability can be implemented. First open an existing image file and save it in STN or FTF format. This step is done in the popup Save dialog.

The user can select a lossless or minimal loss compression mode. After the file is encoded, you can use the options in the friendly Genuine Fractal PrintPro interface to open, crop, and scale the file. This dialog box provides users with several options. Users can view the size of the original file (measured in pixels, inches, picas, centimeters, or points, respectively). The second small area in the dialog allows the user to accurately trim the image, and the third area controls the scaling of the image. The FIF format supports the embedding of ICC profiles.

PrintPro can encode RGB, CMYK, LAB, multichannel, and grayscale image files. This is the main advantage of upgrading the original version. The original version can only handle RGB files.

The type of image may have a great influence on the algorithm used. Some manufacturers of digital cameras and printers, such as Epson, Nikon and Phase One, are using PrintPro or bundled the software with its products.

Here is an example of how the software handles 30 megabytes of image files. Since the purpose is to see how to reconvert an STN file into a larger file, the file is first compressed with lossless compression encoding. It took 40 seconds to encode the file on a 300 MHz G3 PowerBook machine with 256 megabytes of memory. The resulting file occupies only 13.9 megabytes of disk space. When this file is opened and the STN format is described, the PrintPro interface allows the user to trim the file and set the desired file size before saving. When cropping a file, you can set the crop size precisely or use a red pen on the image file.
Assume that 1000, 2800 pixels, 1000 pixels, and 1800 pixels are respectively clipped to the left and right of the image. And the original is magnified by 3 times, the decoded size of the file is 37.1 megabytes, and the original file is only 4.12 megabytes. Decoding this file with the optimal quality option (Q1) takes 6 minutes and 12 seconds.

If you use the stereo interpolation method in Photoshop to perform the same amount of magnification on the cropped file, it took only 6 seconds. The difference in speed is straightforward, but the quality of the files produced with PrintPro is far superior to the latter in terms of both edge detail and clarity.

Altamira recommends that users first use the PrintPro function and then apply Unsharp Mask on the file, which is necessary for scaling any file size. The time it takes to use PrintPro is well worth the quality gained, and if you later run Photoshop on the G4 you believe that time is not a big problem.

The STN file format offers a number of significant advantages - except speed. The lossless compressed file size is smaller than the LucaWave file.

Both formats serve apparently different purposes. PrintPro is neither suitable for Web pages nor does it support progressive downloads like the LucaWave format supports. Opening a 100% LucaWave file is much faster than opening an STN file.

Genuine Fractal Print Pro runs on Mac and PC and is available from Altanira Web page: Order.

The MrSid format for storing photos MrSID of Lizare Tec is a Photoshop plug-in. Its main purpose is to compress images after multiple compressions for easy transmission and storage, and its quality is also faithful to the original files before compression. This is a demanding thing, but MrSID has achieved this function.

MrSID is a technology developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory. MrSID developed a special file format called SID. This format encodes RGB, CMYK, and grayscale files. The SID file also supports the embedding of ICC profiles.

Similar to JPEG2000 and Luca Tech, SID files residing on Web servers support progressive downloads with unique capabilities for panoramic display and image scaling. The user can determine the small area that needs to be downloaded, and when using a free browser plug-in (supported by either Internet Explorer or Netscape), the server is required to continuously send progressively higher resolution images.

Another free product is an extension of QuarkXPress that allows users to embed SID files in Quark files. In this way, small, compressed files can be linked or embedded in a Quark file, and with the support of RIP, the images are decompressed at an ideal resolution and finally the data is transmitted to the printer.

For those who need to preview SID files in Photoshop but don't need the full MrSID plug-in for photos, the company offers a free plug-in.

Now test the MrSID, select a 32 megabyte image, and select the 30:1 compression ratio in the optional Image Enchancement checkbox to compress the image. Using a test version of MrSID software to encode files, this version of the software is not the fastest, but it only took 2 minutes and 56 seconds.

It is said that it takes about 1 minute to encode a file of about 17 megabytes. The resulting file is only 880K in size. To open this file, simply select the file, Photoshop-recognized file, to pop up the MrSID dialog box. In this dialog, the user can select the pop-up ratio menu to determine the scaling of the image.

When compressing a compressed file, the original image can be enlarged 4 times or enlarged 16 times. You can also customize the area of ​​the image you want to zoom in by just holding down the opt/alt key and clicking on a point in the image and dragging the mouse to draw the selected area, or enter the actual cut size in the field provided. The selected crop area can be moved around in the preview window by clicking and holding the cmd/ctrl key and dragging the mouse.

It took only 30 seconds to open the entire file and decode it, and surprisingly, the format of this compressed file was much better than the same compression ratio (30:1) of JPEG compression. Although the quality has been reduced compared to the original file, the quality of the image file in the MrSID format is relatively high.
When using the MrSID format for 10:1 compression, the resulting file is virtually identical to the original file with the naked eye. This is also the preferred ratio when enlarging the image.

Another feature of the MrSID format for storing pictures is the ability to scale beyond the original resolution file size, just as Genuine Fractals can do.
Both the Print Pro file and the MrSID file look completely different, so it's hard to say how good or bad it is. However, Print Pro files seem to be smoother, especially at the edges; while MrSID files have more subtle layers. The compression of Print Pro files is only 2:1, and the compression ratio of MrSID files is 10:1. All these are only finalized after they have been printed on paper.

The MrSID for storing pictures is an ideal product for photography enthusiasts. These photographers must send a large number of files to the service bureau through the Internet in order to print out. Please visit for more information. (Finish)