Best method to enlarge image in Photoshop?

[MD_Charlton]

Which option maintains the best image quality?

1. copy and paste the small image into a large canvas and use Free Transform and drag to enlarge

2. or, does the Resample filter work best when using the Image Size option on the original small image

[S_Gans]

Depending on how much you intend to enlarge the image, you will likely encounter quality options either way, without using a 3rd party app (which also isn't perfect - but many are better). Your option 1 is likely going to give you the worst results - with all sorts of image fuzz and pixel disruption. If by "Resample Filter" you mean the Super Zoom Neural filter, you'll likely get much better results, and it gives you more control.

Otherwise. please clarify what you mean by "Resample Filter" - Oh - and if you mean Adjust>Image Size - that'll be just as bad as the free transform IMO. With either of those, try doing small increments and building - that improves the result, somewhat.

[kevin stohlmeyer]

Hi @MD_Charlton ou could try using Photoshop Super Resolution feature in the Camera Raw Plugin:

https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2021/03/10/from-the-acr-team-super-resolution

[Conrad C · Accepted solution]

Keep in mind that when using Free Transform, how it resamples depends on what is selected in the Interpolation menu in the options bar. These are the same as the interpolation options you see in the Resample menu in Image > Image Size, but Image Size offers eight options. Therefore, there is no Free Transform option that will be any better than in Image Size, because Image Size has all of the Free Transform options and a few more.

Also, in Photoshop today you have many more options for enlarging. The current list includes:

• Image > Image Size with Resampling enabled (includes the newer Preserve Details and Preserve Details 2.0 interpolation methods)
• Free Transform a layer with 5 interpolation options
• Super Zoom in Filter > Neural Filters (uses AI) 
• Enhance upscaling command in Camera Raw (uses AI) 

Which one is best often depends on what the source image content is. The more photographic the image, the more likely one of the newer AI options might be better.

…try doing small increments and building - that improves the result, somewhat.

By @S_Gans

The “enlarge in steps” method was popular with older versions, but I think more recently someone from Adobe said that method can no longer beat all of the newer resampling algorithms and AI options that Photoshop now has. 

[MD_Charlton]

Thank you all for the insightful suggestions! I confess I don't venture outside of the basic settings in PS so the Super Zoom Neural filter and the CR Enhance option are new to me. I did a quick test of both without tweaking any settings and have compared them to the original 72 dpi image below. The Super Zoom filter has the edge but I'll investigate the settings.