Photoshop Killing Imported Image Quality Resizing

[HydropoolD&B]

Hi there, this is my first post (woohoo!)

I am having a recent issue that I have not been having before.

When I import an image, for example 2100 × 1397 pixels, it looks fine. 

Once I use the move tool to drag it into the next window where the canvas is 595x485px 300PPI (I've seen people saying to ignore PPI but adding it for reference!), the image becomes very pixellated when I drag it down to a smaller size. 

The same thing happens when I insert it with File > Place Embedded. I have tried to resize the image using Bicubic Sharpen (as someone suggested), and I've also tried unchecking Resample Image, to no avail. 

Please could someone help me out? I am more than happy to share anything that might help.

I'm using an M1 Macbook Air, Photoshop 2022. Thank you so much!

[Mylenium]

You are throwing away two-thirds of your image data in your case so there will always be some quantization artifacts. Is it perhaps that you are simply viewing at 200 % or larger zoom?

Mylenium

[HydropoolD&B]

I have never had a problem before. It is happening no matter how much I resize.

Here are some screenshots at 100%. One is Place Embedded, the other is the image dragged with the move tool to a new 595x485px document. Thank you so much for your help

[HydropoolD&B]

Here is the exported image on maximum png quality. 

Thank you

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Could you please post a screenshot taken at View > 100% with the pertinent Panels (Toolbar, Layers, Options Bar, …) visible? 

[HydropoolD&B]

Hi, thanks for getting back to me!

The first screenshot is the file Place Embedded, the second is original dragged from one window to the 595x485px window and dragged down to fit.

Let me know if you need anything else. Thanks

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Both images seem pretty sharp to me, so what is supposed to be the problem? 

[HydropoolD&B]

Here is the exported image with full settings as a png. Thanks

[c.pfaffenbichler]

What is the problem?

Are you viewing the png in some application that upscales images (like some browsers can do)? 

Please post meaningful screenshots to clarify. 

[HydropoolD&B]

Here are 2 images that were treated in exactly the same way before exporting, and opened with the same program (Preview) without any window resizing, except the left image has been exported as a jpg for web with approx 80% quality.

Thanks for your patience

[c.pfaffenbichler]

The display of Preview is utterly irrelevant as it obviously upscaled the image. 

Edit: 

[PECourtejoie]

Hi, what is the setting you use for Image Interpolation in Photoshop/Preference/General?

[HydropoolD&B]

Hi, thanks for replying!

It was bicubic but I just tried bicubic sharper to no avail.

Thank you

[c.pfaffenbichler]

It is not Photoshop that »kills the quality«. 

Open the screenshot you posted of Preview in Photoshop and measure the pixel dimensions of the image as displayed in Preview – it is 200% of the actual image’s pixel dimensions. 

Edit: In this screenshot the Info Panel indicates the pixel dimensions of a Selection roughly the size of the displayed image. 

[HydropoolD&B]

Thanks for that.

So what is the explanation for the same thing not happening to the quality of the other image of the jets?

Here is an export of the same image in the original size and a scaled-down version.

I wouldn't be posting here after hours trying to fix it if I didn't have a problem.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

As far as the 595x485px-image is concerned: 

The problem was not Photoshop, the problem was Preview. 

Why do you even use that application? 

What is the most recent screenshots supposed to demonstrate? 

Please post screenshots that actually show which application they are taken in and include all the pertinent Panels. 

[HydropoolD&B]

I apologise that I am not highly experienced, but it seems that you are trying to reject that I have an issue rather than suggest a solution. 

I can post any screenshots that you need to make a diagnosis - what do you need specifically? When I reduce an image size by CMD+T'ing the move tool and dragging it smaller, it is decreasing the visual quality, making it appear pixelated in photoshop. When I export it, even on the highest export settings, it is exported in the same way.

Previously, I have had times where the image appears pixelated in photoshop while still in the CMD+T move tool, then when I click the check mark, it looks fine. This is no longer happening.

Thanks for your patience

[c.pfaffenbichler]

---

I apologise that I am not highly experienced, but it seems that you are trying to reject that I have an issue rather than suggest a solution. 

---

I am suggesting that you are trying to blame Photoshop for nonsense that Preview is producing.

That images are previewd at lower quality while a transformation has not been confirmed yet is usual, if that is not the case anymore what is the Photoshop > Preferences > General > Image Interpolation setting? 

Please provide meaningful screenshots taken at View > 100% with all pertinent Panels visible of the whole transformation process. 

[HydropoolD&B]

Noted. 

I had tried the image interpolation setting from someone else above - it was on bicubic, then I tried bicubic sharper -- both to no avail.

Thanks

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Please post the requested screenshots – untransformed, transform before confirming, after confirming – so that we can see what you are talking about. 

[D Fosse]

Based on the original screenshot that Hydropool posted above, it can be concluded that there is absolutely nothing wrong here - except the fact that that the image is 595 x 485 pixels. That's an extremely small image, more a thumbnail actually, but you can hardly blame Photoshop for that.

I have scrutinized the image from every angle, and there are no artifacts, no blurring, every single pixel is perfectly defined. In fact, it's an excellent image given the small size! Job well done. Getting small images to look good isn't easy.

Now, if you have a retina screen this will be scaled up in Preview or a web browser. One image pixel is represented by four screen pixels. This is the industry-standard hack to ensure that the same material can be used regardless of the screen technology the user happens to have. So it gets pixelated compared to a high-resolution image displayed at native resolution. Photoshop doesn't do that, it always displays accurately 1:1.