All photo slideshow, best workflow/image sizing

westlight · Post by **westlight** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 11:50 pm

I'm using VS12 and would like to make a slideshow which would include transitions and panning, no audio.

In most cases I will want to show the entire image, 35mm format but some will be cropped to fit the proportions of a wide screen TV or have been shot in a panoramic format. Having the black boarders on the non-cropped images is not an issue.

I will be starting with images at a resolution in most cases of 4256 x 2832 at 300 ppi.

So.... In Photoshop I plan to re-size the images down to 72 ppi, re-profile the images to Adobe sRGB (from Adobe 1998) and save them as a .tif

In VS12 I have the following set as my project preferences.
NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps
Frame-based
(MPEG-2), 16:9

The only use of this slideshow is to run continuously on a DVD in my galleries storefront window. Quality of the images is most important.

Any suggestions/changes, etc...? The sample I did seems very nice but I'm open to and appreciate suggestions or corrections in my settings. Anything I should be aware of in the DVD burning process?

Thanks! David
West Light Images

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 12:09 am

Dependant upon the amount of time and effort you have available,
Firstly I would employ a Ken Burns Effect to your images>

Link 1
Link 2
Link 3

If you find it necessary to resize your images (I mostly use the images straight off the SD card) then the suggested sizes are here:
What dimensions etc should I use for still images in Videos?

Post by **Ron P.** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 12:23 am

Welcome back David..

You have the most impressive work I've seen!!!

Is your widescreen TV an HD TV? If so have you thought about producing a Hi-Def video to display? You could try using the following:
MPEG files
24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 29.97 fps
Frame Based
(MPEG-2), 16:9
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 10653 kbps)

In order to set that up, in the Share>Create Video File step, you need to first choose Custom. Then file type MPEG. Next press Options, and in the dialog that opens go first to the Compression tab and change it from NTSC DVD to MPEG-2. Next go to the General tab, and change the frame size to 1920 x 1080. Data Track -Video only, Frame Type-Frame Based.

I think a Hi-Def video would do more justice to your work..

westlight · Post by **westlight** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 2:19 am

Hi guys! As always thank you for your help...and for the compliments on my photography!

Sorry I could not find the links you posted when I did some searching before I posted this question. That is the info I was after and knew had been covered previously.

When I did the first slideshow the images seemed very pixelated, but I had also included some HD video making things a bit more complicated. I had left the images at 300ppi also which from one post I read was perhaps not the best idea. That's why I re-sized them to 72 ppi.

One post suggested 96 ppi but I did not understand the reasoning behind that suggestion. I did use the frame based setting this time on the most recent test instead of the Upper Field First, which is what my HD video required.

I have been using the "Ken Burns" effect which brings up a question. Is it possible to change the ratios of the viewable image while panning and or zooming? I was thinking of perhaps starting with a narrow horizontal slice of a shot then as I zoom out having it become full frame.

I have to get a new TV just for the galleries front window so HD will be on the shopping list.

Take care! David

Post by **Ron P.** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 2:41 am

It's not possible to change the ratio in the pan/zoom. However you can probably achieve the same effect by using the crop filter and pan/zoom. Your image will need to be in an overlay track, so you can Chroma-key out the black border/mask applied by the crop filter.

I played around with this using the crop filter size of 100% Height and 33% width on the first key-frame. The last key frame was 100% for both. Then I used a left to right pan.

erdna · Post by **erdna** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 11:51 am

If image quality is an issue, create yr slideshow on an AVCHD disk, and play it back from your PC (using a SW player for avchd) or on a BD player connected to a fullHD TV. So much better...
FYI ppi is not an issue in this context.

westlight · Post by **westlight** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 9:59 pm

Thanks erdna. I didn't know if VideoStudio re-sampled, the larger files, 30-100 megs, down and if so would Photoshop would do a better job which was why I wondered about the .ppi. As mentioned in the original post I had read a few different suggestions/opinions on this forum.

Guess I'll find out!

westlight · Post by **westlight** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 7:07 pm

I'm getting some blotchy images, especially during panning "Ken Burns" effect and during cross-fade transitions. Also, images with a lot of detail, like in a forest with bright fall foliage, seem very "pixelated". Here's a sample image, NOT at the size used for the slideshow. http://westlightimages.com/gallery/new_images.htm#15

So, I've purchased a new 40" HDTV to place in the window of my gallery to display the HD slideshow of the selected still images as described previously. The slideshow is being run off a flash drive via a HDMI cable. I've tried a few different settings for this, including the one Ron suggested.

MPEG files
24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 29.97 fps
Frame Based
(MPEG-2), 16:9
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 10653 kbps)

I've tried using images at 72ppi and 300ppi, even though I've read differing opinions on if this matters, and all are .tif's saved in a srgb color profile. The colors are fine it's more the issue with the panning and transitions that I'm questioning.

Is this just the nature of the beast regarding panning/zooming and transitions?

westlight · Post by **westlight** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 7:45 pm

I just came upon a new answer to an older post which Ron gave some hopefully helpful info as I've yet to try it. That was to un-check the anti-flicker option.

With fingers crossed I'll give it a try.