Can someone check to see if iMessage compresses photos/videos yet?

[richwoodrocket]

Can someone check to see if iMessage compresses photos/videos yet?

Why?

Because screenshots or images with text are actually readable. Sending a wallpaper would therefore compress it, making it not fit correctly on an iphone screen. What if I want to take that picture from my iPhone, save it to my camera roll and add it to my photo library on my computer. I want full resolution there for obvious reasons.
Re downloading, if you don't get the notification until it's finished downloading, then why is it a problem?

 

[C DM]

Why?

----------



You don't see it downloading, you only get the notification once it's downloaded.

As mentioned a number of times before in reply to this same question, because people use photos differently and many will save these photos and transfer them and would want them to be in the best quality that they can be, as they would for photos taken by their phone directly, for example.

 

[jhtrico1850]

I prefer full quality resolution too. I hated Android, and getting cropped photos that look fine, but terrible when printed, or small when posted on Facebook.

Yes your data/data plan sucks, but most people's don't. If it's that big a deal, why don't you download a resizing app?

 

[Siderz]

Because screenshots or images with text are actually readable. Sending a wallpaper would therefore compress it, making it not fit correctly on an iphone screen. What if I want to take that picture from my iPhone, save it to my camera roll and add it to my photo library on my computer. I want full resolution there for obvious reasons.
Re downloading, if you don't get the notification until it's finished downloading, then why is it a problem?

Compression ≠ changing the aspect ratio. Also, compression ≠ awful quality.

Let's take a look at these two pics which were sent between me and my brother about Starbucks cards. The one without circles is straight from iMessage, all the way from San Jose. 3.1MB. The one with circles, which I sent back, is 229KB. Is there really a big difference?

Now let's try one which is less noisy and with more detail/clarity.

I added a blue dot to the compressed one. 1.67MB uncompressed, 328KB uncompressed. Is there much of a difference? Not unless you zoom in, whereby I feel like if you need the best quality when zooming in then that's where something like AirDrop, iCloud Drive/Mail Drop comes in.

Re downloading, if you don't get the notification until it's finished downloading, then why is it a problem?

Edit: and about the notification, it's not about waiting, it's that I could receive the pic sooner.

 

[Siderz]

If it's that big a deal, why don't you download a resizing app?

Why should I need a separate app? Furthermore, why should I persuade everyone who sends me photos to download a separate app?

What would work best is if you could choose in the settings to send/receive compressed or uncompressed.

 

[C DM]

Why should I need a separate app? Furthermore, why should I persuade everyone who sends me photos to download a separate app?

What would work best is if you could choose in the settings to send/receive compressed or uncompressed.

Yes. Something like that would be better for those that might want to use it. None of us here can make that happen though. That's pretty much all there's to it.

 

[Siderz]

Yes. Something like that would be better for those that might want to use it. None of us here can make that happen though. That's pretty much all there's to it.

Well there's the Apple feedback page - http://www.apple.com/feedback/ - and I've sent many things there, but I doubt they have people reading every single submission.

 

[C DM]

Well there's the Apple feedback page - http://www.apple.com/feedback/ - and I've sent many things there, but I doubt they have people reading every single submission.

Yup, there's certainly that. But, that too is outside of anything or anyone here, and no one can really say how well it works (or even if it works at all realistically speaking).

 

[sumsingwong]

Can someone check to see if iMessage compresses photos/videos yet?

Why don't you just create a photo stream and put all the photos you want to share in it then invite who ever you want to see that photo stream. I don't think photo stream uses storage space from your iCloud account. Then they will have access to uncompressed files.

 

[Siderz]

Why don't you just create a photo stream and put all the photos you want to share in it then invite who ever you want to see that photo stream. I don't think photo stream uses storage space from your iCloud account. Then they will have access to uncompressed files.

Yeah we've been doing that but there are pictures which just don't need to be in a PhotoStream and may as well be sent as a message.

Shared PhotoStream and the regular PhotoStream compresses photos by the way. Weird they want to keep iMessage photos uncompressed but PhotoStream compressed?

 

[cynics]

iMessage compresses across cellular, not wifi. So anyone that test it make sure one device is on cellular.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4956/apple-ios-5-review/3

Unless it's changed. Doubt it though.

I hate compression on photos. It's literally destroyed, and can not be repair to its original. Run it through various means of compression enough times and they will look bad regardless of screen size. Ever google image search and find what your looking for to not be able to read the text? Thank compression.

Personally if I get a picture I want a photo copy (quite literally). Then if I have a problem beyond that that requires compression I'll do it myself. Because like I said, once it's compressed it compressed.

That said, I have no problem with being given the option to RECEIVE a compressed version. I don't like the idea of being able to send compressed though because people that don't know better would leave it on constantly degrading photos.

 

[Siderz]

iMessage compresses across cellular, not wifi. So anyone that test it make sure one device is on cellular.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4956/apple-ios-5-review/3

Unless it's changed. Doubt it though.

I hate compression on photos. It's literally destroyed, and can not be repair to its original. Run it through various means of compression enough times and they will look bad regardless of screen size. Ever google image search and find what your looking for to not be able to read the text? Thank compression.

Personally if I get a picture I want a photo copy (quite literally). Then if I have a problem beyond that that requires compression I'll do it myself. Because like I said, once it's compressed it compressed.

That said, I have no problem with being given the option to RECEIVE a compressed version. I don't like the idea of being able to send compressed though because people that don't know better would leave it on constantly degrading photos.

You have the wrong idea of compression. Just because something has been "compressed", it does not mean it looks horrible, look at the examples I posted above.

 

[jskjaeveland]

Not to be rude or anything but on my iPad your compressed photos looks horrible.

Your are correct when you state that compression does not necessarily mean bad quality, but for print, as people mention in this thread, it does make a lot of difference. Meaning: compressed photos should never be used for print.

Also, I am curious of your data plan if this matters this much to you? I have 8GB of free data per month, or more than 2500 photos at 3MB per photo.

 

[sumsingwong]

When taking a photo on the stock camera app, the image is already being compressed to a lossy JPG file. If you want lossless/uncompressed images, use a camera app that allows you to captured images in lossless TIFF uncompressed or LZW lossless compression. Personally, I use 645 Pro app if I want lossless TIFF or LZW lossless compressed images. Keep in mind, these image file sizes will be A LOT larger. Here's a sample image I took uncompressed TIFF.

This is the exif data. Notice the file size.

ApertureValue: 2.275007206687806
BrightnessValue: 7.159561510353228
DateTimeDigitized: 2014:06:07 17:19:14
DateTimeOriginal: 2014:06:07 17:19:14
DigitalZoomRatio: 1
ExposureMode: Auto
ExposureProgram: Normal
ExposureTime: 0.002267573696145125
FNumber: 2.2
Flash: Off, Did not fire
FocalLenIn35mmFilm: 29
FocalLength: 0.99
ISOSpeedRatings: 32
LensMake: Apple
LensModel: iPhone 5s back camera 0.99mm f/2.2
LensSpecification: 0.99,0.99,2.2,2.2
MeteringMode: Spot
PixelXDimension: 3264
PixelYDimension: 2448
SceneType: Directly Photographed
SensingMethod: One-chip color area
ShutterSpeedValue: 8.785
WhiteBalance: Auto
DateCreated: 20140607
DigitalCreationDate: 20140607
DigitalCreationTime: 171914
TimeCreated: 171914
Compression: Uncompressed
Make: Jag.gr
Model: 645 PRO Mk II for Apple iPhone 5s
Orientation: Up
PhotometricInterpretation: RGB
ResolutionUnit: Inches
Software: 3.70, unprocessed
XResolution: 300
YResolution: 300
PixelWidth: 3264
PixelHeight: 2448
FileSize: 22.8638 MB

I attempted to send this file through iMessage using both WiFi and cell. Unfortunately, both times, the image was compressed down to less than 2MB.

 

[Siderz]

Not to be rude or anything but on my iPad your compressed photos looks horrible.

Your are correct when you state that compression does not necessarily mean bad quality, but for print, as people mention in this thread, it does make a lot of difference. Meaning: compressed photos should never be used for print.

Also, I am curious of your data plan if this matters this much to you? I have 8GB of free data per month, or more than 2500 photos at 3MB per photo.

That's not rude, but they look fine on my iPad, I'll have a bash at posting more examples if anyone wants. The first two I posted were noisy in the first place, good example of where you wouldn't really need to have such a high quality photo anyway.

I feel like if you want to print photos then iMessage really shouldn't be the method of doing so, iMessage just seems to me as an informal service, not something to get your photographer to beam pics back to you for printing.

I get 1GB/month over 4G but that's not really my biggest issue. Part of "Other" is the huge images sent over iMessage, it's a waste of space, a waste of my iCloud storage, unnecessary, redundant, inefficient.

I don't want awful JPEG artefacts, I just don't want photos that are megabytes in size.

Also wanted to share this vid, not aimed at anybody, but I thought it was relevant:

----------

When taking a photo on the stock camera app, the image is already being compressed to a lossy JPG file.

Well yeah, I know it's already compressed, I mean uncompressed from the camera roll. When you send a pic over iMessage then it's uncompressed from the camera roll, I don't mean it's a raw file or something.

 

[RTWG]

I think it's silly to be sending full resolution files to a tiny screen...if you want it high res, send it over AirDrop, why does AirDrop even exist?

Like many people, I don't just use iMessage on my iPhone. I use it on my Retina display iPad and my 27" iMac, so yeah I want the original file because broadband/mobile-data is fast and storage is cheap.

 

[Siderz]

Like many people, I don't just use iMessage on my iPhone. I use it on my Retina display iPad and my 27" iMac, so yeah I want the original file because broadband/mobile-data is fast and storage is cheap.

I use it on my iPad and iMac as well, how often do you receive a picture and decide to zoom in and look at the fine details?

 

[RTWG]

I use it on my iPad and iMac as well, how often do you receive a picture and decide to zoom in and look at the fine details?

All the time! I imagine a lot of people do too.

 

[Siderz]

All the time! I imagine a lot of people do too.

Not if it's a nonchalant pic of my friend's morning coffee at ~3MB, or that grainy image of those Starbucks cards.

I'll be honest though I'm fine with getting the full size pic on my iMac, it's just my iPhone/iPad which I'd rather were compressed.

Edit: Bringing up PhotoStream again, isn't it weird that PhotoStream is compressed but iMessage isn't? Everyone here seems to want uncompressed iMessage photos but what about PhotoStream? It ought to be reversed IMO.

 

[cynics]

You have the wrong idea of compression. Just because something has been "compressed", it does not mean it looks horrible, look at the examples I posted above.

I'm on my 27" iMac so thats not a very fair comparison for me. And I'll admit your example looks pretty good. However I can see the difference (I can read "when you used up your card....etc" by the starbucks card on the original, its a blur on the compressed. And reading the "San Dose Stat" on the first blue and yellow sign on the original which is also a blur on the compressed.


For most I'm probably nitpicking but that is what my problem is with compression (which like mention of a photo thats already applying compression). Detail is forever lost. And take real world variables into account (mostly being a picture that was taken poorly to begin with) it only gets worse.

 

[Siderz]

For most I'm probably nitpicking but that is what my problem is with compression (which like mention of a photo thats already applying compression). Detail is forever lost. And take real world variables into account (mostly being a picture that was taken poorly to begin with) it only gets worse.

That is a bit nitpicky, the idea is that irrelevant fine details are removed but the rest of the general picture stays intact; you can still see the Starbucks cards on the table, the outline of a MacBook, feet and sandals; you can still see the alleyway, palm trees, and wall etching.

The point is, I just think Apple needs better ways of saving storage and being more efficient, a lot of people complain about "Other" on their iPhones, I wouldn't mind betting a lot of that is from pictures sent over iMessage. Another thing is that you can't even see a full list of photos sent over iMessage, you have to keep clicking that "Load earlier messages" button, once a photo is a certain age old it becomes irrelevant to current conversations and is just a waste of space. They've added a button to delete all photos from separate threads but that doesn't solve all issues and that'll delete relevant photos.

 

[C DM]

I use it on my iPad and iMac as well, how often do you receive a picture and decide to zoom in and look at the fine details?

I often do to see people's faces better or something else that's on the photo as with photos that have more than like one or two things you can't fully make out some things on a small screen and often zoom in on some part. Certainly wouldn't want it to be more pixelated or blurry when I do it.

 

[SanjeevRana]

As far as I can remember from the keynote, iCloud Photos (the new Drive integration) will be all full resolution, no compression anywhere ... so yes Apple will go full unCompressed with photos and videos ... its clearly evident

 

[jmantn]

Well this is so annoying, I expect <300KB if it's going to be sent over the Internet as a message. I don't know what their game could be not compressing photos but I think everyone is losing out.

I could not disagree more. I would be pretty unhappy if iMessage compressed a pic or vid that much.

Sure possibly offer the option for those without unlimited data but in no way shape or form would I and a lot of other people want low red pics or vids being sent. If I want low red I'll use a social media app

 

[Siderz]

I could not disagree more. I would be pretty unhappy if iMessage compressed a pic or vid that much.

If I want low red I'll use a social media app

You've got the wrong idea of compression as well. 300KB ≠ resolution change, see the pics I posted, the top ones went from 3.1MB to less than 300KB, it doesn't look "that much" different.