Elements 7 won't import large 16-bit tiff files

[jimpete]

<p> Hi, I just got my first scans from photos from the Mamiya 7. I farmed this out and had 4000ppi Scans done with the Nikon Coolscan 9. They are huge 16 bit tiff files (560mb), but this is what I was after so that I could potentially produce some nice large prints with lots of detail (16x20 and larger). I initially only had 1GB of Ram. I upgraded this to 3GB, but Elements still tells me that the files are too large. Any suggestions? Is 3GB good enough for these humongous files? I wonder if I am missing something. I just got Elements 7 also so am quite new to all this stuff. Thanks for any help. Jim</p>

[mendel_leisk]

<p>What are the pixel dimensions (horizontal and vertical) of your image? Also, what's the size of the Mamiya film (in inches). I'm guessing your scans were at 4000 dpi. While this is good for 35mm format, it might be overkill for medium format. If you downsample <strong><em>a copy</em></strong> by say 3200/4000 it will cut your file size down to 64% of original. Downsample by 2000/4000 (half) and your file size will go down to 25% (the math is pretty straightforward on the latter case).</p>

<p>Just FYI, to print something like 16"x20", say at a reasonable 240 printing DPI, the pixel dimensions of your image would need to be:</p>

<p>3840 (16x240) by 4800 (20x240)</p>

<p>If you decide to downsample, the issue still remains: how to downsample, if they're too big to open.</p>

<p>In a pinch, to determine the pixel dimensions of your image (if you can't read them with any editor), and you're on a Windows system:</p>

<p>1. Navigate with Windows Explorer to your image directory.</p>

<p>2. Go to Pulldown View|Choose Details...</p>

<p>3. Tick the box beside "Dimensions" (it's in there, not alphabetical, about 1/2 way down)</p>

[jimpete]

<p>Mendel, Mamiya 7 is 6x7cm format. The pixel dimensions of the scan files are 8964 X 11016.</p>

[bgelfand]

<p>Is there enough scratch disk available?</p>

<p>I cannot find a reference to a maximum file size for Elements, but there must be one. Photoshop CS2 has a limit of 300,000 x 300,000 pixels per image. Elements is written for amateurs, I assume the limit would be less.</p>

[mendel_leisk]

<p>"Mendel, Mamiya 7 is 6x7cm format. The pixel dimensions of the scan files are 8964 X 11016."</p>

<p>So they scanned at 4000 dpi. With the current pixel dimensions you could easily print 32"x40" (double 16x20) with 240DPI printing resolution.</p>

<p>I've scanned 35mm at 5400DPI, with a little cropping, yielding pixel dim's around 7600x5100. FWIW I have no problems opening those, with Photoshop. The file size, and these are tri-color 16 bit tiffs, is around 220MB.</p>

<p>I too suspect you're going to need Photoshop. If you can, open and resample the file, then save a copy. I would suggest a 50% downsample, considering it is medium format.</p>

[bill_rundell1]

<p>Jim,</p>

<p>You are not going to need Photoshop on the account of the file size.<br>

See this link: http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/402/kb402760.html<br>

This Technote from Adobe says that the maximum file size for Elements<br>

is 30,000 x 30,000 pixels. A 6x7 format negative is 2.36" x 2.76".<br>

Thus with the largest likely available scan resolution possible<br>

(9600 dpi) you are within the limits of PSE.<br>

Even a 4"x5" negative can be scanned at 5400dpi and loaded into PSE.</p>

<p>Since you are "new to this stuff", Elements will serve you well until<br>

you gain enough experience to decide if you need to spend the considerable<br>

difference in price for the full Photoshop. Your major limitation will be using<br>

layers with 16bit files - but you can do levels/color balance/tone curve adjustments<br>

all in 16bit within PSE (where the advantage of 16bit will be felt).<br>

Then convert the 16bit tiff to an 8bit file for any further<br>

things that might be involved, for example , layers.</p>

<p>Your likely problem was hinted at by a previous responder.<br>

In addition to RAM you also need swap space and both PS or PSE are real hogs<br>

here since they store a long history of changes to each file - especially with layers<br>

each of which adds the same file dimensions as the original.</p>

<p>In a Linux system one can set the swap size - the traditional lower bound figure is twice<br>

the RAM size, but in a Mac this is dynamically increased as the need arises - it<br>

isn't user-settable in other words but the OS takes care of this for you.<br>

I have NO experience whatsoever with microsoft OS. However, even low<br>

end PCs these days come with 4Gb of RAM, often 6-8Gb, and this is an indication<br>

of the needs for the Windows OS. I don't know how it sets the swap space.</p>

<p>Even with much smaller files (100Mb 16bit tiffs from 35mm scans) my Mac<br>

often uses 5-6Gb of swap. If this wasn't available on disk it would shut down.<br>

As soon as I load one of these files the available space on the hard drive drops by<br>

around 1Gb - not a definite, but some, indication, of the swap being requested by PSE.<br>

I can only imagine what would be needed for 500MB files.</p>

<p>I thus suspect that your computer system is the issue and perhaps some technical<br>

help here is what is required. Maybe another responder can better address this issue.</p>

<p>if you are going to downsize the files then you would be much better off with a 35mm<br>

system - it's pre-downsized! There is no need, enjoy the medium format advantages<br>

that you have,<br>

but you might be in the market for a computer if your current one originally only came with 1Gb<br>

RAM - it will likely be torturously slow with these large files.</p>