Photo CD

The Photo CD (pcd) format created by Eastman Kodak is a high quality multi-resolution format that can be accessed by most computers with CD capability. The "Image Pac" of resolutions available in the pcd format allows one scan to provide images for a wide variety of uses. One Photo CD holds up to 100 images and with minimal protection will provide many years of usage.

When your photographs are placed onto Photo CD by CIDDE Photography they are actually put into an "Image Pac" that contains five uniquely formatted resolutions of each of your images. The resolutions are as follows:

Cropping Sample

ALL PARTS OF SAMPLE WERE CROPPED TO 5X7 AT 300 RESOLUTION

Thumbnail used for selecting and previewing your Photo CD images, very low resolution (Base/16, 128x192 pixels).
Snapshot used for low-resolution image manipulation. Works well for pre-press "for placement only" files and for quick printer output. (Base/4,256x384 pixels).
TV-compatible a moderate resolution image which will work well for many needs, especially viewing on a television or computer monitor. This file also works well with many 300 dpi color printers.(Base,512x768 pixels).
Higher resolution works well on HDTV and is good for image manipulation and output on 600 dpi and higher color printers. (Base x 4, 1024x1536pixels).
Full detail photographic quality image best suited for output on high-end color printers, photo imagers, and image setters. (Base x16, 2048x3072 pixels).

With applications such as Adobe Photoshop, you can change these images in virtually any way to fit your particular need. Restoring old photographs, placing people in pictures, or removing unwanted items is just the beginning of what you can do with your photos.

We suggest you experiment to find the best resolution for your needs. For further information or assistance, contact:

Mary Jane Bent
mjbent@pitt.edu
A-114 Information Science Building (IS)
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Department Main Number (412) 648-9870