Digital Imaging Guidelines
for Inserting Graphics into PowerPoint
Raw images from many 1 megapixel digital cameras (or better)
will lead to unnecessarily large image file sizes which are unsuitable for
insertion into MS PowerPoint. The
presentations tend to “lock-up” machines and/or take an inordinate amount
of time to open. The 3 rule-of-thumb
guidelines will help immensely. Many
cameras can be preset to meet these guidelines and virtually all digital images
can be resized to meet them as well.
- File
format should be .jpg (.jpeg) scanned at no more than 200-300 dpi, the “Normal”
setting on most digital cameras. Your computer monitor will not render better than 96 dpi and
200-300 dpi is just fine for print as well.
- Re the
dimensional size L x W: the larger of the 2 dimensions should be no larger
than 500 pixels (if the dimensions are given in inches there is usually a
choice to convert pixels). Most
graphics editors (Adobe Photoshop, MS Photo Editor, etc…) will have a
proportional lock feature so when a dimension is resized the other
dimension will be proportionally resized.
- No
single image should be more than 500 KB.
Quick review
- format and resolution: .jpg @ 200-300 dpi
- dimensional size: largest dimension < or = 500 pixels
- file
size : < or = 500 KB
Also, many digital cameras will take 40 second movie clips
usually in a .mov or .avi format.
Please, purchase Quicktime Pro (or a similar product) and convert these
files to the .mpeg format.
A good discussion on the subject of digital photography
and imaging is in the September 2000 issue of Popular Photography.