You mean for high quality resizing of images?

If so, programs like PrintPro, VFZoom, and S-Spline are regarded as some of the best.

I read an article comparing the three of these:
Here it is in PDF format: http://www.peimag.com/pdf/pei02/pei0910_02/leepei0910_02.pdf

I suppose it's possible that it would compile for Linux... If you go down that rabbit hole then there's also Zoom

http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~ph/

Rob Mack

Thanks, guys I'll have a look see. I wasn't familiar with any of these resizing tools, haven't needed them for a long while.

Try VF Zoom: http://www.celartem.com/products/vfzoom.html

It ain't pretty, but it works pretty well. Just set up your image first in Photoshop THEN scale it.

You can get a demo download and see if it meets you needs. I only used it a few times. Its simple but effective. Just set to level 5 the default level 0 looks horrible. You can resize 2-3 times with not much loss.

I was very impressed with S-Spline.

Out of curiosity: What does these tools do that up- or downzising (resampling) in PainShop or Photoshop does not?
Tor

The claim is they use a "better" algorithm which may/may not result in better looking, (meaning less blury less pixelated, less distorted) images especially when enlarged to super size.

Photoshop uses tried and true biocubic interpolation. I mentioned VF Zoom assuming SPOT already tried Photoshop and wasn't that happy with the results. It isn't that F Zoom is 'better' rather it may do some jobs differently resulitng in at least a preceived 'better' result. One of those things you really need to try and see. I've got both better and worse results using it depending on the source file. As you know that's the critical element in much of what's discussed here.

Photoshop tip:

Many people make the mistake of resizing in one giant step. That almost always will ruin the image. The right way to do it is in small increments of 5-10% at a time.

ALWAYS work with a lossless file format!

Specifically you open the image then use the resizing tool to increase the image by 10% by setting to 110%. Once done take that resulting image and increase it by 10% and so on until you get to where you want to be. If you're starting with a good source (digital) you can almost always get to 200 even 300% with very little if any loss in quality.

You can automate the process making a action marco. That way you simply keep pressing an assigned function key until you have enlarged as much as you want.

Maybe I'm using the wrong tool to do the resizing (I used the transform commands), but I tested this method some time ago, and I found no difference in the final output when compared to an image that was enlarged in one go.

Have your results been dramatically different?

Have you seen this? It is reputed to be the "best". There is a free version to try out. You can upgrade to a pro version if you wish.

www.imagener.com