WAY OT: Getting High-Res from PDF

mjroddy wrote on 11/13/2007, 10:47 AM
I have a series of PDF files that I need to grab the graphics from.
On the PDF, I can zoom in 1000% (yes, 1000!) and the image remains sharp, so I'm guessing either the images are insanely large, or somehow they've put vector images into the PDF (what I don't know about PDF would fill volumes!).
I need to get the images in the largest size possible, say, 2-4K or so.
The only way I know to grab an image from a PDF is to hit Print Screen to copy your desktop to the Clipboard, take that into an image editor (I use Corel PhotoPaint) and crop away what you don't want. Since my max resolutin is 1900x1200 on my best monitor, that's the best resolution I could ever hope for.
Is there a way to get better.

Thanks very much!

Oh... and I tried to open the file directly in Corel, but the PDFs seem to be "locked." I did purchase the rights to use the PDF files, but they're desigend to be printed, not used as digital media, like I'm doing. I've got an email in to the artist to see if I can get the password to unlock the PDFs, but so far, he's not replied.

Comments

Grazie wrote on 11/13/2007, 10:59 AM
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?ForumID=4&MessageID=558722Did this 2 weeks back. [/link] Could be relevant.

Grazie
farss wrote on 11/13/2007, 11:11 AM
Can you normally open PDFs in Corel?
I'm not a Corel user so I'm wondering if the problem is with a Corel limitation or with the DRM in the PDF. I can drop a PDF into PS and it opens it just fine. It'll ask what res to raster it at.
PDFs mostly use vector images, that's how you're able to zoom in so far.

Bob.
JackW wrote on 11/13/2007, 11:19 AM
Like Grazie, I use PaintShop Pro too. Used its Screen Capture utility yesterday to capture a client's logo from a PDF file. This produced a very clean, high resolution image.

The method Grazie diescribe in his earlier posting is even more elegant. I didn't realize the Adobe reader would allow material to be pasted onto the clipboard.

Jack
rs170a wrote on 11/13/2007, 11:26 AM
Bob, this usually works but not all the time.
Try doing it with a Sony manual and you get the message
"Photoshop requires this document's master password to open it.
Enter Master Password."

Mike
kentwolf wrote on 11/13/2007, 11:29 AM
I am pretty sure you can open a PDF in Photoshop.

If so, could you just not open it in Photoshop, crop, then save As whatever needed?
kentwolf wrote on 11/13/2007, 11:29 AM
I am pretty sure you can open a PDF in Photoshop.

If so, could you just not open it in Photoshop, crop, then save As whatever needed?
farss wrote on 11/13/2007, 11:57 AM
You can (unless the PDF has DRM, then you need the password) except mj don't have PS!

Bob.
Laurence wrote on 11/13/2007, 1:55 PM
I can import some PDFs in Photoshop, but not all, even if they are not DRM protected.
mjroddy wrote on 11/13/2007, 3:32 PM
I have a copy of Photoshop (CS2) here at work. Tried the PDF there, but got the same hassles for that doggon password.
I'll try the other potential work-arounds, but it looks like I'm stuck being patinet until the company I bought the CD from decide to get back ahold of me.

Thanks for the replies!
logiquem wrote on 11/13/2007, 6:06 PM
i use Pdf image extraction wizard (small freeware) to extract every bitmaps in it's original resolution.
Jim H wrote on 11/13/2007, 9:50 PM
When you zoom in can you pan across the image? If so, take many zoomed in snapshots of the image at the resolution you want and just trim and assemble them in photshop. I've used this technique to get really large maps off of Google map.
mjroddy wrote on 11/14/2007, 9:04 AM
logiquem - thanks! I'll try that!

Jim H - that's a good idea that I never thought of.
Unfortunately for me, I purchased a series of "models" and each model has between 10 and 20 parts. And there are 43 models. So stiching together that many images is more work than I was wanting to do for this project.
But it's an option i hadn't considered and might do in a pinch (if the artist continues to ignore me - now that he has my money).

Thanks much!