Uploading Quality Still Images to Facebook

[CJG]

Does anyone have any tips for getting the best possible image quality when uploading to Facebook?

I find it very hit & miss: quality sometimes good and sharp, but other times quite the opposite.

I have settled at the moment at an image size of no more than 2048 pixels on the long edge and 75% compression jpegs, but I am still not happy I am getting the best images on FB.

Strangely enough, an image uploaded to FB through my laptop seems to display at a better quality than the same image uploaded via iPhone or iPad.....weird

 

[Kilrah]

Correct, you need exactly 2048px if you don't want FB to resize the large image, obviously with best JPEG compression (100%).

You need to upload from a computer, mobile app always resizes and reprocesses before uploading, probably assuming people have limited data plans.
FB images are poor in any case. Just imagine the amount of storage they must need for the millions of pictures posted every day, they compress quite a bit to save some.

Use a photo-centric platform like flickr if you really want to post good quality images. I tend to post the 2048 photo on FB (becasue that's needed to tag/mention poeple, better publicised by FB etc) but with a link to it on flickr in the desciption.

 

[CJG]

Correct, you need exactly 2048px if you don't want FB to resize the large image, obviously with best JPEG compression (100%).

You need to upload from a computer, mobile app always resizes and reprocesses before uploading, probably assuming people have limited data plans.
FB images are poor in any case. Just imagine the amount of storage they must need for the millions of pictures posted every day, they compress quite a bit to save some.

Use a photo-centric platform like flickr if you really want to post good quality images. I tend to post the 2048 photo on FB (becasue that's needed to tag/mention poeple, better publicised by FB etc) but with a link to it on flickr in the desciption.

Great advice: thanks for this

 

[Kilrah]

Another note: Most viewers don't care a single bit anyway, average people on facebook/instagram don't even see if the quality is mediocre or good, and people who do notice the bad quality already know to recognise when it's becasue of FB and not the photographer's skills.

That's why there are other sites specifically for photography, when I want to see good photos I go browse on Flickr.

 

[CJG]

Another note: Most viewers don't care a single bit anyway, average people on facebook/instagram don't even see if the quality is mediocre or good, and people who do notice the bad quality already know to recognise when it's becasue of FB and not the photographer's skills.

That's why there are other sites specifically for photography, when I want to see good photos I go browse on Flickr.

That’s true: but I am a member of a Facebook Photography group and I just want to do the best I can within this format. After post-processing in Lightroom, I have got into the habit now of exporting one top quality image into Apple Photos and a 2048/75% version into Facebook

 

[Kilrah]

Don't know why you'd use 75% quality... Knowing they'll recompress anyway you want it to be from the best possible source, not something that's already degraded.

 

[CJG]

Don't know why you'd use 75% quality... Knowing they'll recompress anyway you want it to be from the best possible source, not something that's already degraded.

All I can say is that 100% jpeg was ruined; 75% less so.....but I will keep on experimenting!!

 

[Kilrah]

OK interesting, maybe they have some filesize threshold as well...
Back then you could find articles mentioning all that, it changes regularly so you might want to check for such current resources, might be some.

 

[KAOS Imagery]

As mentioned by Kilrah, I upload 2048 px on the long side, 72 dpi at 100% quality and have pretty good results. Also use sRGB color space. For some reason, the color looks a little less vibrant and the overall exposure is slightly darker when the image is on FB than it looks in Lightroom. I compensate for that. Sometimes I will upload the image to my own page and set it so only I can see it - as a test to see how it will display - and then I can adjust as necessary before posting in a group.

All the images look great on a tablet or phone...I use a 32" monitor for editing, and viewing the image on FB on the 32 I can see the compression.