# How can I do a 100% crop in Lightroom?



## terribilino (Jun 20, 2008)

This is embarassing, because I know there must be something basic I'm missing.  

If I hit 1:1 in the navigator window, the picture zooms in to 1:1.  Fine.

Now I want to take a crop sample at 1:1.  But when I hit the crop icon, it zooms back out to the full shot.  

Can someone clue me in?  How can I get a crop from 1:1?


----------



## Denis Pagé (Jun 20, 2008)

terribilino;16'53 said:
			
		

> This is embarassing, because I know there must be something basic I'm missing.
> 
> If I hit 1:1 in the navigator window, the picture zooms in to 1:1. Fine.
> 
> ...


This is sad to say but you do have to use a picture small enough to fit on screen at 1:1 or a monitor large enough to handle your big picture... :(


----------



## stasber (Jun 20, 2008)

The mystery of 1:1 cropping has evaded me too. Thanks for the thread - subscribed (and watching!)


----------



## davidmknoble (Jun 20, 2008)

What are you trying to accomplish with a crop using the 1:1 view?  Is it a certain portion of the picture you want to crop, or are you trying to crop using the existing image size as a guide?

Maybe there is a workaround for what you are trying to do.


----------



## Mark Sirota (Jun 20, 2008)

You just crop around whatever part of the picture you want, then don't check the resize box on Export.

If you're trying to do a 1:1 crop at a particular pixel dimension (e.g. a 2''x2'' pixel area), you can't easily do that.  But if you're not particular about your precise pixel dimensions, it's easy.


----------



## Brad Snyder (Jun 20, 2008)

I think the OP's issue here is that he'd like to be able to actually see the image at 1:1 while performing the crop. In my experience, you can't crop in zoom view, and you can't zoom in crop mode. The two seem mutually exclusive. 

I don't think he was concerned with ratios or dimensions, or pixel counts. He just wanted a precision view. IMHO


----------



## Denis de Gannes (Jun 21, 2008)

If you crop in Develop Module then zoom to 1:1 you only see the cropped portion of the image. As Marc says if you then export without resizing you will get the cropped portion at full resolution.
If you then open exported file in a pixel editor like PS and view at actual pixels then its a 1:1 view.


----------



## Mark Sirota (Jun 21, 2008)

Ah, you may well be right about that, Brad.

If so, terribilino, please submit a feature request!


----------



## stasber (Jun 21, 2008)

I think we're getting to the issue and it looks like a feature request to me too..

What's in my mind, is, you go to a site like for example DPReview or some such, which conduct comparisons - and they have a 1:1 crop of an image which allow you to see the detail at actual size: it seems that LR doesn't allow you to do that in the same precise way. The best we can do at the mo is crop a section, export it without size restriction and hope for the best - trial & error, see what size your crop comes out at.

I'd like to be able to do this so that I can see the quality of my own pics actual size, with sharpening or NR applied in various ways. What's great on the screen in LR mostly isn't the same exported, nor in print.

I don't want to keep having to export full size images for it then zooming in. Likewise I don't want to output a random size crop. A square of 4''x4'' pix would suffice.


----------



## MMarz (Jun 23, 2008)

I've wondered how to do this myself...

So if you crop an image, then export without resize what you get is a 1:1 image of an unknown size...this I understand.  So what if at this point you want to resize to either be consistent in comparing 1:1's or to meet a sites upload parameters...how would do this??  Crop, export again?  Seems hit or miss...


----------



## Denis Pagé (Jun 23, 2008)

stasber;16'75 said:
			
		

> ...The best we can do at the mo is crop a section, export it without size restriction and hope for the best - trial & error, see what size your crop comes out at...
> 
> ... Likewise I don't want to output a random size crop. A square of 4''x4'' pix would suffice.


OK Stas. I may be wrong here but what I see is that you think that Lightroom can crop at a given "size". It doesn't work that way!

When cropping, Lightroom use ratios and do not care about the "size". For example: If you crop at a ratio of 4 x 6, this mean to Lightroom 4 units wide or tall by 6 units tall or wide and only you know what the "units" will be at export time. Requests were made to remove such "duplicate" crop ratios _(4 x 6 = 2 x 3)_ because this make newbies think these are inches...

Another example: For a final image 4'' x 4'' pixels; Crop with a ratio of 1 x 1 _("units" remember?)_ and then export with a constraint of 4'' pixels.


----------



## stasber (Jun 23, 2008)

Denis Pagé said:


> OK Stas. I may be wrong here but what I see is that you think that Lightroom can crop at a given "size". It doesn't work that way!
> 
> When cropping, Lightroom use ratios and do not care about the "size". For example: If you crop at a ratio of 4 x 6, this mean to Lightroom 4 units wide or tall by 6 units tall or wide and only you know what the "units" will be at export time. Requests were made to remove such "duplicate" crop ratios _(4 x 6 = 2 x 3)_ because this make newbies think these are inches...
> 
> Another example: For a final image 4'' x 4'' pixels; Crop with a ratio of 1 x 1 _("units" remember?)_ and then export with a constraint of 4'' pixels.



Hi Denis - you're quite right that LR uses aspect ratios and no I don't think that LR can crop at a given size.

And therein lies the problem. Your "another" example will not produce an actual size final image but one constrained to fit within the 4'' pix regardless of the physical size of the area you cropped.

Try something for me - pick an image you took, I'd like to see an actual size sample from it if you don't mind - so that one pixel of final image is one pixel from the source image; actual or real size. For the sake of convenience make it 4'' pix square.

And use only LR to achieve this.


----------



## Denis Pagé (Jun 24, 2008)

stasber said:


> Try something for me - pick an image you took, I'd like to see an actual size sample from it if you don't mind - so that one pixel of final image is one pixel from the source image; actual or real size. For the sake of convenience make it 4'' pix square.
> 
> And use only LR to achieve this.


AH! I now see what you mean. I have to go out at the moment... Will follow the thread as there are no messages on this board that I did not read... 8)


----------



## stasber (Jun 24, 2008)

Denis Pagé said:


> AH! I now see what you mean. I have to go out at the moment... Will follow the thread as there are no messages on this board that I did not read... 8)


Haha, bingo! We all like the advice we give but asked for a challenge & suddenly it's 'how the hell...' :cheesy: Yup that's the issue.. can't do it in LR as far as I know anyway!!  Cheers.


----------



## Denis Pagé (Jun 24, 2008)

stasber said:


> Haha, bingo! We all like the advice we give but asked for a challenge & suddenly it's 'how the hell...' :cheesy: Yup that's the issue.. can't do it in LR as far as I know anyway!!  Cheers.


Had to go out to talk to St.Peter. Now back from hell... 

What I wonder now is simply "why one would want to do that?". Answering to myself, I expect an answer telling me that one is afraid about resampling. Another possibility is that the images to be cropped with an absolute need to avoid resampling are astronomical images or similar scientific images. Those must never be resampled as you then loose the ability to make good measurements on the data. But as long as Lightroom doesn't have the ability to substract a mean of dark images taken at same temperature and exposure time from the original  and then multiply by and equally illuminated "white" image, Lightroom is not the right tool to do that kind of work.

So I am back on the why do you want to do so? I am very interested in the answer; Really! I did not even tryed as I just do not see how Lightroom can do so. That may be a good feature request but the "why", I am very interested in!  _(Astronomer talking here) :idea:_


----------



## stasber (Jun 24, 2008)

I'm not a scientist, so my needs wouldn't be quite as scientific perhaps :cheesy:

However, from my earlier post:



			
				stasber;16'75 said:
			
		

> I'd like to be able to do this so that I can see the quality of my own pics actual size, with sharpening or NR applied in various ways. What's great on the screen in LR mostly isn't the same exported, nor in print.
> 
> I don't want to keep having to export full size images for it then zooming in. Likewise I don't want to output a random size crop. A square of 4''x4'' pix would suffice.



With all the goodness that LR comes packed with, I'm still not "delighted" with the results on the whole and I'm sure that, it in part at least, comes down to my own processing skills or lack thereof


----------



## brentj (Jun 24, 2008)

Denis Pagé said:


> So I am back on the why do you want to do so? I am very interested in the answer; Really! I did not even tryed as I just do not see how Lightroom can do so. That may be a good feature request but the "why", I am very interested in!  _(Astronomer talking here) :idea:_


 
Because as you peruse various online photography forums you will see that pixel peepers require "1''% crops" of images to determine the quality of the image and/or equipment.

I guess, as stasber points out, viewing at 1''% in LR is not the same as viewing an exported file at 1''% (although as a new user to LR I'm not totally sure why).

It is not a feature that I have ever needed, but it see it used all the time on various internet forums.


----------



## Bruce J (Jun 24, 2008)

Here's another possible use:

I've often wanted to do exactly what the OP suggests so that I can evaluate camera/lens combinations in the print.  I like to take small sections of images (typically center and corner) taken at different apertures and print them at various sizes w/o any re-sampling by the software.  This allows me to develop a range of workable apertures for each lens at various zoom settings.  Very useful if image sharpness is critical.  Difficult to do in LR w/o a lot of manual calculations.


----------



## Mark Sirota (Jun 24, 2008)

It's very easy to do if your precise pixel dimensions and exact edge placement are not important.  That's the only piece that's difficult.


----------



## stasber (Jun 24, 2008)

Mark Sirota;1622' said:
			
		

> It's very easy to do if your precise pixel dimensions and exact edge placement are not important.  That's the only piece that's difficult.


Yep that's it Mark, it's a blind process, hit & miss. Once you've done it a few times you get the general jist of the size of the area you're interested in cropping but each time your crop will be different. I would have thought a photographer's tool would help photographers in this respect. Anyone have a left-handed spanner? :mrgreen:


----------



## Mark Sirota (Jun 24, 2008)

I don't think it's quite as bad as you make it.  If you turn on the information display (hit the 'I' shortcut key in Develop), then the crop dimensions can be displayed once you release the mouse.  It's not like you have to actually export and look at the file for each iteration...


----------



## stasber (Jun 24, 2008)

Mark Sirota said:


> I don't think it's quite as bad as you make it.  If you turn on the information display (*hit the 'I' shortcut key in Develop*), then the crop dimensions can be displayed once you release the mouse.  It's not like you have to actually export and look at the file for each iteration...



Good idea, I completely forgot about the info overlays as I never use(d!) them. It'll do for now.


----------



## terribilino (Jul 1, 2008)

*Wow!*

Sorry, all, I've been away for a few weeks.  Ask a question and then skip town - not very smart, but I really appreciate all the answers.  

Someone was curious as to why I would even want to do this, and several others answered for me.  It would be nice to be able to compare the actual jpegs exported from Lightroom, which might be many (i.e. not just comparing the processed pics to the original within Lightroom).  The 1''% crop, as I understand it, is a crop made at a 1:1 zoom of the original (or am I wrong?).  So it would be nice to be able either to zoom to 1:1 and then click on an "Export as 1''% Crop" button (which would then export only what is visible in the main viewing window, using the borders of the window to define the borders of the exported jpeg), or otherwise have a 1''% crop frame appear in the main viewing window as a small, moveable yellow square which would only be visible in the navigator as a full image.  The export would again only apply to what is within the borders of the frame (i.e. what would be seen in the navigator).  

Technically it shouldn't be that difficult, and it would make pixel peepers very happy to have a one-click solution to get a 1''% crop.

Has anyone posted this as a request, or shall I?


----------



## Denis Pagé (Jul 1, 2008)

terribilino said:


> The 1''% crop, as I understand it, is a crop made at a 1:1 zoom of the original (or am I wrong?).


As you explained what you want previously, this is it.


> So it would be nice to be able either to zoom to 1:1 and then click on an "Export as 1''% Crop" button (which would then export only what is visible in the main viewing window, using the borders of the window to define the borders of the exported jpeg),


The problem is that the "borders" of the window are variable. Think that you can make the side panel hide and also that you can resize those side panels.


> ... or otherwise have a 1''% crop frame appear in the main viewing window as a small, moveable yellow square which would only be visible in the navigator as a full image. The export would again only apply to what is within the borders of the frame


I think that what may fit your needs the best is a crop "size" dialog box asking for a given number of pixels on each side; Zoomed at 1:1 or not that should do it.


----------



## Denis Pagé (Jul 2, 2008)

terribilino said:


> Technically it shouldn't be that difficult, and it would make pixel peepers very happy to have a one-click solution to get a 1''% crop.
> 
> Has anyone posted this as a request, or shall I?


Terriblino, I should have said it at first but forgot that nifty utility called Rulers that I use to know if the programs I develop for the company will fit on all screens. As long as you can see the whole part of what you want to crop in the picture window at 1:1, this will help you do it! 

Simply adjust the rulers to show pixel units and measure directly on the image how much you want! This software is both Italian/English and Windows/Mac. Click the link in my first sentence...


----------



## terribilino (Jun 20, 2008)

This is embarassing, because I know there must be something basic I'm missing.  

If I hit 1:1 in the navigator window, the picture zooms in to 1:1.  Fine.

Now I want to take a crop sample at 1:1.  But when I hit the crop icon, it zooms back out to the full shot.  

Can someone clue me in?  How can I get a crop from 1:1?


----------



## stasber (Jul 2, 2008)

Great idea Denis - I can think of another use I'll have for Rulers too. Much obliged


----------



## Brad Snyder (Jul 2, 2008)

Denis, nifty tool, thanks!  I've been kinda looking for something like this, but everything I've found is more clunky than helpful. This will fit nicely for me.


----------



## Denis Pagé (Jul 2, 2008)

Brad Snyder said:


> Denis, nifty tool, thanks! I've been kinda looking for something like this, but everything I've found is more clunky than helpful. This will fit nicely for me.


Nice! I a pleasure 8)


----------



## troyhark (Jul 3, 2008)

I often look at images 1''% in PS in full screen mode and if I particularly like the framing I do a screen capture [Prnt Scrn key in Windows or Cmd+ Shft+3 on a mac] and save to use as a desktop image. So I'd simply do the same in LR, view at 1''%, screen grab and then import image. Not a one click solution, but quite easy to do.


----------



## terribilino (Jul 3, 2008)

*Thanks Denis!*

Always helpful, as usual.  Neat program - I'll play with it as soon as I find some time.


----------



## Denis Pagé (Jul 3, 2008)

troyhark said:


> I often look at images 1''% in PS in full screen mode and if I particularly like the framing I do a screen capture [Prnt Scrn key in Windows or Cmd+ Shft+3 on a mac] and save to use as a desktop image. So I'd simply do the same in LR, view at 1''%, screen grab and then import image. Not a one click solution, but quite easy to do.


I did not mention it because by doing this, you are loosing color management. The OP wanted to keep it with adjustments he made...


----------

