Free Transform scale-down of hi-res images = jagged edges

this issue has been bugging me since forever , still exists in photoshop cs6.

 

does know of fix/work-around resolve native photoshop issue?

whenever scale down hi-res pixel/raster image quarter of it's size, if free transform (with bicubic interpolation), , pull on anchors way , that, end result has fine lines of image resampled in jagged distortion.  of course making adjustments before pressing enter apply transformation.  if scale down same image not-so-hi-res size had been uniformly shrunken, edges less jagged.  gives?  i'll explain mean below.

 

steps reproduce...

start off hi-res raster image:

notice image large , 300 dpi crisp circles @ 100% zoom.  layers panel proves it's basic pixel data.

 

bring low-res image such 800x800 72 dpi square below, , duplicate layer have copy play later. notice 6.25% zoom level compare enormous size of image relative small square.

free transform layer below ensuring mode set of bicubic interpolations (normal, smoother, sharper, or automatic)

shrink / scale down, and/or pull on anchors skew in way such below.  press enter once you're done apply transformation.  notice image below in 100% zoom mode.

zooming 6.25% we'll free transform copied layer above size close final size, proportionally scale down holding shift key , leave @ that.  not pull on anchors individually.

press enter apply transformation.

zooming in, free transform pre-shrunken layer , pull on anchors in same positions layer below.

press enter apply transformation.  toggle visibility of layer above animated gif below , you'll notice: higher-res version free-transformed directly final shape mucky , distorted compared lower-res version (upper layer) transformed down smaller size before transforming again.

(click image below view animated gif)

 

 

i say... bug it! hehe

what interpolation scheme have set in options bar when doing transforms?  have tried bicubic smoother?

 

it's impression transform operation tries keep things sharp looking, shouldn't make results worse true resize.

 

i went through exercise laid out, didn't see inaccuracy.  need better try imitate sizes think.

 

-noel

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