I think it because the original file dimension is small and then JImage trying to create a bigger file. Try to change the thumbnail setting with your actual file size and then change the $size_multiplier in the helper file into 1.
Is there an option to configure the minifrontpage to just use the image as is without generating thumbnails?
You need to bypass the thumbnail creation process for that. Open the tmpl file with your php editor, for example, the template file for default theme : ../modules/mod_minifrontpage/tmpl/default.php
at lines 57 comment out or delete this code :
$thumb_img = MinifrontpageHelper::getThumbnail($item->id, $item->images,$thumb_folder,$show_default_thumb,$custom_default_thumb,$thumb_width,$thumb_height,$item->title,$item->introtext,$module->id);
change with this :
// Thumbnail is not exist
$images = json_decode($item->images);
// Find Article's Image
if (!empty($images->image_intro) ) {
$thumb_img = "<img src='".$images->image_intro."' />";
} elseif (empty($images->image_intro) && !empty($images->image_fulltext) ) {
$thumb_img = "<img src='".$images->image_fulltext."' />";
} else {
// Find first image in the article
$html = $item->introtext;
$html .= "alt='...' title='...' />";
$pattern = '/<img[^>]+src[\\s=\'"]';
$pattern .= '+([^"\'>\\s]+)/is';
if ( preg_match($pattern, $html, $match) ) {
$thumb_img = "<img src='".$match[1]."' />";
} else {
$thumb_img = "";
}
}
then find all and replace this code (there are two existing)
change with
