Responsive Images

PhotoSwipe does not support <picture> or srcset, as it requires defined image dimensions and uses lazy-loading. But as images are loaded dynamically, it's quite easy to switch sources, even in old browsers that don't support srcset.

Let's assume that you have just "medium" images and "original" ("large") images. First of, you need to store path and size of image in slide object, for example like so:

var items = [

    // Slide 1
    {
        mediumImage: {
            src: 'path/to/medium-image-1.jpg',
            w:800,
            h:600
        },
        originalImage: {
            src: 'path/to/large-image-1.jpg',
            w: 1400,
            h: 1050
        }
    },

    // Slide 2
    // {
    //     mediumImage: {
    //         src: 'path/to/medium-image-2.jpg',
    //         ...
    //     
    // ...

];

Then:

// initialise as usual
var gallery = new PhotoSwipe( pswpElement, PhotoSwipeUI_Default, items, options);

// create variable that will store real size of viewport
var realViewportWidth,
    useLargeImages = false,
    firstResize = true,
    imageSrcWillChange;

// beforeResize event fires each time size of gallery viewport updates
gallery.listen('beforeResize', function() {
    // gallery.viewportSize.x - width of PhotoSwipe viewport
    // gallery.viewportSize.y - height of PhotoSwipe viewport
    // window.devicePixelRatio - ratio between physical pixels and device independent pixels (Number)
    //                          1 (regular display), 2 (@2x, retina) ...


    // calculate real pixels when size changes
    realViewportWidth = gallery.viewportSize.x * window.devicePixelRatio;

    // Code below is needed if you want image to switch dynamically on window.resize

    // Find out if current images need to be changed
    if(useLargeImages && realViewportWidth < 1000) {
        useLargeImages = false;
        imageSrcWillChange = true;
    } else if(!useLargeImages && realViewportWidth >= 1000) {
        useLargeImages = true;
        imageSrcWillChange = true;
    }

    // Invalidate items only when source is changed and when it's not the first update
    if(imageSrcWillChange && !firstResize) {
        // invalidateCurrItems sets a flag on slides that are in DOM,
        // which will force update of content (image) on window.resize.
        gallery.invalidateCurrItems();
    }

    if(firstResize) {
        firstResize = false;
    }

    imageSrcWillChange = false;

});


// gettingData event fires each time PhotoSwipe retrieves image source & size
gallery.listen('gettingData', function(index, item) {

    // Set image source & size based on real viewport width
    if( useLargeImages ) {
        item.src = item.originalImage.src;
        item.w = item.originalImage.w;
        item.h = item.originalImage.h;
    } else {
        item.src = item.mediumImage.src;
        item.w = item.mediumImage.w;
        item.h = item.mediumImage.h;
    }

    // It doesn't really matter what will you do here, 
    // as long as item.src, item.w and item.h have valid values.
    // 
    // Just avoid http requests in this listener, as it fires quite often

});


// Note that init() method is called after gettingData event is bound
gallery.init();

Know how this guide can be improved? Suggest an edit!

</> with <3 in by @dimsemenov