BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: New Answers

Getting good detail in photograph

Davina

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May 14, 2005

There are a couple settings to check out:
(a) Picture size or "quality" level. The lower the size or quality level the less detail and greater "lossy" compression will be.
(b) "ISO" setting. In general, the higher the setting the lower the picture quality. Most have a threshold for this below which it's all the same, but above which the detail loss kicks in and increases as it goes higher.

Presuming this is the 6.3 mega-pixel Digital Rebel (not XT), maximum image size is 2048x3072 pixels which should be good for printing 5x7 inch prints without looking rough. It's possible to do 8x10 prints, but they may start to show pixelation, look a bit rough or seem to lack a some detail when examined more closely at hand-held reading distance (no magnification).

The "small/normal" setting . . . lowest quality level . . . reduces resolution to 1024x1536 and that's only good for a 2x3 inch print . . . with a 3-1/2 x 5 being a stretch. She needs to kick the quality level up to no less than "large/normal" . . . the next to the highest quality level . . . to get the largest pixel dimensions (2048x3072). The mid pixel dimensions (1360x2048) are good for a 3-1/2 x 5 with 4x6 being a stretch.

-- John Lind

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May 14, 2005

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May 14, 2005

Davina

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May 15, 2005