 A C |
Resolution: how many ppi for printing photos? What kind of resolution do I need when preparing my pictures to take to the lab? I'm a Graphic Communications student and I'm used to doing every thing at 300 ppi - for halftone printing. However, I've been told different things about what kind of resolution is required for printing photos. A book I have said that "the target resolution of an image depends on whether or not it will be screened during output" (O'Quinn, Donald - A Hayden Print Publishing Shop Manual). So, what is it? Is it still 300 ppi? If so, my 6.3 Megapixel camera can't really do over a 8x10.
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John P. Sandstedt |
Your printer, regardless of manufacturer, will work just fine at 240-300 dpi. Most folks set 300 dpi as the standard. More than 300 dpi is defintely a waste as the rpinters won't do any more. dpi and megapixels are not the same so you really shouldn't have a problem unless you shoot in JPEG at too low a resolution to begin with. Check your manual. You should be able to get reasonably large prints with a 6.3 mp camera, maybe even 16 X 20's.
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anonymous |
Yep, my 8.3 megapixel camera will only do a 8x12 at 300dpi on Large Fine. Maybe it is bigger if you shoot in raw, not sure, but I know, that it doesn't really matter and give it a test run, as where I print, the guy who put up the example prints did a huge A1 print, with his 6.3 megapixel 300D and the print looks great. I asked him how he did it, and he said it was set at Large Fine jpeg, he just took the photo and then printed it out, didn't change anything! The print is HUGE and looks amazing!!! Although I am standing about 2.5 metres from it, so I can't see it close up, but who looks at a print like that anyway!
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Swapnali Mathkar |
Hi, If you simply change the DPI to 300, you will get a print size as 8x10 or so. if you really want to get a very big print, you can interpolate the image. It means upsizing. In Photoshop / elements, you can check resize option and select bicubic (This is best alogorithm to do) and increase your resolution. PS. This all is what I read. I have never taken a big print to check this out.
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John P. Sandstedt |
If Natalie's and Swapnali's responses are correct, then evrything I've read at innumerable websites is wrong. But, again, here goes - 3 mp - a 4X6 print If these folks aren't able to print "large" prints they're doing something wrong and the whole printer industry is WRONG. Frankly, I tend to side [this time] with the printer makers.
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anonymous |
John You have every option to print as large as you like, you definitely aren't limited. But!! Obviously, the quality of the print goes down as the print size goes up!!! I swear on my brothers grave, this print was A1 size and taken with a 300D Canon camera on Large Fine jpeg. I spoke to the guy who took it!
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Swapnali Mathkar |
Hi John, It is not a question of wrong and right. I guess this answers Natalie's point also. as that in camera fine jpeg might be at 72 DPI and making such a large print and seeing good quality from 2.5 mtrs is possible.
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Vince Broesch |
As you know, for press you want about 1.5 pixels to the halftone dot. So 300ppi is fine for separations if your going to press at 180 dpi or so. That resoulution of 300ppi is also fine for photo labs. Most photo printers these days, that print on true photo paper, use ether a CRT or LED to expose and they image at about 240 DPI. As said, you could certainly print a much larger picture, especially since you will view it from a grater distance. The "average print viewing distance" is twice the diagonal messurement of the print. Vince
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Swapnali Mathkar |
Sorry I used term "Print Size" to 300 & Print Size" to 72 it should be "Document Size" -> "Image Resolution"
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anonymous |
Yeh, the A1 print I saw must of been printed at 72dpi to get it that large, I think ISO setting would also play a huge part in it!
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A C |
Thank you everybody for responding! This has been very helpful.
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Terry R. Hatfield |
The Key To Printing Is Interpolation I Have 13x19 Images Printed And Framed From a 5.47Mp Camera That Looks Very Good! As Size Of Image Goes Up DPI Can And Should Go Down, I Have Seen 20x40 Images Printed At 150 DPI Looking Like Medium Format Material,Its The Viewing Distance,A Large Image Is Viewed At A Further Distance Thus The Lower DPI!
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