BetterPhoto Q&A
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Enlargements

So, as far as the largest size print I could go with that, how large can I get? Would a 30 x 40 be of an acceptable quality? What is the maximum supurb quality print size?

Thanks,
Jerry

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February 22, 2004

Well, that depends on what is acceptable based on acceptable viewing distance from the print.

You should be able to get a better answer from a local print shop or from a google search.

As far as print quality goes, for a typical inkjet, you are looking at 300dpi as the top you will be able to output at. More like 250-300dpi. At that resolution, you will be looking at a 10"x6" high quality print.

Some online printers who print onto photopaper will print at 150dpi. (Someone please correct me if I'm wrong here. ^_^) Going that route, you can print at about 20"x12".

Lowering the resolution to increase the print size will result in "softening" of the image.

The 300D's 6.3MP should be able to output at the 13"x19" (Epson2200) with very good results.

How large you can get depends on where you print at, I suppose. Online print places will let you print to 20"x30" based on the file that you have. I don't know about 30"x40", however. :)

There are optical systems and software which will let you scale up your image and still retain a certain level of sharpness. But scaling up won't put in detail that wasn't there to begin with.

Is the print going to be inspected closely? If so, then I would say no. 6.3MP is not sufficient to print with acceptable quality. If it will be a poster viewed from 3+ feet away, then I would say that it is close to acceptable.

Try this:

Take a newsprint picture, a poster, and a photograph. Look at them up close, then from about 1-2' away, then put them up on a wall and look at them from 5' away.

News print is pretty low resolution, but from 2' and at 5' away, it is acceptable to look at. With the photos and posters, once you move past a certain distance, you probably can't make out any details anymore.

A print's optimal resolution for a given size is determined not just by the source image, but by the expected viewing distance. A 30"x40" poster that will be viewed from 5-6'+ away would be feasible with a 6.3MP, but not if you will be viewing it up close.

Check with a local print shop and on google for more details.

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February 22, 2004