Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm going to have THIS photo printed. My camera is only 6 mg. It's a wide angle photo. What's the largest size print I can order and have it come out looking good?
Well my camera is a point & shot 6.2 mp. They instructions say the largest is POSTER size. But I dont even know how I would do that...printers biggest is letter 8.2 x 11.
The typical 6 megapixel image is around 3000 by 2000 pixels in size (give or take).
The BEST viewable printed images are printed at around 300dpi (you don't need to really remember this - it's reference). If you divide the pixel count by "300", you will get the optimal size that you can print the image where it will look what many call "film photo quality" when in print. So, 3000 divided by 300 is 10, and 2000 divided by 300 is around 6.5, so, you could print something that's 6 megapixels at 10 by 6.5 inches and it will look "film print quality" at close range to the human eye. If you blow it up WAY beyond that, you will see odd "artifacts" in the images, or jaggy areas where there should be straight lines. Keep in mind that for larger prints like 11x14 or 16x20, people tend to view them from a distance (like, hanging on a wall), so if your camera and lens are good, you may be able to get a print that size from 6MP that still looks pretty good once it's hung up on a wall and viewed at a 3-5 foot distance.
Now, if you are reasonably good at using an image editing program like Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, or similar, then you can resize your image to a larger size to print larger and avoid some of the issues mentioned above (this is called "interpolation"). It's like doing large prints from a negative though - you can only resize it so much larger before you lose image quality. This is if you're going to print it out on your OWN, though, and makes sure if you ever resize an image that you save it as a copy with the "save as" command rather than just the "save" command or you'll replace your original with the updated one and won't be able to recover it.
If you're going to take it to a commercial or store photo lab, there's a chance that their machines may "interpolate" the image automatically to get the best print quality - you'd have to ask whoever you use if they do that so you won't have to fool with it if they do.
I've made poster 24x36 prints from a Canon 10D. Now I carefully worked them up and having my own printer helped too. Originally I had a sign shop that used a HP printer that asked for all images to be at 150 dpi. Now I questioned that. He did deliver an exceptional print. The 300 dpi thing is a carry over form earlier technologies I think. I've been told to use 360 dpi and yet I have a portfolio of 24x36 inch prints printed at 180 dpi that have been critiqued by many and no complaints what so ever. What I would recomend is that you copy an area of what must be good and print it out on a desktop printer to check for image quality using a glossy paper that will show detail and imperfections. Just make sure no sizing changes on the small area that you test with. One of your options is also to print it on canvas. If you have Genuine Fractals it will help with scaling up from your original too. HTH.
Location: The Frenchie Farm, Where We Grow 'em Big!
2,080 posts, read 6,941,413 times
Reputation: 1084
I worked at a photo lab four years ago and I've seen many 6mp images printed out as a 16x20 w/o any problems. The lab I worked at was very high-end and had two large Lambda/durst printers. My one advice is to find a very reputable digital print shop in your area. Please do not go to those corporate box shops and camera stores! They can not touch the quality compared to the digital print shops. It may be pricey, but the old saying goes..."You get what you pay for!"
Beautiful photo. I would like to do it with one of my dogs pics but I would need at least 10 megapixels or 12 to do it I heard. By the way who or where makes a print into a poster size?
Send it out and with the software they use you can get almost any size you want. I used a 3.2 mp fuji finepix and i took a picture of a lighthouse. I had it blown up to a 16 X 20 and it looks awesome. I can't remember off hand all the technical stuff they do but i think you will be impressed with any size.
For the record i used sams club and was highly impressed.
Thanks for all the help! I'm 100 miles from a city (we make rural seem urban out here) so I was going to upload it online and order a print but I'll take it to a photo lab instead.
Quote:
Originally Posted by golfgod11
The photo is awesome by the way.
Thank you. I was taking a sanity break. Kayaking with seven teenage girls after three days of camping in the north Maine woods didn't sound nearly as good as sitting on the shore, enjoying the peace and quiet, and taking a few pics.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
