How large of a good quality print can you make with the 5D?

[zakabog]

Hey, I recently brought my 5D to a wedding party, which was a little bit of a bad idea, because now everyone in my family wants to hire me to do stuff I have little to no experience in (I explained that to them at the time though.) One of my relatives wants me to take a portrait of their son and blow it up for his christening. I have a studio with 4 alien bees (two 1600s, an 800 and a 400) a softbox, umbrellas, all that good stuff. The problem is I don't have a medium format camera (and there's no way I'm buying one) and I have no idea how large of a print I can make with the 5D.

Does anyone know how a poster size picture taken with the 5D will look? Or how big a picture I can print before it starts looking real bad? I'm talking best case scenario (85L, ISO 100, studio lighting, RAW image, professional printing service.)

Oh, that's another thing, anyone know who to go to for printing a large sized image like this?

[bryan k]

When you say "big" - how big are you talking about?

You can get a high quality 20x30 poster from a 6MP shot- I'm pretty sure the 5D can produce an image in the environment you mention that can be printed anywhere in size from wallet to billboard....

[jra]

Seems like ya have an awful lot of stuff to not know what you're doing :) The 5D can easily give you a very nice 20x30 and beyond. Maybe a bigger factor than the camera is what glass are you using?

[jra]

DOH...I didn't notice the 85L until after I posted. As for print size, a big factor is viewing distance. A huge print can look great from 20 feet away but up close it's awful. Have you ever seen a billboard close up?...You can't even distinguish what the picture is supposed to be. Step back 100 feet and it looks nice and clear. There's no single right answer to what you're asking. IMO...a good photo from the 5D should be able to produce just about anything anyone would want to hang on the wall.

[zakabog]

Hehe well I know how to use the lights and take studio photos, and print a standard sized headshots. It's just I've never printed anything larger than a standard piece of 8.5"x11" photo paper, plus she wants me to be the photographer at the party. I've taken regular snapshots at parties but never anything someone would be paying for.

I think if I can get a decent 20x30 print from an image it'd be great, the viewing distance I don't know about yet (although the parents will probably hold the picture up at maybe an arms length and examine it and look at their boy and stuff, so if it's all grainy or pixelated that won't be too good. She might have people sign the photo or she might just have it on display next to some flowers or something (where people will be viewing it as they would view a museum piece.) I don't think I'll have to worry much about anyone else coming up real close and examining the quality though.

[sjprg]

I make 20X24 landscapes from 10D and 24X36 from my 20D. Look over this web page and contact them.
http://www.calypsoinc.com/

[foghorn]

There was a post about a week ago about this very thing. It was someone's unique review/or article rather on this subject:EOS 5D and print size. He normally shot some medium format film camera. He finally convinced himself to buy a 5D, and only intended to use for scouting. Long story short, he pretty much uses the 5D exclusivly.
If someone can chime in with the link, it will probably be helpful to the poster.

[Tyreman]

I have had good results with Costcos largest size(is it 12"x18") cost around $2.99cdn I think
(As you are aware it depends on the initial quality of photo, I don't retouch them.)

[emtp563]

I made a 20x30 poster print with an image from my 350D. I shot Large/Fine (8 megapxels), but I did some cropping- so the final image was maybe 6 or 7 MP. The print came out excellent. I had it done at Dan's Camera City in Allentown, PA. The cost was $30.00. This isn't a true "poster print" on poster paper, it's actally printed on picture paper with a glossy finish.

Here is a picture of the picture:

http://velocycle.smugmug.com/photos/89420971-L.jpg

[madpup]

i have one of my prints in the games room
its 5x4 and it looks great.

[SoaringUSAEagle]

I'm just waiting to print at my college... I just have to buy the paper and printing is free. I'm ready to print a few 20x30s. I have some images that would look great on the wall hehe.

[jrm]

I have gone to larger than 20x30 with shots from my GRebel (original one). You should have no problem at all with the 5D.

To print that large you could go to Kinkos. I use SignARama, as they are less expensive and I find the output quality better (which is very location dependent).

You should also get the print mounted on foamcore. Will help keep it in good condition.

--Joe

[Kagemaru]

I printed a 16x20 from a 5D and it looks amazing. The image was even cropped slightly. I have it mounted in a hallway so the viewing distance is relatively close but it still looks good. I've gotten good 16x20 results with my 20D as well.

[Jackal]

My 30D can print really sharp and impressive looking pictures at 36x24, even when viewed from inches away, on our Canon 6400. A 5D would handle that size with no problem.

[SoaringUSAEagle]

My 30D can print really sharp and impressive looking pictures at 36x24, even when viewed from inches away, on our Canon 6400. A 5D would handle that size with no problem.

That's awesome... Must have taken a great pic :D

[dontblink]

With modern re-sizing algorithims there is really no limit to how large a good clean image from a 5D can go. Certainly billboard size is well withing range

[Permagrin]

With modern re-sizing algorithims there is really no limit to how large a good clean image from a 5D can go. Certainly billboard size is well withing range

It's true...sometimes I crop my 5D shots down very small (I don't do it often but sometimes I find that I like just a portion of the image) and then use "Genuine Fractals" to resize it very large (you can do it up to 10x the size, with that particular program) with great success...the 5D captures such amazing detail that I don't even hesitate if I want something odd out of an original print.

[Bob_A]

What is acceptable to you depends on the viewing distance and whether or not you are using a software solution such as resampling in PS.

Without interpolation printing at 300dpi gives a result equal to film IMO, whcih would say the the 5D can produce a print up to 9.707 x 14.56 inches. If you want to go to close to 20x30 you have to drop the dpi to 150. To me this would be fine for a poster or an advertisement but you might expect more for a large wedding photograph.

I've printed 11x14 at 212 DPI with my 20D and it doesn't look bad close up, however I feel that it was close to the limit of acceptable for me. Using resampling in PS or Genuine Rractals to interpolate to a higher resolution probably would help a lot but I haven't experimented enough with it to comment.

[tsaros]

Maybe im a bit to far OT here bit ill shoot anyway, What are the main differnces between PS CS2 interploating and Genuine Fractals way of doing it?

[Don Powell]

Hi Zakabog, I don't know where you live, I guess no one wants anyone to know where they live, but I live in Maryland and I do still have medium format cameras. If you live close, I will bring one over and you can get some shots of the little one. I don't think however, that you need the medium format camera. My main love is wildlife photography, so I got a nice shot of a Bald Eagle with my Rebel XT and a 500mm f4.5 L. Someone saw the shot and I sold a 16x20 to this person and he has it hanging in his business. He is very happy with it, however I worried that since he is a serious photographer himself, that he would be hard to please. We were both happy with the 16x20.

[canonphotog]

Your 5d is all you need. Here are a couple of links to show you what can be done.

The second link shows what can be done with a D60.

http://www.interpolatethis.com/actions.html

http://www.interpolatethis.com/reallife1.html

[MDJAK]

Most 5D's can print very large. The one Dante King just traded for, on the other hand, can only print 3x5, at best. He should have kept his 1dsmkii for sure.:lol:
mark

[Permagrin]

Most 5D's can print very large. The one Dante King just traded for, on the other hand, can only print 3x5, at best. He should have kept his 1dsmkii for sure.:lol:
mark

:lol: :lol: (funny Mark...hope he sees this)

[zakabog]

Wow, thanks for all the replies :-). I guess I'll just shoot and see, I'm much more optomistic about the results now though.

Hi Zakabog, I don't know where you live, I guess no one wants anyone to know where they live, but I live in Maryland and I do still have medium format cameras. If you live close, I will bring one over and you can get some shots of the little one. I don't think however, that you need the medium format camera. My main love is wildlife photography, so I got a nice shot of a Bald Eagle with my Rebel XT and a 500mm f4.5 L. Someone saw the shot and I sold a 16x20 to this person and he has it hanging in his business. He is very happy with it, however I worried that since he is a serious photographer himself, that he would be hard to please. We were both happy with the 16x20.

Hehe I thought I had my location under my username, I'm in NYC, so maryland is a little far just to borrow a medium format camera. Plus I wouldn't know how to use it, and after all these positive posts I think the 5D should be sufficient.

[MagentaJoe]

I regularly print 40"x96" panels for trade show booths of shots taken from both my rebel and my rebel xt. I can vouch for the fact that when the pic is taken properly to start off with you can get great results at large sizes.

Usually the shots are even cropped a bit.