Resolution and Printing Question

[cyrillo07]

Usually, i print my digital files on regular 4 X 6 only. Until recently that i've noticed that some of my files have a potential for enlargement.

The problem is that when i order print like 11 X 14 and 16 X 20 thru internet, it says some of my files cannot be printed because it did not meet the resolution which is 300dpi. The camera i'm using is rebel xt and also im using photoshop elements 4 only. Is there a chance that i could increase the resolution thru a processing program? I used photoshop elements 4 but still it did not worked out. Please help!

Also next time, how will i program my camera so i can have that 300dpi.

Thanks a lot!

[SIMPLEPHOTOLT]

Hi,
Do you shoot Raw or JPEG? If you shoot JPEG, I think it only come out to be 72dpi. If you shoot Raw and then use the Canon software to convert it, go to the preference and set the output resolution to 300dpi.

Usually the difference is not noticeable though...
LT

[cyrillo07]

Thanks for the reply LT. Yes i only shoot JPEGs.:cry:

[gcogger]

The resolution in the file is not relevant here, as the 'dpi' (should really be ppi) for printing is simply
(number of pixels) / (number of inches)

Say your image is 3000x2000 pixels to make the maths easy :) If you want to print this to be 20" along the long edge then the resolution will be 3000 / 20 = 150ppi. The resolution in the image is irrelevant once you know how big you are going to print.

(It is, in fact, worse for a 20x16 image since you will need to crop your image to fit that 'shape' of print, but I just want to get the principles across).

What you're being told is that your image does not have enough pixels, although insisting on 300 'dpi' is pretty harsh IMHO.

[tim]

I have a printing and enlargement FAQ linked from my sig. It's also linked from the forum FAQ... there's lots of good info there (hint hint).

[tzalman]

I suggest you try some different on-line labs. Many, if not most, will do the neccessary resizing to get to the optimum resolution for their printer as part of their service. Of course, there is a minimum, but it is usually a lot less than 300 ppi, more like 150. You can, if you wish, resize the images yourself with PSE 4 or DPP that came with your camera or many free programs like Irfanview. As a rule, however, the labs can do it better unless you have experience.

[EOS_JD]

Hi,
Do you shoot Raw or JPEG? If you shoot JPEG, I think it only come out to be 72dpi. If you shoot Raw and then use the Canon software to convert it, go to the preference and set the output resolution to 300dpi.

Usually the difference is not noticeable though...
LT

Makes no difference what you shoot. The only thing that matters in your image is the NUMBER of pixels.

[cyrillo07]

I have a printing and enlargement FAQ linked from my sig. It's also linked from the forum FAQ... there's lots of good info there (hint hint).

guys, thanks for the replies.
back to my question, so is there a way my files be printed in 11X14 and 16X20 sizes?

i noticed that all my files either original or cropped files have 72ppi only. is this because of my camera? (rebel xt) or is there a trick to make it higher. does canon 40D has higher ppi?

Tim, so is my only solution is to add canvass size?

Thanks!

[tim]

guys, thanks for the replies.
back to my question, so is there a way my files be printed in 11X14 and 16X20 sizes?

i noticed that all my files either original or cropped files have 72ppi only. is this because of my camera? (rebel xt) or is there a trick to make it higher. does canon 40D has higher ppi?

Tim, so is my only solution is to add canvass size?

Thanks!

You either haven't read the FAQ, or you haven't understood it. Everything you want to do is simple, and canvas size doesn't come into it. Go have another read of the FAQ, it will hopefully answer all your questions.

[Kai]

When I shot with rebel I could print a 16x20. When you first open your image up in photoshop it is at 72 ppi, but it is usually a 48x32 size. If you crop it to a 16x20 it will be somewhat over 100ppi. I have printed at this level and it turned out great. You run into problems when... say you took a picture of a family but then wanted to crop the head of a person and put it into a 16x20. Can't do that. If i know my client is going to want a 16x20 I try to take the picture so it even when I crop it, I am using the whole picture. Wow... I hope this makes some sense and helped - or I am just rammbling and have no idea how to help you.. Sorry.

[tzalman]

Whatever the number is in the Exif, be it 72 or 300 or 3,000, is absolutely irrelevent. What matters is the real ppi, which is your image's pixel dimensions (2304x3456 if it is uncropped) divided by the print dimensions. For a 16x20 you would first crop to 2304x2880. This gives you a real ppi of 144. Either you or the lab will need to add some more pixels. See my post above. If PSE has Bicubic Smoother you should read this article:
http://www.outbackphoto.com/workflow/wf_60/essay.html
with plain old Bicubic increase it in 10% steps until you get to the desired size.

[tim]

with plain old Bicubic increase it in 10% steps until you get to the desired size.

That old theory/methodology has been completely debunked now, go for the single step upsize in photoshop and the results will be better, in my experience.

[tzalman]

That old theory/methodology has been completely debunked now, go for the single step upsize in photoshop and the results will be better, in my experience.

It has become outmoded since Adobe introduced Bicubic Smoother and Sharper. The OP said he uses PSE 4. I don't know if that has the new Bicubics. If it has only the old version, the 10% technique is still valid.

Also, read the article I linked above which describes, in a nutshell, a two pass method, uprezzing 20% more than needed and then bringing it down to the desired size. Many people swear by this method.

[EOS_JD]

When I shot with rebel I could print a 16x20. When you first open your image up in photoshop it is at 72 ppi, but it is usually a 48x32 size. If you crop it to a 16x20 it will be somewhat over 100ppi. I have printed at this level and it turned out great. You run into problems when... say you took a picture of a family but then wanted to crop the head of a person and put it into a 16x20. Can't do that. If i know my client is going to want a 16x20 I try to take the picture so it even when I crop it, I am using the whole picture. Wow... I hope this makes some sense and helped - or I am just rammbling and have no idea how to help you.. Sorry.

If you are cropping a small part of an image (like a head amongst a family portrait) and want to print that at 16x20 then it's probably not going to print too well.

The way I'd view this is go to the crop tool and enter the size you want to print. Lets say 16x20 inches. So in the toolbar at the top of the screen enter 16in x 20in. Leave the resolution blank for the moment. With the crop tool, now drag over the area you want the photo to be made up of and press enter to crop (make sure you are working on a copy of the image as you don't want to save over the original).

Now go to image size and see how many pixels you have (probably not enough). To print even a decent 8 x 10 you require at a minimum of about 1500 x 1200 pixels..

You may then need to resample that image to get the required size but to be honest if it's a small crop, you might be very restricted in print size.

[cyrillo07]

Thanks tzalman, EOS_JD.