8 x 10 of A70 pics

[kpkeerthi@yahoo.com]

I own a canon A70 and I have been using it for about 10 months and quite impressed with its performance. I normally take pictures of size 2048x1458 in superfine mode. They do appear crisp and clear when viewed on my PC monitor. But the 8x10 prints are not sharp, rather appear soft. They just don't contain enough detail as the original. I don't crop either while printing. I have already printed a dozen of portraits with it from www.imagestation.com (http://www.imagestation.com). Is a 3.2 MP camera not good enough for 8x10s? Do I need a 4MP or higher for good 8x10s?

[cactusclay]

I seem to remember that things started getting pretty decent from 4mp and above. I could be wrong and I know you probably don't want to here that, but I think it's hard to get larger prints out of anything less than 4mp, unless it was a higher quality sensor, like on some of the early dslr's.

[Moonracer]

I dunno kp, I have printed off some 8x10s from my A40 2mp digi in highest res possible and albeit not spectacular they were decently sharp. I guess it all depends on one's opinion of sharp. If I go by the average persons reaction of a print from the A40 thery're all ooooo aaaaah. lol But then I show them one shot with the digi SLR and they're all "you did this at home?"

[jrobert]

I normally take pictures of size 2048x1458 in superfine mode. They do appear crisp and clear when viewed on my PC monitor. But the 8x10 prints are not sharp, rather appear soft. They just don't contain enough detail as the original. I don't crop either while printing.
Photos inspected close up need 200 - 300 dots per inch to look sharp; below that, the dots become visible. To print a 2048x1458 image on an 8x10 sheet, one must either crop or leave some white space on the sheet, since the aspect ratio of the image does not match that of the sheet.

Assuming you print the entire 2048px edge of the print on the 10" edge of the print, you're printing at 2048/10 = 205 dots per inch - right at the lower limit.

Or if you print the entire 1458px edge on the 8" edge of the sheet, you're printing 1458/8 = 182 dpi, already below the limit.

I find that only my highest quality images will make satisfactory (to me!) prints as I approach the lower limit of dot density. I usally print 4x6s which means they will be viewed up close. A 8x10 on the wall usually doesn't get that much scrutiny (besides, few people are as critical as critical as we are, ourselves! ;)).

-jeff-

[kpkeerthi@yahoo.com]

Appreciate your help guys. Thanks.

[tracy]

i also own the a70 and have no problem with printing 8x10 although i do use a tri-pod for printing in that size. if i don't , the pics look a little fuzzy to me.

[Don Schaeffer]

I have an A70 and I make 8 x 10 prints all the time. The problem isn't sharpness it's jiggies from the pixels being too big. Jiggies are never my problem. Feel free to print 8 X 10 with your 3.2 meg camera.

--Don

[Pugdaddy]

That would be jaggies, Don. As in "jagged" edges. I like the word "jiggies" though. Maybe you could find a use for it then you could tell everyone that you invented that word. They probably won't believe you though.