dpi for prints

molested_cow · Sep 25, 2011

There's finally one photo that I feel like making a print out of!

Anyways, the image is at 300dpi now. The physical size is about 9.4x14.4 inches. I want to make a bigger print, but I don't know how much will be too much before the resolution begins to show significant degradation.
So what will be a good dpi to print at? (planning to decrease the dpi to get bigger physical print).

Bynx · Sep 25, 2011

You would like it to print out at 300 dpi for best resolution. If you wish a larger size print you can use a program like Genuine Fractal which would make a print at least 4 times the size of 9.4 x 14.4 and it would look great.

molested_cow · Sep 26, 2011

Downloaded the trial and it works great! Thanks!

Helen B · Sep 26, 2011

Find out what printer is being used or look for someone with a laser printer (onto photosensitive paper, not a toner-type laser printer!). Chromiras (LED C-print) use around 300 dpi native, Lightjets and Lambdas (laser C-print etc) use 200 and 406/400 dpi native (LJs also do 305 dpi). A 200 dpi on one of the lasers is pretty good, even close-up. Many Epson inkjet printers are excellent at 288 ppi (dpi will be well above that, of course, perhaps 5 or 10x). Don't always assume that 300 ppi is the best printing resolution.

Big Mike · Sep 26, 2011

Digital files don't have DPI....printer heads do.
Digital files have Pixels per inch...PPI.

As for what number to use...300 is often the standard quoted. But you could easily use a lower number and get satisfactory results. Some use 240 PPI as their standard, and some will use 150 for larger prints. I believe that MPIX only requires you to submit file with a minimum 100 PPI.

As you are probably seeing, you can get a larger print size by lowering the PPI, or be enlarging the actual image (creating more pixels). That's where G.F. is great, although Photoshop isn't as far behind G.F. as they were 5 years ago.

Of course, as you enlarge an image, the quality will drop as the software extrapolates new pixels....and of course, your print quality will drop as you lower the resolution. How far can you go before the image isn't good anymore...that is completely up to you. Probably something you will need to figure out after printing several larger prints.

And of course, you can technically print as larger as you can imagine...and how the image looks, will depend on your use of proper viewing distance. For example, the photos on billboards aren't necessarily shot with magical 100 megapixel cameras. In fact, they actually look pretty terrible if you get up close. But from 100 feet away, they look fine. The same applies to prints you might hang on your wall. You could make a 4 foot by 3 foot print...and while it may not look perfect with your nose pressed up against it...it will look just fine if you back up 10 or 12 feet.