Hi,
Sorry if this is a silly question. Sometimes when I'm looking at how sharp my photos are, I zoom in and look of course. I usually know what's "sharp enough" I suppose. Aside from that though, how do I know if the quality of my image is good? Some photos I take will look great when they are smaller but then shoddier when they are a bit bigger (for various reasons including focusing issues).
I know that it partly depends on how big I want it to be. I'm not looking to shoot any HD photos for a billboard or large poster or anything. But is there some sort of convention here?
I usually use a Canon t4i and a Canon 50mm prime.
Hope I'm making sense! Thanks!
it all depends on what type of camera your using and what your camera max megapixels is,. if your using lets say a Nikon D7000 or D7100 and it's 24 mp, and you are shooting raw, and setting everything to high quality, then you would be getting 4000X6000 Resolution, so you would be able to make pretty large size prints, unless you was shooting your pictures at too high ISO, because if your using over 800 ISO and trying to print a 20X13 print, your picture would look like it's braking down and see all kinds of noise, sure your picture shot higher then 800 ISO with out zooming in or blowing up the picture for larger prints won't be a problem, but the minute you start to zoom in that picture or create larger prints over 8X10 would not look good, some times they won't even look good at 8X10
but if your shooting at 100, 200, 400, 800 ISO then you would be fine..
How ever if you use a Full Frame Camera like a Nikon D810 that sensor is bigger and is able shoot at a higher ISO range then crop sensor camera's..
Don
I have to say I cannot agree (and I have disagreed) with that post.
First, the op gives us the camera they intend to use. There's not much point in talking about other cameras IMO. There really isn't even a generic rule which I feel applies to other cameras.
One rule I do apply to most situations, photographic and otherwise, is everything is a trade off for something else. Often that something else has rather obvious downsides.
I would refer the op to my original post in this thread. You do not judge printed "resolution" by looking at your image on your computer screen.
You do judge photos by their size and from a distance relative to their size. If you're holding a large print at arm's length, it simply will not look as good as when you view it from an appropriate distance.
The issue here is
cognition and the fact your brain/mind uses its cognitive ability to fill in open or incomplete spaces to create an image which in your perception is "correct". Reliance on this perceptual function is the concept behind tattoos, printed images and the stylistic paintings which fall under the genre of pointilism;
27 inspiring examples of pointillism | Creative Bloq
Any modern camera above the most basic $40 P&S type will have a sensor and digital circuitry with higher "resolution" than most conventional printers can turn out. Therefore, checking with the company doing the printing will be your best bet if you want to know static file size appropriate for a larger print.
However, "static file size" is not synonymous with "resolution".
I would encourage any student of photography to gain a sense of what makes a good photo. Whether you intentionally or unintentionally bend the rules of what photography is all about, resolution is a mere parcel of the whole.
Do not buy into the "larger sensor equals better photos" push.
Same for megapixel count.
Sensors are not created equally and neither are the circuits which make the sensor work.
Does your camera have an anti-aliasing filter? Then your photos will have a somewhat different perceptual resolution than a camera lacking that circuit.
Do your homework and understand your equipment. Pretty much rule #1 for any photographer.
No doubt, larger sensors as a group are more capable of higher quality images when light levels are decreased. However, in most situations where the light source is full daylight (or quite a bit less typically) even a modern smart phone camera is more than capable of turning out good to high quality images.
Using a DSLR such as the t4i (the camera owned by the op), ISO can be raised without serious negative impact on image quality. Typically, digital noise created by extremely high ISO values would be said to impact image "sharpness". Your digital processing software is used to address issues of "sharpness" (which has more than one component).
If you desire a very large print, use the best software to the best of your ability to do your post production editing. Or pay someone with high quality software to do the work for you.
ISO in a digital camera is the equivalent to gain in an amplifier. As digital circuits have improved over the years the ability of digital amplifiers has increased to the point most modern DSLRS or enthusiast type bridge cameras can turn out images which are quite acceptable at ISO's in the 1600 and above range.
This is one spec that camera manufacturers have realized is important to the potential buyer and they are putting an emphasis on high ISO capabilities. Creating a camera with decent high ISO resolution is more than just sticking in a larger sensor.
As to the trade offs of digital noise vs image quality ...
"Each time you double the ISO (for example, from 200 to 400), the camera needs only half as much light for the same exposure. So if you had a shutter speed of 1/250 at 200 ISO, going to 400 ISO would let you get the same exposure at 1/500 second (providing the aperture remains unchanged). This is why high ISOs are so often used indoors, especially at sporting events. Needing a fast shutter speed to stop action, photographers regularly choose ISO 1600 or above.";
What Is ISO Sensitivity? | Understanding ISO from Nikon
Do not be afraid of raising the ISO on a modern DSLR.
Do not buy a camera based solely on what you see in the on paper specs.
Understand there is far more to photography than mere resolution - whatever that word means to you.
Know that most printers will not turn out the full resolution your camera produces.
Finally, if you need to create a "higher quality" image, obtain the right software for post production and learn how to make the most of what you own.