I Want To Print a 16 x 20 Photo

[Desire]

I want to print a 16 x 20 photo from a camera store.
I've read all about this dpi stuff, and I was curious what dpi is needed for a 16 x 20 photo. I checked the resolution of the photo I want to print and it is at 240. Will this be okay? I don't want to spend money on something that might not work out. Any tips and tricks you have would be awesome!

:thumbup: Thank you for your time.

 

[KmH]

I want to print a 16 x 20 photo from a camera store.
I've read all about this dpi stuff, and I was curious what dpi is needed for a 16 x 20 photo. I checked the resolution of the photo I want to print and it is at 240. Will this be okay? I don't want to spend money on something that might not work out. Any tips and tricks you have would be awesome!

:thumbup: Thank you for your time.

First, dpi=ppi.....What are the pixel dimensions of your image?

The popular online consumer print lab www.mpix.com requires a minimum of 100 ppi.

That means the pixel dimensions of your image must be no less than 1600 x 2400 pixels. (16 inches times 100 ppi= 1600 pixels x 24 inches times 100 ppi= 2400 pixels). To print a 16x24 at 240 ppi your image would need to be 3840 x 5760 pixels. (16 inches times 240ppi ppi=3840 x 24 inches times 240ppi=5760 pixels)

Mpix also requires your image be in the sRGB color space and have no imbedded ICC profiles.

Don't forget the image you want printed also has to be in the proper aspect ratio, in this case 5:4. Most DSLR's make images in a 3:2 aspect ratio and most point & shoot cameras are 4:3.

 

[Desire]

I want to print a 16 x 20 photo from a camera store.
I've read all about this dpi stuff, and I was curious what dpi is needed for a 16 x 20 photo. I checked the resolution of the photo I want to print and it is at 240. Will this be okay? I don't want to spend money on something that might not work out. Any tips and tricks you have would be awesome!

:thumbup: Thank you for your time.

The popular online consumer print lab www.mpix.com requires a minimum of 100 ppi.

That means the pixel dimensions of your image must be no less than 1600 x 2400 pixels. (16 inches times 100 ppi= 1600 pixels x 24 inches times 100 ppi= 2400 pixels). To print a 16x24 at 240 ppi your image would need to be 3840 x 5760 pixels.

Mpix also requires your image be in the sRGB color space and have no imbedded ICC profiles.

Don't forget the image you want printed also has to be in the proper aspect ratio, in this case 5:4. Most DSLR's make images in a 3:2 aspect ratio and most point & shoot cameras are 4:3.

Okay, I'm not printing at mpix.com I'm printing from here: Wells Camera and Sound foto source, Moose Jaw: All Services

A local store where I live. I don't know the requirements they don't really say. So going by what you said here my picture should be okay I don't understand the aspect ratio thing... I took the photo with a Canon Rebel XTI if that matters...

Thank you for your reply!

 

[astrostu]

First, dpi=ppi.....

First, NO.

DPI ≠ PPI

"DPI" stands for "dots per inch." "PPI" stands for "pixels per inch." PPI is used when figuring out the resolution of the image on the screen -- how many pieces of information are you going to display per inch? DPI is used by a printer in how many dots of ink/pigment/color it is going to lay down per inch. Most printers these days are a minimum of 600 DPI, while many photo printers can get up past 4000 DPI.

300 PPI is the default standard for what to print at. I believe that it is the pixel density needed so that the average person holding the photo at arm's length cannot see the pixels.

240 PPI should be fine. I've printed as low as 150 PPI and as long as you're not within a yard/meter of the image, you should not be able to see pixelation.

 

[KmH]

I used Mpix as an example and a recommendation of a quality lab you can access online.

Your XTi makes images in the 3:2 (8x12, or 16x24) aspect ratio. You'll need to crop to a 5:4 (8x10, 16x20) aspect ratio. If your image is a horizontal format (10x8) you'll need to lose some from the sides to get to a 5:4 AR. If it's vertical (8x10) you'll need to crop some off the top/bottom to get to 5:4.

You still didn't mention the pixel dimensions of your image. What counts is the pixel dimensions AFTER you have it cropped to the 5:4 aspect ratio.

Astrostu,

Agree. Using DPI when talking images is wrong.

But, it has become the defacto term of use. I don't know why!

I only added the dpi=ppi to avoid confusion since the remainder of my post refered to ppi.

I had an image that got printed on a billboard at 5 ppi. Looked great from the highway, not so great standing on the scaffold at the bottom of the billboard.

 

[Desire]

Hmmm - this is so technical. Printing it at the studio there would they tell me that my photo needs cropping or what not? A noob would have no clue about these and would maybe end up spending 30 dollars on something that doesn't look good.

Oh and the pixel dimention is 3888 x 2592 - sorry, I thought you meant the resolution (it is horizontal)

 

[Garbz]

But, it has become the defacto term of use. I don't know why!

I only added the dpi=ppi to avoid confusion since the remainder of my post refered to ppi.

Not attacking you, but just some advice. These defacto standards are by people who don't know. I don't think I have ever explained the difference between PPI and DPI twice to the same person. Misinformation is no better than the original wrong information. The more people who know the difference between the terms, the more likely we are to not have to deal with it in the future

Next challenge HDR vs tonemapping

 

[Rifleman1776]

Avoid the confusion.
I recently had two 24X36" prints made from my 6mp camera. The images were cropped and saved in .jpg format.
The experts will claim you can't get a sharp print after all that.
I'm not an expert so I got beautiful, incredibly detailed and sharp prints from a business that uses a plotter for poster sized pictures and photos. Up close there is not a single hint of 'grain' or 'pixel' breakdown, just great detail.
BTW, I'm a former professional photog from the film days and am very-very fussy about print quality.
If I had fudged around with all the 'expert' techniques, I would still be looking for a way to get my prints.
Look in the Yellow pages for someone who prints posters. Of course, look at their work before committing.
BTW, I only paid $15.00 each for these prints which are now framed and hanging proudly on my family room wall.
Remember: KISS

 

[Desire]

Avoid the confusion.
I recently had two 24X36" prints made from my 6mp camera. The images were cropped and saved in .jpg format.
The experts will claim you can't get a sharp print after all that.
I'm not an expert so I got beautiful, incredibly detailed and sharp prints from a business that uses a plotter for poster sized pictures and photos. Up close there is not a single hint of 'grain' or 'pixel' breakdown, just great detail.
BTW, I'm a former professional photog from the film days and am very-very fussy about print quality.
If I had fudged around with all the 'expert' techniques, I would still be looking for a way to get my prints.
Look in the Yellow pages for someone who prints posters. Of course, look at their work before committing.
BTW, I only paid $15.00 each for these prints which are now framed and hanging proudly on my family room wall.
Remember: KISS

Yes, KISS is what I thought this would be, till I heard stuff about it and whoa?? There isn't "anyone" out there but stores that I want my photo printed from. I'm not sure what you mean by look at their work before committing. The ones here are ones like Wal-Mart and a grocery store. And I think going to a photography store would be better than those. The price doesn't worry me much, I just want something that looks good for the price I'm paying. Thanks muchly for your reply!

 

[IgsEMT]

I have a portrait from my wedding 16x20 hanging on my wall. My wedding was shot with D70 (6megapix) camera with average dimensions of 3000x2000.
I often do use mpix though that image wasn't printer there but nonetheless it was done and looks great.

Enjoy your prints

 

[CCarsonPhoto]

Wow, I work in a lab and our 16x20s are only $5.99. I can't believe the people in the lab you were mentioning couldn't tell you about the image resolution or cropping. If they are printing it, they ought to know what they are doing and educate their clients.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Wow, I work in a lab and our 16x20s are only $5.99. I can't believe the people in the lab you were mentioning couldn't tell you about the image resolution or cropping. If they are printing it, they ought to know what they are doing and educate their clients.

"ought to know" is quite different than an employee actually knowing what they are doing these days. Too often, unless you speak in very simple, 1st grade words, there won't be any real communication. This morning I gave my name twice to a secretary. Then she asked me my name.

 

[BlackWolF]

It's the automation now a days that makes it so people operating the machines hardly need ANY schooling in actual photo needs or dpi or ppi or any pi ... They just enter the data and poof out comes the photo on the other end ... If you have someone working the machine that day that you send in your pictures that actually knows something about photography then you are lucky ... Other then that, you get what the machine spits out

 

[CCarsonPhoto]

Wow, I work in a lab and our 16x20s are only $5.99. I can't believe the people in the lab you were mentioning couldn't tell you about the image resolution or cropping. If they are printing it, they ought to know what they are doing and educate their clients.

"ought to know" is quite different than an employee actually knowing what they are doing these days. Too often, unless you speak in very simple, 1st grade words, there won't be any real communication. This morning I gave my name twice to a secretary. Then she asked me my name.

LOL...funny and far too true, sadly.

 

[Desire]

Wow, I work in a lab and our 16x20s are only $5.99. I can't believe the people in the lab you were mentioning couldn't tell you about the image resolution or cropping. If they are printing it, they ought to know what they are doing and educate their clients.

Why so cheap??? That's crazy. I guess it depends on paper?

I didn't bother to ask the guy what the information needed was, I just asked him for the price. I do plan to call them up and ask a few more questions, however.

It's the automation now a days that makes it so people operating the machines hardly need ANY schooling in actual photo needs or dpi or ppi or any pi ... They just enter the data and poof out comes the photo on the other end ... If you have someone working the machine that day that you send in your pictures that actually knows something about photography then you are lucky ... Other then that, you get what the machine spits out

Haha - I'm thinking this is what I'm gonna get