I Want To Print a 16 x 20 Photo

[janessa]

There's two big reasons to get the D80. One is the extra resolution, and the other is the much larger viewfinder. (There's also a bunch of smaller reasons.)
Regarding the resolution, with 16x20 you'll see a difference. You'll start to see a difference with anything larger than 8x10.
Here's why. A high quality printer will be set for 300dpi. That's about as fine as the human eye can resolve. So when you print, ideally you'd have 300x300= 90,000 pixels to work with for every square inch. That works out to a whopping 34.5 mega-pixels for 16x24 inches (from which you'd crop a 16x20 print.)

 

[CCarsonPhoto]

Its so cheap, because we're competing with Sams and Walmart. I work for Costco, and the prices are set by corporate. The paper is good quality, and its still done in one hour. Sams and walmart do 1 week send out turn around.

 

[Desire]

There's two big reasons to get the D80. One is the extra resolution, and the other is the much larger viewfinder. (There's also a bunch of smaller reasons.)
Regarding the resolution, with 16x20 you'll see a difference. You'll start to see a difference with anything larger than 8x10.
Here's why. A high quality printer will be set for 300dpi. That's about as fine as the human eye can resolve. So when you print, ideally you'd have 300x300= 90,000 pixels to work with for every square inch. That works out to a whopping 34.5 mega-pixels for 16x24 inches (from which you'd crop a 16x20 print.)

Huh?

Its so cheap, because we're competing with Sams and Walmart. I work for Costco, and the prices are set by corporate. The paper is good quality, and its still done in one hour. Sams and walmart do 1 week send out turn around.

Haha - that's crazy. Pretty lucky though!

 

[Garbz]

Desire, ignore janessa.

Regarding the resolution, with 16x20 you'll see a difference. You'll start to see a difference with anything larger than 8x10.
Here's why. A high quality printer will be set for 300dpi. That's about as fine as the human eye can resolve. So when you print, ideally you'd have 300x300= 90,000 pixels to work with for every square inch. That works out to a whopping 34.5 mega-pixels for 16x24 inches (from which you'd crop a 16x20 print.)

You need to lay off the grog before posting

300ppi is not the limit for how the human eye can resolve. It's is by definition the point at which someone with 20:20 vision stops resolving individual pixels at a standard arms reading length (about 50-70cm ish).

A high quality printer will not be set to 300ppi. A high quality printer will be set to the highest resolution that can be printed for a given file and desired print size. For instance the very very expensive and exceptionally high quality print on my wall is 200ppi, my very cheap but still high quality 6x4 are 640ppi.

As for your maths, read ppi out load: "Pixels Per Inch" 300 Pixels Per Inch on an image that is 8 inches by 10 inches gives you 300ppi x 16in = 4800pixels wide, and 300ppi x 20in = 6000pixels high. 4800*6000 = 28megapixels. Assuming 300ppi. Where did you get 34.5 from?

Now the average person would look at an 8x10 from about 50cm or so. Do you really think someone looking at a 20" wide image would look at the photo from 50cm too? Given the focus of the eye they wouldn't be able to even see the entire image at once clearly. So lets for arguments sake say they want to look at the picture and not the quality of the print. They decide like any sane person that they need to stretch their arm out a bit to ooooh say about 1m. Now you only need to print 150ppi or about 7mpx to make this high quality 16x20" picture.

Pixel peepers will always complain about your print. If you print at 600ppi all they will do is start carrying a magnifying glass.

 

[Desire]

Desire, ignore janessa.

Regarding the resolution, with 16x20 you'll see a difference. You'll start to see a difference with anything larger than 8x10.
Here's why. A high quality printer will be set for 300dpi. That's about as fine as the human eye can resolve. So when you print, ideally you'd have 300x300= 90,000 pixels to work with for every square inch. That works out to a whopping 34.5 mega-pixels for 16x24 inches (from which you'd crop a 16x20 print.)

You need to lay off the grog before posting

300ppi is not the limit for how the human eye can resolve. It's is by definition the point at which someone with 20:20 vision stops resolving individual pixels at a standard arms reading length (about 50-70cm ish).

A high quality printer will not be set to 300ppi. A high quality printer will be set to the highest resolution that can be printed for a given file and desired print size. For instance the very very expensive and exceptionally high quality print on my wall is 200ppi, my very cheap but still high quality 6x4 are 640ppi.

As for your maths, read ppi out load: "Pixels Per Inch" 300 Pixels Per Inch on an image that is 8 inches by 10 inches gives you 300ppi x 16in = 4800pixels wide, and 300ppi x 20in = 6000pixels high. 4800*6000 = 28megapixels. Assuming 300ppi. Where did you get 34.5 from?

Now the average person would look at an 8x10 from about 50cm or so. Do you really think someone looking at a 20" wide image would look at the photo from 50cm too? Given the focus of the eye they wouldn't be able to even see the entire image at once clearly. So lets for arguments sake say they want to look at the picture and not the quality of the print. They decide like any sane person that they need to stretch their arm out a bit to ooooh say about 1m. Now you only need to print 150ppi or about 7mpx to make this high quality 16x20" picture.

Pixel peepers will always complain about your print. If you print at 600ppi all they will do is start carrying a magnifying glass.

Lol That makes more sense. Kind of funny in a way though. I don't think there are any pixel peepers except me haha.

 

[Garbz]

I don't think there are any pixel peepers except me haha.

That's kind but you're asking too much from this forum

 

[Rifleman1776]

There's two big reasons to get the D80. One is the extra resolution, and the other is the much larger viewfinder. (There's also a bunch of smaller reasons.)
Regarding the resolution, with 16x20 you'll see a difference. You'll start to see a difference with anything larger than 8x10.
Here's why. A high quality printer will be set for 300dpi. That's about as fine as the human eye can resolve. So when you print, ideally you'd have 300x300= 90,000 pixels to work with for every square inch. That works out to a whopping 34.5 mega-pixels for 16x24 inches (from which you'd crop a 16x20 print.)

On another thread, I tossed out a challenge to explain exactly what is meant by "quality" with reference to a print.
First, I must qualify what I'm talking about. As a former pro who has used a lot of high dollar equipment back in the film days, I understand what good lenses, etc. mean in final results.
But, since becoming a convert to digi, I believe these lines have become blurred. Small digi cameras often lack controls of expensive DLSRs but are still capable of good photography.
And, printing does not seem to degrade enlargements the same way it happens with film.
For example, my camera is a Sony DSC-H2. This would be laughed at by many who have spent thousands for their DSLRs and lenses. But, I get exceptional, and I do mean exceptional results from it. A bonus is that it weighs pounds and pounds less than the big cameras and equipment. I have it with me when others leave the freight train behind.
But, back to the issue of "quality". I have two prints in my TV room taken with the Sony. They are cropped 24"X36" prints which, if full frame would be in the 30"X40" range. They were printed on a poster printer. I believe that type of machine is actually called a plotter. Not sure on that.
Anyone is welcome to come, use a magnifying glass or loupe, and examine these prints. You will not find a hint of grain (I know, it ain't film), pixelation, breakdown, or other degradation anywhere. They are sharp and stunning. One is of an Hawaiian coastline taken from a half mile offshore. You can almost see grains of sand on the land. (that's a tiny exaggeration ). But, the detail and sharpness are incredible and I am proud of that. (and I'm proud of the photography also. am I allowed to brag?)
Friends are always welcome at my home. If you want to be a friend and want to challenge me on this brag, just contact and we will make arrangements for you to visit.
So, please, someone define how a $5,000.00 piece of digi-equipment can do better than my $300.00 camera.

 

[Desire]

I don't think there are any pixel peepers except me haha.

That's kind but you're asking too much from this forum

I'm just asking for help on printing large photos, is all

 

[Flash Harry]

Just crop to the desired size, set resolution to 300, the print will be fine. H

 

[Garbz]

That's kind but you're asking too much from this forum

I'm just asking for help on printing large photos, is all

hahah I didn't mean it like that. I was just saying don't come in expecting everyone to have common sense here . This forum is full of pixel peepers who will ask why their pictures aren't tac sharp when blown up at 100% on their 12mpx $100 cameras.

Just crop to the desired size, set resolution to 300, the print will be fine. H

Crop to the desired size, change the printing dimensions to the desired size, and leave the resolution as high as it will go!

 

[Desire]

That's kind but you're asking too much from this forum

I'm just asking for help on printing large photos, is all

hahah I didn't mean it like that. I was just saying don't come in expecting everyone to have common sense here . This forum is full of pixel peepers who will ask why their pictures aren't tac sharp when blown up at 100% on their 12mpx $100 cameras.

Just crop to the desired size, set resolution to 300, the print will be fine. H

Crop to the desired size, change the printing dimensions to the desired size, and leave the resolution as high as it will go!

Ohhh okay - hahaha, yeah, that's true. I don't expect everyone here to have common sense. Just like I don't expect a lot of people in real life to have common sense

So to get the best results I should crop my picture to the desired size? :O

 

[Garbz]

What I think Flash meant by that, and what I definitely meant by that is, do all your cropping if you need to before you pick your final print size. Because if you pick your print size and then crop afterwards, it'll change.

 

[Desire]

What I think Flash meant by that, and what I definitely meant by that is, do all your cropping if you need to before you pick your final print size. Because if you pick your print size and then crop afterwards, it'll change.

I don't really get that, because I've picked my print size already (bought a frame for it) - which is 16 x 20.

And I'm not sure if I need to do any cropping?

 

[Garbz]

Not just cropping for different frame sizes, but maybe cropping out distractions. Like if someone's face is just visible on the edge of a frame, cropping them out while maintaining a 4:5 size ratio may improve the image. Then after cropping that bit off the side and top set your print size

 

[Desire]

Not just cropping for different frame sizes, but maybe cropping out distractions. Like if someone's face is just visible on the edge of a frame, cropping them out while maintaining a 4:5 size ratio may improve the image. Then after cropping that bit off the side and top set your print size

Ahhh. I see. Hehe well there's nothing I don't like about this picture

I got it printed, and it looks amazing. Thank you all for your help.

Here's the photo I printed.