Print size with Nikon D5000

[cjt_7]

I need help, fast I have agreed to take a team picture for my daughters' basketball team thinking that the picture would only be printed at a poster size. However, they are wanting it on a banner and are thinking the size should be 3'x8'. The pictures would not take up the entire banner but a majority of it. I am not sure if I am able to get anything with my camera that can be printed at that size. I guess I need to know if this is possible, if so what settings do I need to use? Would it help to take pictures of the teams in small groups and then add them all to one large picture in photoshop? I am supposed to do this today but it didn't even hit me until this morning that my camera (or the photographer) may not be able to do this. I only take pictures as a hobby, mostly at sporting events. Thanks in advance for any help anyone can give me.

Connie

My camera details:

Nikon D5000 with lenses: AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6 AND AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1:4-5.6

 

[MohaimenK]

take the largest pixels for your camera and divide it by 100 ppi and you got your answer. That's the largest it will go and still look pretty good. Under 100ppi it starts to look bad.

 

[KmH]

Yes, it is not only possible but done everyday.

Contact whoever will be making the banner.

They will have the information you need.

Billboards are routinely printed at about 10 ppi, often from images made by cameras that have fewer pixels than yours.

 

[icassell]

Look into Genuine Fractals by OnOne software. This allows you to print very very large images.

Perfect Resize 7 - onOne Software

 

[Big Mike]

Acceptable print size has just as (or more) to do with viewing distance, as it does resolution.

Billboards look terrible....but you don't notice that because you view them from 50 feet away (or farther).

As such, a 3' x 8' banner probably isn't meant to be viewed up close either...so you lack of resolution may not be a big deal.
Of course, you need to consider the photo. If it's a group shot with small faces, you wouldn't be able to see clearly from far away (because their small) and they might not look good up close, because of the lack of resolution...so that would be a bad choice for the image.

For an image to 'blow up' well, the less resolution that it needs, the better. For example, a shot of a volleyball by itself, probably doesn't need a whole lot of resolution.

So if they do want a 'team photo' on the banner, maybe you could find a solution where they important details (the faces) aren't too small. One example might be to take separate head shots and find a banner layout that allows them to be put on as separate images (or layer them up into a single image in Photoshop etc).

 

[D300guy]

Look into Genuine Fractals by OnOne software. This allows you to print very very large images.

Perfect Resize 7 - onOne Software

Expensive if you don't plan to do much blowing up pictures.
Good program I hear...

 

[icassell]

Look into Genuine Fractals by OnOne software. This allows you to print very very large images.

Perfect Resize 7 - onOne Software

Expensive if you don't plan to do much blowing up pictures.
Good program I hear...

I use it with Noel Carboni's action for Fractal Sharpening more than I use it for enlarging.