Print Sizes Etc.

[K_Pugh]

I've got a quick question on print sizes, nothing technical though.

My cameras are 10mp each producing images of 3872 x 2592 pixels. This is perfect for A3 printing (got a print done today) and i'm assuming that's the maximum size i can print without actually 'upscaling' (or whatever the proper term is)..

My question is can i print larger than this without the print looking less than ideal? if so, what's a recommended maximum size and what's the best way to upscale it?

Thanks - and i'm sorry if this has been asked before.

 

[Big Mike]

You certainly can print larger, that should not be a problem.

I've seen poster sized prints from 6MP cameras and they looked pretty good.

The 'standard' is that you want 300 pixels per linear inch of print. So you are all set for a 12.9' x 8.6' print. You don't have to stick right with that though. Many people print at 240 pixels per inch.

Either way, you can 're-sample' your image to change the size. You could probably go double the size before really noticing degradation but there are plenty of factors. Different software will be better or worse at this. Photoshop is pretty good and you will want to use 'bicubic smoother' when upscaling your images. You might also want to run a light sharpening after resizing.

Of course, you do loose quality when upsizing your images...but it's up to you to decide how much is acceptable. Another thing to consider is viewing distance. You could print your images 20 by 30 feet...they won't look good from 1 foot away but from 100 feet away, they probably look just fine.

Id' suggest you try some large prints out, and see how you like them.

Remember that it really helps to start with a good sharp image...so use a tripod and good technique, good equipment etc.

 

[ANDS!]

That would all depend on how many pixels per inch (or is it dots per inch - I dunno) you want in the image. At 300, I'm assuming youre getting acceptable images on the A3. If you cranked it down to say 250 - you should still be able to get cracker jack quality, while being able to UP the print size to what you need. If you use Photoshop, you can simply change the "crop" tool to the size you want, crop (you dont need to cut anything off, just put the crop tool over the entire image) and it will resample the PPI to match the new dimension. You can then do a print preview to determine if the quality is something you can live with.