Photo Prints [Resizing]

[KiD.DeeN]

Happy 25th Anniversary!

Alright, I took some pictures with a D40 with the size setting on large producing a 3008x2000. I'm looking to print some of the photos [4"x6" prints] at a pharmacy store, should I resize the pictures to 1800x1200 [300ppi]?


-Thanks

 

[Cliff3]

Unless you're concerned about space limitations, I would leave the images at full resolution and let their software do whatever it needs to do.

 

[KiD.DeeN]

Cropping

Thanks Cliff.

After looking through the pictures, some of them need to be cropped.
So what I did was resize the pictures to dimensions larger than 1800x1200 then cropped until the picture was 1800x1200.

Since some of the pics are now 1800x1200, should I just resize all of them to 1800x1200 or is it ok for some to be 3008x2000.

 

[Cliff3]

If anything, I would go back and redo your crops such that you are not throwing away pixels. Don't worry about their software - within reason, it should be able to handle whatever comes its way. When it comes to printing, more pixels is always better.

 

[NightGeometry]

I'd never really thought about this before, but... Knowing that most high street print places aren't exactly on the leading edge of tech, nor using the best equipment possible, what's the likelihood of being able to resize better on your own computer?

My thoughts are that if I resize, then I can use PS, and I can choose the algorithm used. I can control any sharpening applied, or other corrections (I've never actually downsampled an image, so I've no idea if you sharpen after reducing). If i do it myself, then I would sure as hell read up everything I could on image reduction, and I'd be confident of doing a reasonable job, ar at least a competent job given the million and one opposing views I would expect to find on the intrawebs

But then at snapshot print sizes, is anyone going to ever notice?

Maybe if I were printing something a bit larger (A4 or above), it would be worth the effort.

Anyone ever thought about seriously, and have an opinion?

 

[Cliff3]

I'd never really thought about this before, but... Knowing that most high street print places aren't exactly on the leading edge of tech, nor using the best equipment possible, what's the likelihood of being able to resize better on your own computer?

My guess would be that most places are using a purchased turnkey system. The system is likely fed images via physical media or an internet site. It probably examines the files it is given, checks file characteristics against processing rules defined in the software, makes rules-based alterations (resizing, sharpening, color space, cropping, etc) to the files it deems necessary to lead to success, then prints them.

If a person wants control over the printing process, using the local drugstore is going to be about the worst option. So give them the best you've got: i.e.: all the pixels your camera captured, if necessary cropped in such a way to conform to the output format, clean up the image as best you can before submitting it for processing, then hope for the best.

 

[ChrisA]

Happy 25th Anniversary!

Alright, I took some pictures with a D40 with the size setting on large producing a 3008x2000. I'm looking to print some of the photos [4"x6" prints] at a pharmacy store, should I resize the pictures to 1800x1200 [300ppi]?


-Thanks

First off are you 100% certain the images will be printed at exactly 300 DPI? You need to look up the specs on their machine.

OK now that you know, it does make sense to resize becauseto can get the sharpenning exactly right. Also yu should make sure the color space is sRGB, no matter what color spce you send in they will assume sRGB.

Doing any resizing without knowing the details about the printer is pointless. Either get it exactly right or just get them as many pixels as you have.

 

[KiD.DeeN]

Doing any resizing without knowing the details about the printer is pointless. Either get it exactly right or just get them as many pixels as you have.

Thanks a lot Chris!