Quality with 3.2 Mp in A4 ?

[daniariete75]

Hi ,

I've a Canon A70 3.2 Mpixel and I'd like to print photos in A4 size with an Epson Stylus Photo rx 620 .

How can I expect the final quality at 300 dpi ?
How can I set up for a 300 dpi print ? (pixel/inch is the same of dpi ? )
How could I prepare the image for the best printing quality ?

Thanks a lot

Daniele

[Carbone]

Hello Daniele,

I know little of A4 paper, but I believe it's a little taller than the US Letter format.

Also, we'll assume that your Canon A70 camera gives 2048 x 1536 pictures (same as my A510).

Generally, you'd want your pictures to have at least 300 pixels (not dots, real screen pixels) per inch. In this case, 2048 gives 7 inches (a little under, actually), and 1536 is 5. This 300 pixels per inch (or ppi) is good for when pictures are viewed at an arm's distance (i.e. like holding a picture in an album or in your hands).

When dealing with larger formats, people usually hang and frame the pictures. So, they're viewed from a certain distance. We can then lower the resolution to about 180 ppi. In this case, your picture would be ok at this dimension (US Letter), that is 8.5 x 11 inches. Under 180 your pictures' lack of sharpness will show up, especially if the viewers are at less than 5 feet (for example).

To set your picture's resolution in PSE, click on Image / Resize / Image Size, then uncheck Resampling, and adjust the Resolution. As you do so, the dimension will change. But the picture will not be damaged.

Finally, a pixels is the unit of measure for screen. A dot is the unit of measure for a printer. They are not the same. A printer uses several dots to generate one screen pixel. How many dots depends on the number of inks in your printer and how the driver works.

Hope this helps!

Ray

[daniariete75]

Thanks a lot for your answer .
A4 is 210 × 297 mm insted US letter is 216 × 279 mm
Are almost the same....

I'd like to print my favourite photoes in A4 format and put them in an A4 photo album. Then I will see these big photoes at arm's distance.
For this purpose I'd have to increase the resolution to 300 ppi ?
Do you think it's a bad idea to put A4 photoes in an album ?
I can't unserstand how to set the dpi of my printer (epson stylus photo RX 620). How much have I to set the dpi ?

At the end I show you the answer that a senior user of dpreview forum gave to me..


"You'll need it as a big file in order to get some control over the detail.

Open a copy of your original. In Photoshop or similar resize it to 300mm at 300dpi at medium compression. Then rezise it to the exact dimensions you require, adding a little USM if necessary (as little as radius 1 at 40% might suffice but just take it up very slowly until it looks as you want) and then save as a JPG with a unique file name. It should print niecly now on quality glossy photo paper - makes a huge difference - I've done numerous A4s from 2mp cameras, and emember it wasn't so long ago when 2mp was the real 'bees knees', in this way. "


If you consider these suggestion valid .. how I can adapt to the PSE configurations

I'd like to thanks all of you in advance for the help you provide to a newbe like me

Bye

Daniele

[Carbone]

Daniele,

Usually, it's not a good idea to enlarge an image because it'll bring up all sorts of undesirable defects. But do try it, sometimes, a little miracle happens :)

Click on Image /*Resize / Image size, then make sure the Resample Image is checked at the bottom. In Document Size, enter the desired dimensions for one side (Height for example), and in Resolution, enter 300.

Next, click on Filter / Sharpen /*Unsharp Mask, and enter the following:

Amount : 40%, Radius : 1.0, Threshold 4.

You can adjust the percentage, between 40 to 65% (my own opinion).

Hope this helps!

Ray

[Spyder]

It may help to change the 'bicubic' default setting to 'bicubic smoother' if you enarge it also.

[GaryK]

Daniele

Make sure you do the resizing on a duplicate image..NOT your original:) Keep that in a safe place.

You can always try to print one out and see how it looks. If it doen't look good enough to YOU, then maybe put two on a page. Thats still a nice size, and will save on paper costs.

[Mary]

Hi Daniele

I would also consider making a collage page of your pictures. Crop to fill the frame with the most important part of your picture. Add some journaling about who what and where etc. Then add a scan or two of memorabilia that you acquired on your trips. I guess that is called scrapbooking but if you watch people look through a photo album they start flipping quickly through pages because they need more information to keep their interest. If you inherit any old family albums each page prompts the question "Who is that? Where was that? - etc.

Pictures are only part of your very personal story - only you know the whole story. :)

[GaryK]

Mary

You darn scrappers... always trying to convert us heathens:p :p

Of course you are right, but I didn't say it.;)

[Mary]

Gary
;) You are giving in I can tell ;)