Printing quality photos
Published: June 20, 2005
You've probably spent a great deal of time capturing, organizing, and backing up your photos. When it comes to printing your photos, following a few simple guidelines will ensure that you get good quality prints.
The quality equation
Three questions need to be answered to determine the maximum-sized, highest-quality print you can get from your photos.
QUESTIONS:
1. | How many pixels are in my photo? |
2. | At what resolution should I print my photos? |
3. | What is the maximum-sized, highest-quality print I can make once I know the answers to questions 1 and 2? |
ANSWERS:
1. | If you are taking pictures at the maximum setting that your camera allows, the following table will show you what the typical maximum pixel count will be for your photos. If you look at the 5-megapixel camera row in the 240-ppi printer resolution table, you'll see that the typical maximum resolution setting for taking photos is 1944 x 2592 pixels. |
2. | The minimum recommended resolution (measured in pixels-per-inch, or ppi) for printing quality photos is 240 ppi. |
3. | When you divide the ppi into the number of pixels in your photo, the result is the maximum size (in inches) that your print should be to retain the highest quality. |
240-ppi printer resolution
1 | 960 x 1280 | 240 PPI | 4 x 5.3 |
2 | 1200 x 1600 | 240 PPI | 5 x 6.7 |
3 | 1536 x 2048 | 240 PPI | 6.4 x 8.5 |
4 | 1704 x 2272 | 240 PPI | 7.1 x 9.5 |
5 | 1944 x 2592 | 240 PPI | 8.1 x 10.8 |
7 | 2304 x 3072 | 240 PPI | 9.6 x 12.8 |
8 | 2448 x 3264 | 240 PPI | 10.2 x 13.6 |
The following sample calculation used a photo taken with a 5-megapixel camera:
1944 ÷ 240 = 8.1
2592 ÷ 240 = 10.8
The maximum-quality print size for a 5-megapixel photo is 8.1 x 10.8 inches, or an 8 x 10-inch print.
If you choose to print your photos at a resolution of 300 ppi, use the following table to determine pixel-count, printer resolution, and maximum print size.
300-ppi printer resolution
1 | 960 x 1280 | 240 PPI | 3.2 x 4.3 |
2 | 1200 x 1600 | 300 PPI | 4.0 x 5.3 |
3 | 1536 x 2048 | 300 PPI | 5.1 x 6.8 |
4 | 1704 x 2272 | 300 PPI | 5.7 x 7.6 |
5 | 1944 x 2592 | 300 PPI | 6.5 x 8.6 |
7 | 2304 x 3072 | 300 PPI | 7.7 x 10.2 |
8 | 2448 x 3264 | 300 PPI | 8.2 x 10.9 |
Quality equation example
If you try to print a photo larger than its photo resolution allows, your print quality will decrease.
The following illustration is a blown-up section from a 1536 x 2048-pixel photo printed at two different sizes with a printer resolution of 240 ppi. The difference between the two pictures demonstrates how resolution dictates the quality of your print size. In the 8 x 10 example, you can clearly see the hair is blurring, the facial features are pixilated, and the edges are extremely jagged. The quality of the 5 x 7-inch photo is much better.
Looking back at the 240-ppi table, you can see that the 5 x 7-inch print of the 1536 x 2048-pixel photo is within the quality print size of 6.4 x 8.5 shown in the table. The 8 x 10-inch print exceeds that size, so the quality is decreased.
Make great prints
Now that you know what goes into creating a great print, you can use the tables provided in this article to better ensure the quality of your printed photos. Keep in mind that each camera on the market varies in terms of the resolution settings. Read your camera's manual to better understand the maximum number of pixels you can capture and how to adjust those settings if needed.
Remember this general rule: the larger the prints you want to make, the more pixels you need in your photos. If you want more pixels in your photos, you need a higher-megapixel camera.
 | Kleber Stephenson is Director of Seminars/Director of Windows Technologies for KW Media Group, Inc. He is the author of Windows XP Killer Tips (Pearson Education), Microsoft Office 2003 Killer Tips (New Riders Press), and Learn Windows XP for 5 Bucks (Peachpit Press), and is the co-author of The iTunes for Windows Book (Peachpit Press).
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