 Zaphod
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Posted: 6/25/2012 8:46:33 AM
THE IMAGE ABOVE IS A PAID ADVERTISEMENT How large of a printout can one make of a 10 Megapxel image before the resolution begins to deteriorate? I'm thinking of giving the sale of some of my pictures a whirl, and I'm wondering if I will need a new camera in the near future. "Need"...... Yeah. 
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hsvhobbit
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Posted: 6/25/2012 9:18:12 AM
[Last Edit: 6/25/2012 9:25:31 AM by hsvhobbit]
Since you're worried about 'needing' a new camera..... Probably really can't blow up that 10mp to much larger than 4x6 inches.
I suggest an Immediate upgrade to the D800.  .
If you go by the classic definition of 300ppi then not quite 16x10. But this is based on a roughly 11 inch viewing distance which no-one is really interested in. (IMHO) Personally if it's a high quality image I wouldn't hesitate to print at 20x30. You just have to recognize that people don't view large prints at nose-length. |
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beavo451
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Posted: 6/25/2012 12:51:26 PM
As big as you want to.
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Zaphod
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Posted: 6/25/2012 2:00:58 PM
[Last Edit: 6/25/2012 2:02:35 PM by Zaphod]
Originally Posted By hsvhobbit:
Since you're worried about 'needing' a new camera..... Probably really can't blow up that 10mp to much larger than 4x6 inches.
I suggest an Immediate upgrade to the D800. .
If you go by the classic definition of 300ppi then not quite 16x10. But this is based on a roughly 11 inch viewing distance which no-one is really interested in. (IMHO) Personally if it's a high quality image I wouldn't hesitate to print at 20x30. You just have to recognize that people don't view large prints at nose-length. As a matter of fact, the D800 is precisely the one currently sitting in my shopping cart on B&H.
When you say "high-quality image", what exactly do you mean? Well-exposed, etc., or something else? I would primarily be dealing with nature/landscape shots and such things as cathedrals, etc. I don't much give a hoot about stuff like sports. I took one picture i took in Capri and had it printed on a 10x12 or so canvas. DAMN that thing looks nice! I would love to do that on larger canvases (perhaps larger than 20x30), hence the interest... At least I ditched the idea to invest in a Nikon 18-300 f3.5-5.6 lens. I'll keep my Sigma 18-250 f3.5-6.7 which is half a pound lighter and saves me $1,000.... |
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hsvhobbit
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Posted: 6/25/2012 2:30:13 PM
When I refer to high quality mostly I'm referring to proper focus. A image that's 'slightly' OOF might look ok at 8x10 but blown up big look crappy. The rest ( exposure, composition, etc) is purely in the eye of the beholder. :) just my opinion of course.
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Zaphod
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Posted: 6/25/2012 2:32:07 PM
[Last Edit: 6/25/2012 2:32:26 PM by Zaphod]
Roger that. Makes sense.
I wonder how big a 36 MP image could be blown up to?  |
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hsvhobbit
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Posted: 6/25/2012 3:16:45 PM
:)) you really should get one and experiment. The web images I've seen from it are stunning and as soon as I save enough pennies I'll have one. Likely about the time they release the d900
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MotorMouth
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Posted: 6/25/2012 4:57:37 PM
Here's a chart I found:
Purple = 200+ dpi Navy = 150-199 dpi Lt. blue = 100-150 dpi Green = 80-99dpi Orange = less than 79 dpi |
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Posted: 6/25/2012 8:19:39 PM
I've done several 20" x 30" enlargements that I think look just fine. I did them online through CVS. I think I paid like $25 to get them done.
I just checked and CVS is running a 40% off sale for their posters. 20$ for a 20x30 through the end of the month. No, I'm not affiliated with them. :) |
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Zaphod
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Posted: 6/25/2012 9:09:42 PM
Originally Posted By MotorMouth:
Here's a chart I found: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Z1E7324dWYQ/T-jQiOf-L8I/AAAAAAAAA_4/I7pkUw-mK4g/s512/megapixel-enlargement-chart.jpg Purple = 200+ dpi Navy = 150-199 dpi Lt. blue = 100-150 dpi Green = 80-99dpi Orange = less than 79 dpi Cool! Thanks!  |
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Matthew_Q
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Posted: 6/25/2012 10:01:14 PM
I have an 11x18 print next to me of the Tavern in Abingdon, VA that I took with my old Kodak 5MP camera back in 2006. Looks great at that size.
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Posted: 6/26/2012 2:48:30 AM
@300dpi
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Jacketch
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Posted: 6/26/2012 7:23:43 PM
To get the best results (large prints) from the sensor in your camera you need good glass, sharp focus at optimal aperture, no movement of the lens and a shutter speed that matches the activity of the subject. More pixels (i.e. 36mp on the D800), in addition to allowing better detail, will only exaggerate poor technique or less than optimal lenses.
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Posted: 6/28/2012 10:32:03 PM
A great 10mp image, run through a cheap lab for the print, isn't going to give you an idea of what a 10mp image can achieve. Additionally, simply saying "10mp image" is about like saying "I have a car with four wheels, how fast can it go". It's the sensor that matters, not how much resolution they try to squeeze out of it. A Canon 1D, at 11mp will yield a FAR BETTER file than a Canon S100 with a 15mp file.
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hsvhobbit
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Posted: 6/28/2012 10:44:44 PM
Recognize that the 300dpi standard is for viewing at around a foot or so distance. Typically large prints aren't viewed as close. Also is your 10mp the size of the jpeg or sensor size? If it helps lots of times in the photo mags you can find a SMALL ad from Adorama of a 20x30 print for $10. Might be worth giving that print size a shot and see how it looks. If it looks very good then use that as a gauge for going big. Note I said SMALL ad. Not the monster multipage spread they do.
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