PRINTING QUALITY PHOTOS

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:

1How many pixels are in my photo?

.
2At what resolution should I print my photos?
.
3What is the maximum-sized, highest-quality print I can make once I know the answers to
.questions 1 and 2?

ANSWERS:

1If 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.
2The minimum recommended resolution (measured in pixels-per-inch, or ppi) for printing
.quality photos is 240 ppi.
3When 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

Megapixel cameraPhoto Pixel Count Maximum SettingPrinter ResolutionPrint Size

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

Megapixel cameraPhoto Pixel Count Maximum SettingPrinter ResolutionPrint Size

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.

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