photoshop, resolution,printers and things

Greetings,

I've read the post and numerous FAQs, so let me just ask these final questions to see if I've got it straight or not:

The monitor displays at 72dpi, but 'photo' printing is best at a minimum of 240-360 dpi. Some even print at 720dpi.

File resolution / screen resolution and printer resolution have nothing to do with each other.

but

If I want to take my coolpix 990 jpeg or tiff and print it to an 8x10, shouldn't I use genuine fractals (or photoshop resampling) to open the image as an 8x10 with 240dpi or greater?

I guess what I am trying to ask is if I am printing an 8x10 and I start with a file from a 3.4 megapixel camera (tiff or jpeg), what is the best approach for creating an 8x10? Right now I am saving as a GF format, then specifying the print size and file resolution (thus changing the file size) when I open the document to print.

I am using an Epson 6 color printer, and generally do not mess at all with resizing in the epson dialog. However, are there any reasons for doing so? Would this be better than doing it in Photoshop?

If anyone can point me in the direction of a good photoshop print FAQ I would appreciate it. I am concerned I may be harming my image quality by not selecting the right things in the photoshop print options.

Thanks
kevin

Kevin said:

Greetings,

I've read the post and numerous FAQs, so let me just ask these
final questions to see if I've got it straight or not:

The monitor displays at 72dpi, but 'photo' printing is best at a
minimum of 240-360 dpi. Some even print at 720dpi.

File resolution / screen resolution and printer resolution have
nothing to do with each other.

but

If I want to take my coolpix 990 jpeg or tiff and print it to an
8x10, shouldn't I use genuine fractals (or photoshop resampling) to
open the image as an 8x10 with 240dpi or greater?

I guess what I am trying to ask is if I am printing an 8x10 and I
start with a file from a 3.4 megapixel camera (tiff or jpeg), what
is the best approach for creating an 8x10? Right now I am saving
as a GF format, then specifying the print size and file resolution
(thus changing the file size) when I open the document to print.

I am using an Epson 6 color printer, and generally do not mess at
all with resizing in the epson dialog. However, are there any
reasons for doing so? Would this be better than doing it in
Photoshop?

If anyone can point me in the direction of a good photoshop print
FAQ I would appreciate it. I am concerned I may be harming my
image quality by not selecting the right things in the photoshop
print options.

Thanks
kevin

Click to expand...

Kevin,

You have the basic idea. I suggest you go to http://www.computer-darkroom.co.uk/ The Computer Darkroom and read the Photoshop essays that Ian has posted. Thet are very informative and should help.

Good luck

Frank

Kevin said:

Greetings,

I've read the post and numerous FAQs, so let me just ask these
final questions to see if I've got it straight or not:

The monitor displays at 72dpi, but 'photo' printing is best at a
minimum of 240-360 dpi. Some even print at 720dpi.

Click to expand...

72dpi? Must be a Mac...

Kevin Berry said:

File resolution / screen resolution and printer resolution have
nothing to do with each other.

but

If I want to take my coolpix 990 jpeg or tiff and print it to an
8x10, shouldn't I use genuine fractals (or photoshop resampling) to
open the image as an 8x10 with 240dpi or greater?

I guess what I am trying to ask is if I am printing an 8x10 and I
start with a file from a 3.4 megapixel camera (tiff or jpeg), what
is the best approach for creating an 8x10? Right now I am saving
as a GF format, then specifying the print size and file resolution
(thus changing the file size) when I open the document to print.

I am using an Epson 6 color printer, and generally do not mess at
all with resizing in the epson dialog. However, are there any
reasons for doing so? Would this be better than doing it in
Photoshop?

If anyone can point me in the direction of a good photoshop print
FAQ I would appreciate it. I am concerned I may be harming my
image quality by not selecting the right things in the photoshop
print options.

Click to expand...

If you want a trouble-free life, then buy QImage Pro (google will find it for you) and let it do all the work. No need to worry about dpi or image scaling to fit a size, no need to save variants of your image or anything. Just tell it to print on a particular size and it does all the scaling (using a high quality filter algorithm) for you. And as a bonus, it can print several images per sheet if you want it to, and apply cropping or simple filtering to the image (again without having to resave it).

--Sophie (happy QImage user)

Sophie Wilson said:

72dpi? Must be a Mac...

Click to expand...

Nope, using a PC.

Sophie Wilson said:

If you want a trouble-free life, then buy QImage Pro (google will
find it for you) and let it do all the work. No need to worry about
dpi or image scaling to fit a size, no need to save variants of
your image or anything. Just tell it to print on a particular size
and it does all the scaling (using a high quality filter algorithm)
for you. And as a bonus, it can print several images per sheet if
you want it to, and apply cropping or simple filtering to the image
(again without having to resave it).

Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll look into it. BUT, I sure would like to get this down pat, since I don't like the idea of running in and out of different apps just to get everything done. I have heard a lot of good comments on QImage Pro, and also a lot on using the GF plugin with Adobe. Since I have the GF plugin I thought I would give it a shot.

Any idea what resolution / file sizes your good 8x10 are getting printed at?

Kevin

Kevin said:

Sophie Wilson said:

72dpi? Must be a Mac...

Click to expand...

Nope, using a PC.

Click to expand...

I guess it must be PhotoShop assuming the machine's pixels are at 72dpi. They're not, of course. For example, on my machine, I have a 1280x1024 display on a Nokia 446Xpro CRT which is 13.5" across - that's around 90dpi, a number which has been true for many years (ever since I designed the Arthur/RISC OS font manager in 1985). If you look at your PC, then in "small fonts" mode it is assuming 96dpi and 120dpi in "large fonts" mode. The only machine that 72dpi was close-to-true on was the original Macintosh, which is why I guessed Apple. (personal "fume" topic - just ignore me)

Kevin Berry said:

Kevin Berry said:

If you want a trouble-free life, then buy QImage Pro (google will
find it for you) and let it do all the work. No need to worry about
dpi or image scaling to fit a size, no need to save variants of
your image or anything. Just tell it to print on a particular size
and it does all the scaling (using a high quality filter algorithm)
for you. And as a bonus, it can print several images per sheet if
you want it to, and apply cropping or simple filtering to the image
(again without having to resave it).

Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll look into it. BUT, I sure would like to get this down
pat, since I don't like the idea of running in and out of different
apps just to get everything done. I have heard a lot of good
comments on QImage Pro, and also a lot on using the GF plugin with
Adobe. Since I have the GF plugin I thought I would give it a shot.

Click to expand...

There's a free diownload for QImage Pro so you can easily test it.

Fractal scaling is unlikely to be advantagous unless you have detail in your picture that is amenable to fractal reproduction. And even then, for small levels of scaling you still won't notice. QImage pro uses nice quality conventional image filtering to change size: filters like Lanczos behave very well for straight-ish edges.

Kevin Berry said:

Any idea what resolution / file sizes your good 8x10 are getting
printed at?

Click to expand...

I usually end up ignoring QImage's message telling me what it was. Come to that, I usually print something that isn't exactly 10x8 so as to get a 4:3 aspect ratio and avoid cropping (QImage will automatically crop, or you can tell it what to preserve) but I'd have to ask QImage if I'm using 10 2/3 by 8 or 10 by 7.5. Usually I see numbers in the 240-300dpi range, but then I am using a 5mega pixel camera nowadays (OK, so that's 256dpi if I'm using 10x7.5, 240dpi if I'm using 10.666x8 - I also print on 7x5.25...). QImage then scales it to whatever it is using to drive the printer (presumably either 360 or 720dpi?) but I never worried too much about that.

I get very nice, sharp 10x8s. And I also got them from my 3megapixel camera (204dpi or 192dpi).

Somewhat unsurprisingly, I also get very nice, sharp 19x13s from the 5megapixel camera (well, 17.333x13) which is 150dpi and not from the 3megapixel camera (they go a bit too soft) at 118dpi.

--Sophie

Kevin, the monitor displays at 72ppi (pixels per inch) not dpi which is dots per inch. I often see these confused. Try Qimage. Take your 72ppi image and let Qimage resize or resample for you. Also lets you layout 3 - 4x6's on one sheet. Or 2 - 5x7's etc... Great program for printing. I do all my editing in PS and when I'm ready to print I just open up the images in Qimage and go from there...Bob

Kevin said:

The monitor displays at 72dpi, but 'photo' printing is best at a
minimum of 240-360 dpi.

Click to expand...

Kevin,

I have a Oly 3040z, so I am working with the same number of pixels and print logistics that you are. I also have Photoshop, Qimage and GF. Here's where I wound up:

For 8X10's - If I didn't crop, I just use Photoshop to resize up, tell it 300 DPI and use Photoshops built in resizer stuff. If I do crop signifigantly, then I use GF to upsize - again using 8x10 and 300 DPI as my selections.

Point is, GF can turn postage stamps into billboards..I gotta give PS some credit to able to do minor upsizing with excellent results. To me, GF is heavy artillary...not for minor upsizing.

A lot of time I just use a 256DPI and print something less than 8x10 but greater than 5x7 on the 8.5x11 paper. No resizing at all..best. I like the larger boarder too..

I use Qimage strictly for printing multiple photos on a page. Period. By far the easiest way to do it.

Good luck.

-David

Sophie Wilson said:

I get very nice, sharp 10x8s. And I also got them from my
3megapixel camera (204dpi or 192dpi).

Somewhat unsurprisingly, I also get very nice, sharp 19x13s from
the 5megapixel camera (well, 17.333x13) which is 150dpi and not
from the 3megapixel camera (they go a bit too soft) at 118dpi.

--Sophie

Click to expand...

Thanks Sophie. Quite informative. I will give QImage a looksee. So, I take it you aren't a fan of genuine fractals, or are you just saying it has its purpose but only with specific files that benefit from it?

I haven't lucked out and gotten a 5MP camera yet. Which one are you using? I am probably going to spring for the Coolpix 5k when it comes out...unless I talk myself into taking the digital pro-slr plunge.

Kevin

David D said:

I use Qimage strictly for printing multiple photos on a page.
Period. By far the easiest way to do it.

Click to expand...

David,

Ok. I see your point. I,too, have done simple resizing with the photoshop and have gotten what I consider to be good results. I was curious, however, as to how other people were doing it. It sounds like you and I have a similar workflow.

I think I'll check out QImage, though. As for the multiple pictures, my epson driver lets me do the same thing and it seems to work well. Any distinct advantages you see over the QImage and printer-driver methods of multi-picture printing?

Kevin

Kevin said:

Sophie Wilson said:

I get very nice, sharp 10x8s. And I also got them from my
3megapixel camera (204dpi or 192dpi).

Somewhat unsurprisingly, I also get very nice, sharp 19x13s from
the 5megapixel camera (well, 17.333x13) which is 150dpi and not
from the 3megapixel camera (they go a bit too soft) at 118dpi.

--Sophie

Click to expand...

Thanks Sophie. Quite informative. I will give QImage a looksee.
So, I take it you aren't a fan of genuine fractals, or are you just
saying it has its purpose but only with specific files that benefit
from it?

Click to expand...

I've not used it (or needed to use it - I'm only doing small factors of enlargement which QImage and IrfanView handle well enough. I do think that Fractal's performance will depend more on image content - not everything is full of fractal repetitions of itself (great on fjords!).

Kevin Berry said:

I haven't lucked out and gotten a 5MP camera yet. Which one are
you using?

Click to expand...

Minolta DiMAGE 7.

Kevin Berry said:

I am probably going to spring for the Coolpix 5k when it comes
out...unless I talk myself into taking the digital pro-slr plunge.

Click to expand...

Its all in the lens. In the prosumer (ugly word) market place, the D7 seems to have the best lens going, which gives the camera some spooky capabilities - we've not got over its ability to take pictures in low light. D7 is also light and in the UK at least is fairly cheap. Even if I could afford the Nikon D1X or the Canon EOS 1D, I doubt if I could carry them! Given that I bought the D7 for the lens, its point-and-shoot ability is also surprising (once you get used to the slightly slow autofocus).

Of course, the D7 has also triggered an arms race - replacement of the 3megapixel camera now seems necessary. I can't have the D7 with me all the time and it isn't the best point-and-shoot (excellent pictures, but its slow) - but if I'm using my S20, there's always a sense of "wouldn't the D7 have made so much more of this?". Now looking at the S40.

--Sophie

Sophie Wilson said:

Of course, the D7 has also triggered an arms race - replacement of
the 3megapixel camera now seems necessary. I can't have the D7 with
me all the time and it isn't the best point-and-shoot (excellent
pictures, but its slow) - but if I'm using my S20, there's always a
sense of "wouldn't the D7 have made so much more of this?". Now
looking at the S40.

--Sophie

Click to expand...

I downloaded QImage and am going to give it a try. Seems to be lot of debate on the old web boards as to which does a better job (if even noticeable) between QIMAGE and GF resizing. Everyone seems to agree, however, that QIMage is THE program for printing.

As for the D7, it seems to be a GREAT camera. I, myself, am partial to nikon. I agree about the lens, and do like nikon optics. I know one day I will go with the D1xxx series (hopefully sooner rather than later), but for now I have the pro-sumer coolpix line, my F100, F2, and a trusty 4000dpi nikon 35mm film scanner.

Kevin