Cropping Resolution in CS3

[MarkW]

Part of my workflow in CS3/Aperture is to crop the image generally to a 6 x 4 image ratio. In the box next to the image ratio is the resolution which is still sitting at 300 as I haven't changed this setting.

The question is, is this setting degrading the image version (the changed file is used within the aperture environment), as this would be a concern if I decide to print a larger version of the image at a leter date.

[MarkW]

Well I think this must be the difficult question - oh well consigned to the round file

[ricktas]

Just saw this Mark, but not sure what you are asking

if you crop to 6 x 4 at 300 dpi/ppi your end result will be a 6 x 4 @ 300 (great printing resolution). If say your cropped it to 6 x 4 at 100 dpi then it would look good on a screen (most screens are about 100 dpi), but a print would most likely show some degradation compared to the 300 version.

300 dpi is generally accepted as a great setting for prints (you can go higher). Is this what you mean? If not, I am not sure what you are asking.

[MarkW]

Ok - to simplify is the resolution of the original image much greater than 300 dpi.

The concern was that when cropping, I was also changing to 300 dpi and was worried that it would reduce the resolution of the image.

If I knew how to find out the original resolution, I would change this setting to maintain this resolution.

[ricktas]

work it out. how many pixels high x wide is it. then change measurements to inches and see how many inches high and wide the original is, then do some maths!

[arthurking83]

Ok - to simplify is the resolution of the original image much greater than 300 dpi.

The concern was that when cropping, I was also changing to 300 dpi and was worried that it would reduce the resolution of the image.

If I knew how to find out the original resolution, I would change this setting to maintain this resolution.

no the resolution is not set in the original unless you set it.

so if you started with a raw file(NEF) then the image is only pixels wide by high, and at 300DPI the max output size in cm or inches is then divided by the number of pixels(or you can upres the file to get bigger output sizes.

It's only once you set the file size downward and adjust the DPI where you start getting los of quality. So if your D700 NEF's @ roughly 4000x2800 pixels(which at 300DPI can be printed at roughly 14"x9") is saved then saved at 1200x1024 and 100DPI then you've scaled the total resolution down by 1/9th. 1/3rd in pixel size and 1/3rd in resolution. so your file at 300DPI, which can still be printed at 300DPI!.. but now at only 4"x3"(roughly speaking).

changing the DPI is great for uploading to web. or printing massive prints.

so to answer the question of whether the resolution of the original is much higher, is dependent on whether you want it to be for a smaller output (print).

I think you can print without any loss of detail at 280DPI or even less, like 250DPI at most print shops, and the girl at Prism told me they'd print as big as I like depending on what DPI setting I wanted(this was back when I only had the D70s) and she recommended I try to stick to minimum 280DPI for printing a 1 meter wide pano.