Printing

[Ruski]

Hi, i have tried to read up on printing images but still find it but still find it a little confusing to be honest especially printing at the bigger sizes.

Anyway i have processed an image of mine which i would like to get printed at 24"x16". The image dimensions are 3813 x 2512 pixels, the resolution is 641 dpi and the file size is 1.24mb.

It would be the first one of my images to be printed at a larger size and maybe even the first to go on one of my walls so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers Ruski

[JM Tran]

first of all, what camera did you use, did you save it at the highest jpeg quality from raw? what else have u done to it etc

understanding photo size ratio by which type of camera, and printing it to the correct print ratio is easy once you get the hang of it

[Ruski]

The camera was a Nikon D5000 it was processed from a raw file using lightroom and elements and saved as a jpeg not to sure at what quality. I cropped the image using the 6x4 ratio in elements.

[JM Tran]

you do not need to crop the image to a 6x4 ratio in Elements, hence the very small jpeg file size you stated at 1.24mb - you can print it as it is because the D5000 produce images natively at a 3:2 ratio, which a 6x4 inch falls under. Unless you have cropped the image heavily to cut out unwanted details, and cut out a lot of data leading to a very small final image file.

[Ruski]

I just set the 6x4 ratio and cropped using that i didn't lose to much of the image. Perhaps i saved it as a small file.

Thanks for the replies but i am still no nearer to knowing if i can print at 24x16

[junqbox]

You can print at 24x16", as long as you can find someone doing that size. Depending on the printer/medium, the higher the ppi, the better. Although, anything over 300 is usually just wasted information.
As long as the file size (dimensions) match your desired output (24x16) and the file is 300ppi (dpi) you should be right. Don't get too fussed by the actual file size, as this can differ depending upon the information contained in the file.

[I @ M]

Anyway i have processed an image of mine which i would like to get printed at 24"x16". The image dimensions are 3813 x 2512 pixels, the resolution is 641 dpi and the file size is 1.24mb.

They are very strange figures to come up with Ruski.
Before cropping your image size would have been 4,288 x 2,848 so you haven't taken a lot of "real estate" away.
Most commercial printers will want your image presented in the highest quality JPEG file available and probably between 200 - 300 dpi.
Your dpi figure is very high and your file size is small.
If it is a black and white image that may account for the small file size.
It should print OK at 16x24 which is a fairly commonly available print size based on the native 2:3 ratio of your camera.

[Ruski]

Ok so it is better if i drop the dpi to 300 and everything else should be ok.

I didn't realise 24x16 was an awkward size just thought it just went up 6x4,12x8,24x16 said i was a bit new to printing only normally do 6x4s.

Probably looking at 24x12 then should it all still be ok.

I am looking to get this done online by somebody or locally in Adelaide if anybody can recommend anyone.

[I @ M]

Ok so it is better if i drop the dpi to 300 and everything else should be ok.

I didn't realise 24x16 was an awkward size just thought it just went up 6x4,12x8,24x16 said i was a bit new to printing only normally do 6x4s.

Probably looking at 24x12 then should it all still be ok.

I am looking to get this done online by somebody or locally in Adelaide if anybody can recommend anyone.

Yes, drop the dpi to 300, make sure that it is / was saved at the highest quality level.

16x24 is a perfectly normal common size, nothing "awkward" about it.

Try RGB Brisbane for online printing. www.rgbdigital.com.au

[Speedway]

In Elements I always set the aspect ratio to "Use Photo Ratio" for the first crop as this setting does not alter the quality or size of the image all other settings seem to. Then when you go to "save as" add a letter or number to the file name so you don't overwrite it and save to the highest quality (12) on the slider in the save as box. this will give you the highest quality jpeg file.
Keith.

[Ruski]

I have just cropped the image again Andrew with a copy of the image using the 6x4 ratio and the size is 3892x2595 and the dpi says 648 with a file size of 1.21mb so not sure why it is a little different. Original was a NEF file 4288x2848, 72dpi and the file size is 10mb. No idea why the dpi is high and the file size is small after cropping am i right in assuming it is the way i have saved it.

It is a colour image not a black and white.

I feel i am slipping deeper into a hole !!!!!!

[Film Street]

Crop using the 6x4 ratio is you are comfortable using that method.

In the Lightroom export dialog box, under the 'file settings' heading, choose jpeg format at quality 100 and make sure the 'limit file size to' check box is unchecked.

Next, under the 'image sizing' heading, uncheck 'resize to fit' check box and set the resolution to 300 pixels per inch.

When using the export dialog box, don't scroll down using your mouse wheel or you may miss some settings

[Ruski]

I had a go the way Keith advised and yes ended with a bigger file 4mb. Also i have dropped the dpi to 300 and saved at 12 think i saved at 9 before so not the best quality so hopefully this is better.

Thanks to all for your help.

[I @ M]

I feel i am slipping deeper into a hole !!!!!!

Nah, it will work out OK because you still have the original NEF to work with.

Go back to the very start and set your DPI to 300 and qual level {12} and save it as a TIFF file, perform the crop and make sure those settings don't change and then save it as a JPEG and see what you have then.

The 72 DPI is the commonly used setting for web images I think so get away from that and work with 300 for everything unless a printer tells you they want it at a different number.

[Ruski]

Trouble is i end up with to many files all slightly different !!

Good advice start again and use all i have learnt in this thread.

- - - Updated - - -

Actually thinking about it i now have a file 4.07mb,dpi 300 only thing is the dimensions are 3850 x 2567 (not 4288 x 2848 ).

Would this be ok ?

[JM Tran]

and no need to print interstate when we have 2 world class print business in Adelaide alone. Try www.blackandwhitephoto.com.au first, or Atkins Technicolour if you want to pay a bit more for customer service, and help with your future printing and explanations.

[Mark L]

Actually thinking about it i now have a file 4.07mb,dpi 300 only thing is the dimensions are 3850 x 2567 (not 4288 x 2848 ).

Would this be ok ?

I'd say yes, and reread post #12, just to make sure you're saving at the best quality.