best resolution for A3?

rgrebby

rgrebby

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Well maybe not best, but what is the lowest possible picture resolution for a very decent A3 print?

3888x2592 be enough?

Also while we are on the subject what about other paper sizes, A4, A1, A0 etc?
 
A3 is roughly 12x17 inches. Although 300 dpi is often the prefered printing resolution, you can get pretty good prints at 200 dpi. This would mean 3400x2400 is a good target and 5100x3600 will get you ~300 dpi
 
I've done good A3 prints from slight crops out of a D70 (3008 x 2000 pixels as shot). IIRC, I even did the resizing in a quick and dirty way - I cropped to 29.7cm x 21cm at 300px/inch. Gave me prints that I'm happy to hang on my wall. Had decent A4 prints from a 3.1MP compact too - again, cropped up to size. Not done any larger prints (A2 or bigger) but a friend was happy with an image from a 450D that he printed onto 4 x A4 sheets using the poster printing option for his Canon 4300 printer (? the model but it's an A4 photo printer).
 
rgrebby said:
Well maybe not best, but what is the lowest possible picture resolution for a very decent A3 print?

3888x2592 be enough?

Also while we are on the subject what about other paper sizes, A4, A1, A0 etc?
Click to expand...
Define "very decent".

One reasonable amd common definition is that it should be impossible to discern the pixellation, and the image should look sharp (assuming of course that the original is sharp!) when viewed from an appropriate distance. That last bit is crucial. You might look really closely at a small print, but if you printed something the size of your wall then you should look at it from across the room.

With this definition, if you do the maths you will find out that whatever size you're aiming for, you need no more than 6 megapixels (ie 3000x2000).
 
True. I've printed some A4 images from my old Minolta Dimage 7i from 1600 x 1200 files (2 MP) just to see how they would turn out. They were fine, with good detail. I also know a couple of PJs who've blown up the 4MP files from Nikon D2Hs to poster size succesfully, assuming you maintain proper viewing distance. I think the lens, exposure and sharpness are more important than sheer resolution, within reasonable limits.

More MPs probably make it easier, and give more scope for cropping, but then we can get into the debate about sensor size, pixel density and noise, and I'd rather not because I don't fully understand it!
 
scraggs said:
I always use this as a guide http://www.urban75.org/photos/print.html
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That guide is wildly conservative. You don't need 300dpi or even 200dpi for large prints, unless you plan to view them with your nose practically touching them.

For a practical demonstration of how you can "print" really large with relatively few pixels, fire up Google Earth and go to 37°38'46"N, 115°45'3"W. No way that's 200dpi.
 
StewartR said:
For a practical demonstration of how you can "print" really large with relatively few pixels, fire up Google Earth and go to 37°38'46"N, 115°45'3"W. No way that's 200dpi.
Click to expand...

:clap: Genius
 
Best place to leave Kentucky Fried Chicken - in the middle of the desert!
 
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