Photo enlargement quality/minimum pixel requirements

joho

Hi all clever peeps,

I have my wedding photos on a disk and want to get some printed and enlarged.

Just as a start I was looking at Boots. They have posters of 40 x 30cm but, when I upload the photo I want enlarged, it says it doesn't meet the minimum pixel requirement of 2880 x 3840.

On the photo properties (the upload in the basket) it says it is only 190 x 260 pixels, but on the disk it says it is 2832 x 4256 pixels.

So I have several questions:
1. is a poster print likely to be good enough quality for framing;
2. how do I increase/improve the upload pixels;
3. is there somewhere better to go for prints? I can't find many independent photography places in the Cambridge area.

Thank you in advance for any help or advice.
Cheers
Jo

WTFH

It sounds like you've only uploaded a thumbnail, rather than the original.

Printing images is a bit of a minefield, particularly when you get down to dpi resolution. Personally, when I'm printing for framing (whether it's for me or for sale), I'd not go below 300dpi. That means for your original image a maximum size of 9.5" x 14" (roughly 24cm x 36cm)

I can recommend a professional photographer in Brighton who does some printing for me, you're probably talking about <£50 plus postage. That would be for a print, not a canvas or framed or anything like that.
I'm sure you could get it cheaper elsewhere, but if quality is important, I'd go with someone like him.

PM me if you'd like his details.

Oblivion

Agree with WTFH, it does look like you are trying to upload a small thumbnail rather that the original image file.


I very rarely get any photos printed these days other than an annual photo calendar. I always do it online using Bonusprint and wait for them to be delivered to my door. I've always been very pleased with their quality.


http://www.bonusprint.co.uk

joho

Thanks for your answers - especially explaining dpi and my incorrect upload procedure! Ooops.

I think I'll try to find a photographer closer to home and see if they can help.

Cheers and happy New Year.x

AshleyPomeroy

For professional stuff I use The Print Space:
http://www.theprintspace.co.uk/

They're not bad value if you just want prints and you get a lot of control over the paper, the border etc. Having them framed and mounted adds up, plus there's the bother of collecting them, but the results look wonderful. My experience of e.g. Photobox is that they don't crop the edges exactly, which is an issue if you're a perfectionist.

Their order section has a handy print picker - you upload your image and it prices the options for you. £6.35 for a c-type metallic 8x10", but this rises to nigh-on £80 if you want it framed and mounted.

And you get the snob appeal of using a real professional photographic business instead of Snappy Snaps. NB I don't work for them, I have no commercial affiliation with them.

For a standard 8x10 inch print at 300 dpi you're looking at 2400x3000 pixels (this is why the six megapixel barrier was such a big deal in the early days of digital photography). If they're just to hang on your own wall you can easily get away with much less.

joho

Thank you Ashley. I'll take a look at The Print Space. The photos are just for hanging on the wall but want 4 prints so could end up being an expensive mistake.

macman

As above. Decent commercial 4 col printers require a resolution of no less than 300 dpi. The results you get from a lower res become increasingly unpredictable-you may or may not get an acceptable standard.

yangptangkipperbang

I don't know exactly what your requirements are - but it may be worth considering "canvas" prints. As the canvas does not reproduce the finer details in a photograph, they sometimes actually produce a better version of a poor photograph than a paper print.