How BIG can we print?
 

Do you guys have any idea how BIG we can print from our cameras? I constantly print 20"x30" photos out from my 300D (prev camera) and they still look so good (of course a bit of interpolation occured).

however, If we count the PPI on that 20"x30" print with my 6.3 Mpix camera, it has gone down to about 105 PPI. (which is theoriticaly not decent).

6.3 Mp = 3072 x 2048 = 30" x 20" means..... 100 ppi.

Does anyone of you have the experience or the knowledge about large printing?

I wonder how big can we print out of those Nikon D2H, D2Hs....or maybe a 8Mpx 20D, 1DMkII.....or maybe a 16.7Mpx 1DsMkII..

can anyone share your calculation or experience?

Re: How BIG can we print?
 

Depends in part on your quality standards, what you perceive as "acceptable" viewing distance. My Mark II files definitely show pixellation above 20x20, and even that is stretching it, IMO.

Re: How BIG can we print?
 

Yes of course, pixelation will appear in such a big print. But obviously people wont be looking at big prints in a short distance. I reckon people will look at an 20x30 prints from about 2 metres away.

How about those super large print that we always see in McDonald, or Fashion stores? they are about (maybe) 100"x100"...
there's no camera can make such a big prints without interpolation.

Ok we'll count again... let's say if your standard of "good" is 200 ppi, then for a 100"x100" prints, you will need an image of
20,000x20,000 pixels...which means... 400,000,000 pixels....which means...400 Mega Pixels camera!! (please correct me if my calculation is not correct)

as far as im concerned, a 400 Mega pixel camera simply doesnt exist.

...

Maybe so I can change my question, how BIG can you print out from your camera while maintaining decent result?
(of course not on 300 ppi)

Re: How BIG can we print?
 

This is such a loaded question! Who judges what's acceptable, and what kind of equipment do you have?

Printing through a "regular" inkjet and printer driver, I believe that an output resolution of less than about 200 dpi (not interpolated) shows obvious quality sacrifices. Yes, that means a Canon 20D and it's 8 MP is only good for about a 12 x 18-inch print. Realistically, a 16 x 24 will still look fantastic, but I believe I can see significantly blurred detail and an overall less-good print at that size. Interpolation can definitely get you quite a bit further. I'd say a bit less than twice the size is possible with good interpolation, which pushes the acceptable 20D size to about 20 x 30 at most.

If you're lucky enough to have access to a RIP (such as I do!), that can change the game radically. I use an Epson 7600 printer connected to a BestColor RIP. A RIP works sort of like a "super print driver." It does a crapload of interesting and useful things, but for this discussion it's just important to know that it has some amazing interpolation and sharpening algorithms built into it. I don't hesitate to send unedited 20D files to it to make 16 x 24-inch prints, and I've sent a few at 24 x 36-inches that look fantastic. I've sent a few 5 MP files from my Nikon Coolpix 5700 to it for 16 x 24 prints. And I'm not kidding: they look substantially better than prints from most any other printer I've tried (including the 7600 through it's default driver). But then, for $2600, the RIP better do a good job!

Re: How BIG can we print?
 

I agree with others....a loaded question, or at least one that can't really be answered.

I have printed big pics, and don't generally go below 100dpi/ppi. I have not used RIP, but I do use Qimage, which has sceptics, but prints much better using it than without.

It also depends on what you are printing. Can the image stand alot of pixelation before it "cracks". Some images can handle a lot of upsizing, and some can't handle as much.

I haven't tried myself, but have heard that the amount of "acceptable" upsizing is related to the actual sensor size too. So a 6mp sensor from a prosumer can not stand as much upsizing as a 6mp image from a DSLR.

Not to start a war, but I know the Foveon sensor CAN stand a higher percentage of upsizing than a Bayer sensor can before it degrades.

Re: How BIG can we print?
 

Anyone use photozoom pro? You can up-res A LOT with it. No jaggies. Is that how a RIP does it? Similar to Photozoom Pro?

Re: How BIG can we print?
 

"Up-ressing" isn't enough, or the key; neither is "no jaggies." I haven't used Photozoom Pro, but I'm willing to bet it's not how any RIP does it. Through a number of algorithms and a small database of "presets," a RIP will resample and sharpen. I don't know enough about how a RIP does this to be helpful.

I don't see anything listed on their site anymore, but Colorbyte used to let you download a trial of ImagePrint, their RIP software. If you have a printer that's supported, I'd give it a try. I think you'll be amazed with the results.

Dan

Re: How BIG can we print?
 

I do know that zoom pro has a lot of sharpening algorithms.