Prefer DPI for printing photos

[Gordon T]

If I wanna to make photos from my graphics files, what DPI and resolution would be better to use?

[urstwile]

It partly depends on the printer you'll be going to. But if you're talking about traditional offset printing, 300DPI is a standard.

Basically multiply the linescreen you'll be using times two, and that should be the dpi.

[PrintDriver]

Kinda depends too on how big you're making those 'photos'.

Why would you make photos of your graphic files?

Unless you're talking cont-tone prints...

[budafist]

300dpi is ideal, but it's not really going to work if what you have is lower than that. If so you're making the file 300dpi but it will still look substandard...

[urstwile]

Good point, Buda.

Gordon, when you say graphics files, are you talking about vector stuff, or photos that you have that you want to print (to speak to PD's point).

If your stuff is vector, resolution shouldn't be an issue, as vector is device independent, meaning you won't have to worry about resolution issues.

Perhaps state more clearly what type of files you're speaking of?

[PrintDriver]

300dpi at final print size that is.
read this about resizing images:
http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=294

[morea]

I've always heard 300 dpi for printing too, but someone recently told me that for photo prints on high gloss photo paper you can print at 200 dpi. Is that person full of horse puckey?

[budafist]

I like your use of the term "horse puckey" :D

[urstwile]

I think you can get away with 200 for inkjet printers. Even 150, actually, because line screens aren't involved, so it's more of a continuous tone thing.

[PrintDriver]

200dpi on a lambda/lightjet is right.
But, if they are art prints, I would strongly suggest making arrangements with the printer to go to 400dpi.

[jimking]

Or even higher. There's an art gallery near me called OldTowne Editions that scans art for framing around 1200-2400dpi. The Iris prints are amazing.

[PrintDriver]

You sure they are scanning those prints at that high res?
Because those numbers sound like printer ink output resolution, not image resolution, especially when talking about Iris prints.
Two different animals.

Lithography on the other hand does have incredibly high scan resolutions.

[jimking]

They scan them that high. They also contract for the Smithsonian Institute and use our scannner to scan art and transparencies at 2400dpi. But you maybe right about the lithograph and Iris prints. Maybe it's not the Iris prints they scan high for, I just assumed.

[PrintDriver]

Jim, they may be enlarging too. We scan transparencies well over 3000dpi quite often. Depends on the final size of the print. An art color transparency is (usually) 4" high. If scanned at 2400dpi they can be printed at 24"h at 200dpi.

[jimking]

No, I have sat down with the owner of Editions and he will scan prints at 100% to at least 1200dpi. He has a theory about this and explained to me why he does this. Its been several years ago so I dont remember the details. It could have something to do with the some world consortium about the proper res and what the eye can see as far as detail. This person is well known in certain circles and has written several articles about color etc. He only deals in art and apparently is one of the world's color guys. Here's a link. http://www.oldtowneditions.com/oldtown/main.html

[PrintDriver]

Ah, now I see. Those guys have done some research. Especially on their color management. Thanks for the link!

I use the Wilhelm standards too. And I'm glad to see they see the same results I have with the coated media numbers for digital prints. The higher resolution they scan at is the difference between fine art prints and prints that simply look good to the human eye printed at a price reasonable to the industry. There is a point where higher dpi of a scanned image reaches the rule of diminishing print returns to the average person.

Fine Art printers charge for the rip time on their machines. These guys have a helluva color standard to maintain and they charge for that as well. I'm not quite in their league. But I do appreciate what they are doing.