Print formula

[glorybound]

Does anybody have any good render for print resolution rules of thumb? I have always used length x dpi + width x dpi. I want to make sure I am not rendering to high. I usually never print larger then 8.5 x 11 so 1275 x 1650 is what I usually do. Is 150dpi sufficient or would 72 dpi be fine? I can run some test, but I am sure there has to be some rules.

[gilpo]

It has a lot to do with how you are printing and what your final output is. If it's going to be a high-quality, glossy print for up-close viewing, then 300dpi. Anything else, you can go lower. Our company has a signage division so we print our own stuff (using a Roland EcoSol printer) and we never go higher than 150 dpi. We've yet to encounter a need for anything higher. Probably 90% of what we print is 72dpi and it's just fine from 10ft away. I've read that billboards are printed at like 10dpi. It just depends.

The way we found all this out? Just by trying it. Different printers do different things with low-res images. Try printing a 100% image cropped small to test.

And just in-case you don't know it exists, in Max: 'Rendering' ... 'Print Size Wizard'. Big help in calculating resolution and dpi.

[glorybound]

Print wizard

I remember seeing the print wizard, I'll check it out. I print on a small desktop Epson.

[dcullipher]

Also there is a program for PS called genuine fractals. It is a resizing tool for upresing images for print. It has a much better algorithm for image scaling than the standard photoshop ones. This will allow you to resize a decent A4 render at 150dpi to 11x17 if needed or larger.

[DrJan]

PhotoZoom Professional does the same thing, with a good result too.
As for calculating the output size, I also use the Print Size Wizard.

[jonahhawk]

Ak!!! No resizing!!!

Anything that you can hold in your hand, think magazine or tabloid size, is best at 300dpi, good at 200dpi and tolerable at 150dpi.

these numbers can drop as you go larger because, typically, the viewer will not get as close to the printed image. Billboards are extremely low dpi.

[simmsimaging]

PhotoZoom Professional does the same thing, with a good result too.
As for calculating the output size, I also use the Print Size Wizard.

I agree - PzP is the best that I have tested and I use it all the time. Alien Skin blowup is pretty good as well, but it's main advantage is convenience and ability to work on layered files.

b

[glorybound]

Print wizard

The print wizard is working out well. I am assuming you are using something like PhotoZoom so you can render lower and blow it up in PhotoZoom. Is this correct. Is it worth the price?

[simmsimaging]

The print wizard is working out well. I am assuming you are using something like PhotoZoom so you can render lower and blow it up in PhotoZoom. Is this correct. Is it worth the price?

I don't use it this way per se, I primarily use PzP to upsize photos for larger print uses (99.9% of my work is still 2D retouching/compositing). That said, I have done this with a few render jobs lately and it can be a life saver - particularly with unbiased render engines. In any case, with a resize of up to 200% it is almost impossible to see the image degradation when in print. You will certainly see it on screen, but not on paper - unless you are doing some extremely high quality custom printing. Even then you would likely not see much difference in most cases. My personal feeling, and professional experience, is that (with a good original, which renders tend to be) for larger scale repro (like posters, transit shelters, billboards etc.) you can afford to resize far more - like 400-500% with a very acceptable image quality in many cases. I usually suggest you work at 1/2 size at 300 dpi (or full size 150dpi) for anything over about 16"X20" at final size.

Hope that helps.
b

[glorybound]

print size

great tips, thanks

[simmsimaging]

great tips, thanks

No problem at all. One thing though: I should be more clear about that "anything over..." point. It doesn't apply to really large mural printing or billboards. Use that as rule of thumb for offset print stuff up to posters, and probably transit, but if it's being silk screened or some other processes, or if it's billboard, the res is usually a lot lower. For instance, billboards are generally 1/10th or 1/12th of size at 300 dpi (so a 20' board is 20" at 300 dpi etc.)

A last and *loose* guide is that a good 20X24" 300 dpi file (roughly 6K or 7K) should be fine for almost any print purpose (assuming that is measured at your crop) so when in doubt that should cover most bases.

b

[beestee]

Rendering at print resolution usually the lowest you would want as your source. If you can render a little larger than you will be printing, then scale down, you will get more detail out of your image in the end. The larger, the more detail...considering the detail in your model and textures. I suggest downscaling in PS using Bi-cubic sharper sampling.

[glorybound]

Print Image

I have been using the print wizard and the resolution it is suggesting is a lot larger then I have ever rendered. I usually print 8.5 X 11, if I print at all. I have been rendering for screen (e-mail back and forth) until the final image at which time I use the print wizards suggested resolution.

I guess you can never render to high so better safe then sorry.

[stevesideas]

I have some images that I need to render soon. They will be 1m wide x 2.4 m high. The client has told me that people will be getting fairly close to them. I checked the print size wizard and the resolution came out at an unbelievably large size..something like 28000 x 12000 pixels.
Firstly, do I need to render it to this size...and assuming not, how would you recommend I render it..using strips ? Is the strips method reliable. I did hear of people having problems with it.....

Any help is appreciated.

Cheers

[gilpo]

I would just render them as large as you feel comfortable with (or are able to) and then just upscale them in Photoshop, making sure to use the Bicubic Smoother method. Photoshop can enlarge much better than a lot of printer software.

We have a wide-format (54") solvent ink printer in the office and most of our prints are at 72 dpi and look great at arms length. Just make sure the printer is properly calibrated and you use a high enough print quality (to eliminate printer banding and such) and it will look fine.