# what pixel size to have prints done?



## 03civicdx (Jul 9, 2009)

anyone know a link to show what pixels or resolution i need to re size to to get good 4x6, 5x7, and 8x10?


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## tsaraleksi (Jul 9, 2009)

For smaller prints, as in, prints you want to look at from a hand-held length, you want to maintain about 300 dpi. So all you really need to do is figure out what resolution you need at 300 d.p.i. for each size. 

For prints that are much larger, it's safe to drop the d.p.i. a bit as you get bigger because your viewing distance increases-- a billboard, for example, is going to look pretty bad up close.


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## 03civicdx (Jul 9, 2009)

i have no clue what you just said i just want to know what i need to re size them to


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## Josh66 (Jul 9, 2009)

No link, but I can just tell you...

"Photo Quality" is usually 300 dpi/ppi.

Just multiply the length of the print by 300 to find how many pixels it needs to be.
You can still get good prints at lower resolution than that though.

Someone said (somewhere, here or somewhere else...) that if you can print an 8x10, you can print any size.  The bigger the print gets, the farther away you have to be to view it.


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## Josh66 (Jul 9, 2009)

4x6=1200x1800

5x7=1500x2100

8x10=2400x3000


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## 03civicdx (Jul 9, 2009)

O|||||||O said:


> No link, but I can just tell you...
> 
> "Photo Quality" is usually 300 dpi/ppi.
> 
> ...


my problem is i re sized mine to 800x533? I think some thing like that and some are cropped or distorted? like what mega pixel do i need to resize to for a 4x6 print from walgreens?


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## 03civicdx (Jul 9, 2009)

O|||||||O said:


> 4x6=1200x1800
> 
> 5x7=1500x2100
> 
> 8x10=2400x3000


thanks you beat to me last reply.... thanks thats really be bugging me


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## Josh66 (Jul 9, 2009)

03civicdx said:


> O|||||||O said:
> 
> 
> > No link, but I can just tell you...
> ...


At 300ppi, 800x533 would be about the size of a business card.

You may still be able to get a decent 4x6 from it though (it would be 133ppi).

What camera are you using?  Are you using the highest file size/quality setting?


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## Josh66 (Jul 9, 2009)

Nevermind - I see (in your sig) that you have a Xsi and a D40.  Both of those will produce pictures big enough for anything up to 8x10.  (And bigger, if you don't examine it with a magnifying glass.)


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## 03civicdx (Jul 9, 2009)

O|||||||O said:


> 03civicdx said:
> 
> 
> > O|||||||O said:
> ...


yeah i shoot in the highest file size.


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