Resolution Question...help!

Hi,

I am a new owner of a Sony Mavica CD300 digital camera. My goal is to print 8 by 10 pictures on my HP 932c printer. I have Photoshop 6.0.

Which resolution should I use to take the pictures to print at 8 by 10? In Photoshop, I noticed that the highest resolution pictures (2000ish by 2000 ish) are over 20 inches in size! To print one, I need to resize it down a bit. So what is the point in taking pictures at the highest resolution?

Should I take pictures at a smaller resolution? Is the detail better at a higher resolution, or just bigger? Also, how many "Pixels per Inch" should I use for printing pictues?

Thanks for any advice.

Rob

For the best quality images set your camera for the best quality setting...that should be a no-brainer.

As I understand it, digital cameras output their images at 72ppi.Your camera's maximum resolution is (according to a description in the Publishing Perfection catalog) 2048 X 1360. When you open a picture this size in Photoshop, the dimensions will be 28.444" X 18.889". If you take those physical dimensions and reduce them, the total pixels/inch rises.

For decent quality when printing, 300ppi is a common resolution. If you change the resolution without resampling your printed image size will then be 6.827" X 4.533". You DO NOT want the "Resample Image" box checked if this is the way you're going to go. You'd take the file size from 8MB to over 138 MB, and the image would actually want to print at 28.444" X 18.889".

If you wish to print the long dimension at 10", the short dimension will be 6.641".

If you wish to print the short dimension at 8", the long dimension will be 12.047"

To see what the printing resolution will be when optimised for the above two scenarios, go to Image---»Image size... Now uncheck the "Resample Image" box, and leave "Constrain Proportions" checked. You'll see that the "Height", "Width" and "Resolution" values are all tied together, dependent upon each other. Enter either the height or width at which you'd like to print the image, and the other boxes will adjust automatically. In the first case it will print at about 205 ppi. In the second, at about 170 ppi. Depending on your needs, those printing resolutions may be good enough.

Thanks for all of your advice, but I'm still a little confused...

If I type 300 PPI, (as you said) the image size shrinks. Should I then goto "Printing Options" and select "Fit to Media" to enable the picture to print as a full page?

It seems like I am shrinking the image, then making it bigger.

My goal is to print a full page picture. Should I let Photoshop figure out the PPI once I type in the demensions?

One more...what does resampling do? Why don't I want to do it?

THANKS SO MUCH!!!!

Rob

I hate to sound like a Facsist, but...just do what I've told you to do. Yes, the apparent discrepancy between printed size and what you see on screen can be a little awkward to wrap your brain around, but if you explore the subject it'll become clear to you.

As for the resampling issue, we'll leave it at this; Resampling can do one of two things: Either it throws away data, or it adds data by estimating what new colors to make pixels acoording to the pixels around it. Either way, you're messing with the original image in a way that you should try to avoid, if possible. Sometimes it's not possible to avoid this, you just have to know when the changes won't be detrimental to your final result.

If you need to adjust the physical size of the printed image (which really is independent from the physical dimensions you see on screen), experiment with the methods I wrote out, above. Go ahead, waste some paper and ink...consider it an investment in your education.

Then, dig through some books or research the subject a little more thoroughly online.

I provided you with enough info to get you where you need to be with this image, but to really understand the whys and the wherefores you need to do a little studying.

Sure, I could spoonfeed you all the info you need, but you'll absorb and retain it better by taking the ball I've handed off to you and running with it....to the nearest good bookstore, or to your favorite search engine.