Printing A0 size photo montage/mosaic


Status
Not open for further replies.

weeguy

New Member
Jan 19, 2002
197
0
0
Jurong, S'pore
www.flickr.com
Intend to print a photo montage at size A0. Used a software to create an initial draft of the mosaic and at 150dpi, the image size came up to be 4352 x 3264. Is this sufficient for an A0 print? Should I increase the dpi/size of the image?

Also, where can I get decent A0 prints? Searched the forum and past questions seemed to be targetted at bulk printing, but I'm thinking of doing less than 10 prints. Seems that shops at Bras Basah and Peace Centre have pretty decent prices. Any recommendations as to which shops exactly?
 

For A0,

you would need

@300 dpi ~ 9933 x 14043
@150 dpi ~ 4967 x 7022

I recommend you print @ 300 dpi as you are printing large prints.

*You can see the difference in quality when printing @ 300 & 150 dpi.

Most of the shops @ peace center does laser print.

If you require better quality, it might be a better idea to do an inkjet print.
 

Thanks. Now I have a better idea how to format my images. :)

How about the prices I should be expecting? What kind of printing options are there, ie lamination, laser printing. inkjet printing, matt, gloss, etc? how would the prices vary between the options?
 

Below are the dimensions of the International Standard Paper format:

A0 (841mm x 1189mm)

@300 dpi: 9933 x 14043 pixels

@150 dpi: 4967 x 7022 pixels



A1 (594mm x 841mm)


@300 dpi: 7016 x 9933 pixels

@150 dpi: 3508 x 4967 pixels


A2 (420mm x 594mm)


@300 dpi: 4961 x 7016 pixels

@150 dpi: 2481 x 3508 pixels


A3 (297mm x 420mm)


@300 dpi: 3508 x 4961 pixels

@150 dpi: 1754 x 2481 pixels
 

Some time back, I tried to print A2 from a 6M pic using my D100. The print was barely passable. It was grainy, blur and looks as if it was gonna fall apart any time.

I did a little result and I found that untreated 6M pic files can only print up to 6R @ 300 dpi.

Some may say that they have printed up to 8" x 12" with a 6M pic without any visible quality loss: My own conclusion is that the prints were made at some where between 150 dpi to 300 dpi -> but not at 300 dpi.

Our eyes can still accept prints at 150 dpi but generally not anything below that. Optimal is 300 or more dpi.

If you read my previous post, a A2 requires 4961 x 7016 pixels @ 300 dpi. -> you need 34.8M pic!

But you have only 6M -> so how??

Jeff aka xplorer2 enlightened me on this one -> you need interpolation softwares.

You can use photoshop to interpolate / enlarge your pic from 6M to 35M. But the algo that photoshop uses is 'outdated' and doesnt give as good results as desired.

Interpolation softwares availabe in the market uses better algorithms than photoshop.

You guys can try looking at this website interpolatethis
 

meepokman said:
Some time back, I tried to print A2 from a 6M pic using my D100. The print was barely passable. It was grainy, blur and looks as if it was gonna fall apart any time.
I had the same experience but it is not always true. The deciding factor is the lens. I use a D1x which has less than 6M pixels than the D100. If I use not so good lens (most of the zoom lense), I cannot get sharp prints larger than A2 (or even A3). But if I use sharp prime lens (like the standard 50mm f1.4 or the 300mm), I have managed to blow up prints up to 24"x36" (I have many samples).

I have been searching up and downs for print shops to print large format prints for me in Peace Centre and Bras Basah Complex but in vain. Most of them cater for the posters printing rather than photographic (I mean real photo) quality. I pumped into this studio called Tsang Photography (it is located in Murray Street). I understand that they have both Epson 2100 (up to A3+) and 7600 (up to 24" wide). From these equipment, you know that they are serious about photo quality and longitivity of the photo print (as both printers use pigment ink). My best large prints are printed by them. Their rates are not cheap though (you pay for the quality) and they specialise in canvas prints (that is even more expensive). If you have pictures that you want to keep for long time and does not mind to pay more for the quality, you can try them out. You can check them out at www.tsangphotography.com.

Last point is in the interpolation. If you have sharp picture, thru interpolation, you can get decent print even at 100ppi (that is what I got from my D1x). But if your lens is not sharp, then no technology can help. Also interpolation is complex and the photoshop ones can only bring you to a certain level. If you cannot do it, leave it to the professional print shops. Of course you have to pay for their services.
 

This post raise several issues that I will reply one by one.

Firstly, I've got a photo from D100 printed to 24x36. No prob. But you must know certain things:

1) It was on a tripod
2) it was shot in RAW and processed carefully (which is why I advocate RAW)
3) It was step-wise interpolated which takes time and effort
4) Sharpening was done very carefully

One fact is that a large print >A4 should not be held to your nose and looked for closely, much less witha loupe; it is meant to be hung on the wall. Printing at around 150-200dpi is fine. Do you know that prints on newspaper is around 96-120dpi normally? If you want to look for dots, look (pun intended) no further than those trans at bus stops.

As for interpolating software/algo, PS has only very simple, basic ones. You can try things like Genuine Fractile or those found on QImage which has things like paramid, etc algo. QImage (shareware, about US$50) is specially for those wanting to do lots of printing but cannot afford things like professional RIPs. Check it out on DPReview on what they say about it.


meepokman said:
Some time back, I tried to print A2 from a 6M pic using my D100. The print was barely passable. It was grainy, blur and looks as if it was gonna fall apart any time.

I did a little result and I found that untreated 6M pic files can only print up to 6R @ 300 dpi.

Some may say that they have printed up to 8" x 12" with a 6M pic without any visible quality loss: My own conclusion is that the prints were made at some where between 150 dpi to 300 dpi -> but not at 300 dpi.

Our eyes can still accept prints at 150 dpi but generally not anything below that. Optimal is 300 or more dpi.

If you read my previous post, a A2 requires 4961 x 7016 pixels @ 300 dpi. -> you need 34.8M pic!

But you have only 6M -> so how??

Jeff aka xplorer2 enlightened me on this one -> you need interpolation softwares.

You can use photoshop to interpolate / enlarge your pic from 6M to 35M. But the algo that photoshop uses is 'outdated' and doesnt give as good results as desired.

Interpolation softwares availabe in the market uses better algorithms than photoshop.

You guys can try looking at this website interpolatethis
 

Status
Not open for further replies.