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Author Topic: Print Resolution in Print Module  (Read 4227 times)

PBC

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Print Resolution in Print Module
« on: April 07, 2011, 11:04:23 am »

Quick question about setting the Print Resolution when printing.   I have followed the videos on printing where Jeff talks about increasing the PPI by 50% when the native resolution is below 360 and also when the image is from a 60mp back to take it to 720.

What is the school of thought when dealing with 24mp images?   In my case, I am printing a high frequency landscape image, on an Epson, that native is 429 ppi.  What should be my starting position on this; print at 360 ppi, 720 ppi or a value in between (e.g., 540 ppi).

Appreciate people's thoughts

Phil
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CoyoteButtes

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Re: Print Resolution in Print Module
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2011, 03:53:39 pm »

Phil, I don't know whether you are printing from Mac OS X, but Ian Lyon's excellent article about Lightroom 3 printing from OS X has some thoughts about setting - or not setting - the print resolution.

http://www.computer-darkroom.com/lr2_print/lr2-print.htm

Good luck,

Stan
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Schewe

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Re: Print Resolution in Print Module
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2011, 04:22:38 pm »

What is the school of thought when dealing with 24mp images?   In my case, I am printing a high frequency landscape image, on an Epson, that native is 429 ppi.  What should be my starting position on this; print at 360 ppi, 720 ppi or a value in between (e.g., 540 ppi).

First off, if the image resolution is 429 PPI at your print size, do not downsample to a lower resolution. Depending on the image and detail, you might find upsampling to 720 PPI may provide better super high frequency image detail. High contrast diagonals or circles may render the edges better when the resolution is set to 720. You should test to see on your own images if you can tell a difference when going from 429-720. But you DON'T want to waste the native resolution of the image by downsampling to 360 PPI. That will produce less optimal results and simply leaving the native resolution where it is and having LR apply the sharpening...
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Electromen

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Re: Print Resolution in Print Module
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2011, 09:20:58 pm »

Why not uncheck print resolution and use the native resolution.  The LR user guide says it can be between 72 and 480.
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Schewe

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Re: Print Resolution in Print Module
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2011, 09:24:17 pm »

Why not uncheck print resolution and use the native resolution.  The LR user guide says it can be between 72 and 480.

Because since LR 3, it's been shown that adding to the native resolution can aid in the rendering of some image detail...between 180-480 native res, you can get good results but adding 50% (or upsampling to 720 PPI) can produce superior results.
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Electromen

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Re: Print Resolution in Print Module
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2011, 10:30:37 pm »

Thanks I'll have to try that.  I have an Epson 3800.
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PBC

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Re: Print Resolution in Print Module
« Reply #6 on: April 08, 2011, 03:07:02 am »

Thanks guys - printing this particular image at 720 came out really well  :)

Phil
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Electromen

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Re: Print Resolution in Print Module
« Reply #7 on: April 08, 2011, 08:16:27 am »

I experimented in LR3 with print resolution as you suggested.  720ppi did show more detail in the print.   The native resolution was 495 ppi.  The print was of a grandfather and grand son.  Small hairs were more visible on his bald head at 720.  I saw no difference is skin.  The eyes and eyelashes showed slightly more detail.
Camera D3s, lens 24-70 f/2.8, printer Epson 3800
Thanks you
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jpegman

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Re: Print Resolution in Print Module
« Reply #8 on: April 11, 2011, 05:45:04 pm »

Because since LR 3, it's been shown that adding to the native resolution can aid in the rendering of some image detail...between 180-480 native res, you can get good results but adding 50% (or upsampling to 720 PPI) can produce superior results.

I to am a little confused by Jeff's two statements. 

Jeff's 1st statement:
"First off, if the image resolution is 429 PPI at your print size, do not
downsample to a lower resolution. Depending on the image and detail, you
might find upsampling to 720 PPI may provide better super high frequency
image detail. High contrast diagonals or circles may render the edges better
when the resolution is set to 720. You should test to see on your own images
if you can tell a difference when going from 429-720. But you DON'T want to
waste the native resolution of the image by downsampling to 360 PPI. That
will produce less optimal results and simply leaving the native resolution
where it is and having LR apply the sharpening... " (...is this different
than what he says in his video)


Jeff's 2nd statement:
"Because since LR 3, it's been shown that adding to the native resolution
can aid in the rendering of some image detail...between 180-480 native res,
you can get good results but adding 50% (or upsampling to 720 PPI) can
produce superior results. "   (So he is saying to add 50% upscaling when
your native resolution is between 180 - 480.  If that result is above 360
ppi then use 720 PPI but if not then what?  ...use 360ppi?  And what if the
native resolution is greater than 480 PPI then just use 720 PPI?  If that is
the case, then is he saying to print either at 360 or 720 PPI ?)


So my questions are:
-       What happens when the native resolution - after being multiplied by
50%  - is still lower than 360ppi (e.g. a cropped image being printed at 20
x 30" at Costco)?  Are we to then upsampled by choosing 360ppi?  
-       And, only to apply this upsampling "50% rule" when the native
resolution is between 180 -- 480 PPI?  - if not, upscale and used 720 PPI?
-       If the above is true, again I ask, " Is he saying to print either at
360 or 720 PPI ?"

Jpegman
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eliedinur

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Re: Print Resolution in Print Module
« Reply #9 on: April 11, 2011, 06:06:31 pm »

 
Quote
What happens when the native resolution - after being multiplied by
50%  - is still lower than 360ppi (e.g. a cropped image being printed at 20
x 30" at Costco)?
Are we to then upsampled by choosing 360ppi?  
-       And, only to apply this upsampling "50% rule" when the native
resolution is between 180 -- 480 PPI?  - if not, upscale and used 720 PPI?
-       If the above is true, again I ask, " Is he saying to print either at
360 or 720 PPI ?"

No matter what you send them, Costco will resample to 300 ppi (actually 303-305 ppi to allow for machine misalignment). Jeff is talking about Epson inkjets which will resample to either 360 or 720 depending on the model and the drop resolution (in dpi) selected, unless they are supplied images that already are at those resolutions.
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Schewe

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Re: Print Resolution in Print Module
« Reply #10 on: April 11, 2011, 07:53:59 pm »

So my questions are:
-       What happens when the native resolution - after being multiplied by
50%  - is still lower than 360ppi (e.g. a cropped image being printed at 20
x 30" at Costco)?  Are we to then upsampled by choosing 360ppi?  
-       And, only to apply this upsampling "50% rule" when the native
resolution is between 180 -- 480 PPI?  - if not, upscale and used 720 PPI?
-       If the above is true, again I ask, " Is he saying to print either at
360 or 720 PPI ?"

The statements are correct...if you are between 180-480 PPI adding 50% in the Lightroom Print module may produce better results when printing to inkjet printers. If the native resolution is at or near 480PPI, printing out at 720PPI may produce better results for certain types of images. Taking a 180PPI image and upsampling to 720PPI prolly won't do you any good because of the limited starting resolution. Taking the 180PPI image and adding 50% will.

But all of the above related to Epson printers, not photo lab prints. If you are printing to Canon or HP printers, the number changes from 720PPI to 600PPI. For images below 300-360PPI adding 50% will still offer some benefits...YMMV.
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GeraldB

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Re: Print Resolution in Print Module
« Reply #11 on: April 27, 2011, 12:07:20 pm »

Possibly off topic a little here, but how does one tell what the native resolution is? Do you have to do the math or does LRM show it somewhere?

GeraldB

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Re: Print Resolution in Print Module
« Reply #12 on: April 27, 2011, 12:20:40 pm »

Found the answer, check the "dimensions" check box to see.
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