D3X Print Size?

[harlemshooter]

i have a gallery show in 4 months and need to make 30x40 inch digital c prints from a recently completed project where i used a D3X w/tripod.  the files were raw 24mp, converted to DNG and imported to lightroom.  i should have used my 645 w/db, but alas...

i would very much appreciate critical feedback on methods/process/techniques (in lightroom, CS4, etc) to maximize/optimize print size without losing too much quality.  ~200ppi should suffice.  i assume i will need to up-rez the images, but i haven't done this before.  what i really need is a good tutorial.

if image quality suffers too much, i will try 20x30.

thank you!

[kers]

I jus bought the D3x and was happy tot see that 1 meter prints look fantastic-=40 inch wide- 100asa - completely smooth and lots of detail

than you are at 150 dpi without changing anything to the image- for me that is the borderline.

so no fear there-
also I found out that a lot some party Nef developers are doing very good -( raw developer1.83 and DXO 5.3.3) better than before- buy still Nikon capture NX2.2 delivers the best details.

I have not tried CS4/ lightroom2

cheers!
Pieter Kers

[Wayne Fox]

i have a gallery show in 4 months and need to make 30x40 inch digital c prints from a recently completed project where i used a D3X w/tripod.  the files were raw 24mp, converted to DNG and imported to lightroom.  i should have used my 645 w/db, but alas...

i would very much appreciate critical feedback on methods/process/techniques (in lightroom, CS4, etc) to maximize/optimize print size without losing too much quality.  ~200ppi should suffice.  i assume i will need to up-rez the images, but i haven't done this before.  what i really need is a good tutorial.

if image quality suffers too much, i will try 20x30.

thank you!

You should be OK with good files.  I've done some from the 1DsMark3 which are great ... the D3x is a notch above those files.  

If you are printing C prints I would find out what printer they are using and how they are driving the printer.  Printing to these types of printers is much different than inkjet.  They are specific DPI printers (pixel based) , and all images are sized based on the native DPI.  Normally they are 300dpi devices, and you may be better off enlarging to exact pixel dimensions rather than allowing them to do so - for a 30 x 40 the printer would require a 9000x12000 pixel image.

If you don't want to send them that full image, I would send them the unmodified size of your file ... don't size it to 150 dpi and make them size it to the final resolution.  Better to resize from the original dimensions to the output dimensions in one step.  Personally I trust my skills in uprezzing using Photoshop more than I do a labs, but some of them actually do a pretty good job.

[mhecker*]

I need to know three things to give you the proper workflow.

1.  What is your subject matter?
2.  What type of printer will you use?
3.  What ISO did you shoot at?

[harlemshooter]

hi,

1.  family portraits, indoor, low light
2.  epson pro 9880
3.  iso400, 1/25

thanks.

I need to know three things to give you the proper workflow.

1.  What is your subject matter?
2.  What type of printer will you use?
3.  What ISO did you shoot at?

[rethmeier]

When you shoot portraits,the files can be rezzed up with Photozoom.

http://www.benvista.com/main/content/conte...=photozoompro_1

It might actually improve the image(softer features)

Best,

Willem.

[Tgrain]

If you need to uprezz your files I would highly recommend Genuine Fractal.  I think their newest one (6.0) even has a plug-in for lightroom.

[eronald]

I've run off a poster on my Epson 9600 from a *crop* of a D3x image. No problem. 1mx75cm roughly, no special interpolation. I think I printed directly to the print driver without even bothering to uprez.

Photoshop does a very good job usually of uprezzing to 2x dpi if you need it. Print drivers can usually take anything in color from around 135dpi and make it look ok.

Edmund

[harlemshooter]

all, thanks for the info.  i'll report back later...

[Quentin]

all, thanks for the info.  i'll report back later...

The best one-stop uprezzing programme is Photozoom Pro 2, which can function as a Photoshop plug-in as well as a standalone programme.

Quentin

[mhecker*]

Okay quick ACR workflow  for portraits.

In Lightroom Develop module looking at your D3x shot fullscreen.

Set whitebalance to whatever works for your light conditions.
Set Sharpening to  37   1.2  50  20 for Amount, Radius,Detail and Masking respectively in ACR
The above values are based on a rock solid shot, if you have some fuzz things can vary.
Zoom in to 100% and check on your screen.

1. Hit Ctl-E  to edit a copy of the file in Photoshop.

2. Visually set the Black point, White point and grey point using the Image|Adjust|Levels command in Photoshop for the look you want.

3. Use the Filter|Sharpen|Unsharp Mask command with a setting of about 180 0.3 1 for Amount Radius and Threshold to remove the blur
caused by the Antialiasing filter.  

4. Use the Image|Image Size  command and rez the image up to  26.6x40 inches at 180 pixels per inch.

5. Use Filter|Sharpen|Smart Sharpen with a setting of 35, 1.2, lens blur for amount, radius and type to tweak things a bit.

Try a test print!
The image may look oversharpened on your screen, but the print won't look that way.

Good luck.

[BernardLanguillier]

Okay quick ACR workflow  for portraits.

In Lightroom Develop module looking at your D3x shot fullscreen.

Sorry, but my experience tells me different things.

If you want optimal quality from your D3x files, you'd better convert them with C1 4.6 or Raw Developper.

Cheers,
Bernard

[sc_john]

Sorry, but my experience tells me different things.

If you want optimal quality from your D3x files, you'd better convert them with C1 4.6 or Raw Developper.

Cheers,
Bernard

Bernard,

Just curious, regarding your recommendation of C1 4.6 or Raw Developer, have you also tried Capture NX 2.2 and found the others to be superior? I sort of have a love/hate relationship with NX2, and I am open to trying others. Thanks.

John

[BernardLanguillier]

Bernard,

Just curious, regarding your recommendation of C1 4.6 or Raw Developer, have you also tried Capture NX 2.2 and found the others to be superior? I sort of have a love/hate relationship with NX2, and I am open to trying others. Thanks.

I kind of like NX 2.2 because of the U-Point technology that is just brilliant when it works, but the demoisaicing/sharpening capability of both C1 and RD are a bit superior IMHO.

Cheers,
Bernard

[jasonrandolph]

I can't offer any specific pointers, but I saw a clip from British TV that compared a D700 print with a 35mm film print...at a size of three STORIES mounted on the facade building.  If a D700 can print satisfactorily at that size, I'd say you can probably crop quite a bit and still produce beautiful prints.  By the way, the D700 print was chosen to be superior to the film print.

[Jimlizard]

Genuine Fractals Print Pro is simply the best you cand find to interpolate your files. The results are stunning!

[douglasf13]

I can't offer any specific pointers, but I saw a clip from British TV that compared a D700 print with a 35mm film print...at a size of three STORIES mounted on the facade building.  If a D700 can print satisfactorily at that size, I'd say you can probably crop quite a bit and still produce beautiful prints.  By the way, the D700 print was chosen to be superior to the film print.

  I saw that test too, but keep in mind that the viewing distance comes into play.  Resolution is probably more of an issue with a 20x30 print a few inches from your face, rather than a billboard at a hundred feet.

[kers]

I kind of like NX 2.2 because of the U-Point technology that is just brilliant when it works, but the demoisaicing/sharpening capability of both C1 and RD are a bit superior IMHO.-BernardLanguillier

Genuine Fractals Print Pro is simply the best you cand find to interpolate your files. The results are stunning!    Jim Lizard

I would like to get the best out of my D3x files - a combination of nef developing and sharpening I suppose-

from what i have seen till now with a sharp lens ( 24mm 3,5PCE on d8) I like best NX2.2 (neutral adobe rgb 14 bit) with al little smart sharpening in photoshop ( about 40% 0,3 radius)

Raw developer 1,83 used in standard d3x mode has slightly  different colours, has more contrast and the resulting image in Photoshop-  i find-  looks less smooth photographic.

Maybe it will be different looking in print - this is what i see on my monitor. ( will have a closer look later on in print)

(genuine fractals I have not tried nor the ACR in photoshop 4 or Capture 1)

[eronald]

I would like to get the best out of my D3x files - a combination of nef developing and sharpening I suppose-

from what i have seen till now with a sharp lens ( 24mm 3,5PCE on d8) I like best NX2.2 (neutral adobe rgb 14 bit) with al little smart sharpening in photoshop ( about 40% 0,3 radius)

Raw developer 1,83 used in standard d3x mode has slightly  different colours, has more contrast and the resulting image in Photoshop-  i find-  looks less smooth photographic.

Maybe it will be different looking in print - this is what i see on my monitor. ( will have a closer look later on in print)

(genuine fractals I have not tried nor the ACR in photoshop 4 or Capture 1)

I find that an extra point of in-camera sharpening is exactly what one needs to print from the Jpeg. No reason to use the Raw.

Edmund

[RobertJ]

If the shots are in focus and sharp, portraits are a piece of cake to enlarge.

Landscapes on the other hand...

BTW, I also recommend PhotoZoom Pro.