Re: What size prints can I get?

Scott W wrote:
Dave Cohen wrote:
ps - I am not suggesting resolution and dpi are not relevant, but these are matters best considered when buying a camera. Whether or not a print is acceptable depends on many factors including the subject matter.
Dave Cohen

This I would agree with. I have another way of putting it, if you already have an image, printing it bigger will normally make it look better. On the other hand if you don't already have an image and you want to make a large print more pixels will make it look better.

Bigger = good
More pixels = good
Bigger + more pixels = even better yet.
Bigger + more pixels + low noise pixels = even more better.

Scott

Scott,

I like this sequence, but think it is lacking one thing:
the MTF of the lens/sensor system. For example,
an SLR with film can produce a less sharp image
than the same lens on a DSLR, mainly because film
has low MTF at high frequencies. The digital may have
a zero MTF at similarly high frequencies, but have a
higher MTF than film at a slightly less frequency.

So, I'll add:

Bigger = good
More pixels = good
Bigger + more pixels = even better yet.
Bigger + more pixels + low noise pixels = even more better.
Bigger + more pixels + low noise pixels + high MTF = best.

Having said all that, I believe subject trumps all of this.
Example:

Consider the following image. It was taken with a Canon D60,
6 megapixels, but the image is a 3-megapixel crop. Even at
3 megapixels, it was printed as a full page in Natures Best,
and I have sold 16x18-inch prints in galleries:
http://www.clarkvision.com/features/natures.best.win.2004

Of course, the image could have been better with more megapixels,
but I'm glad I got the 3 MPixels.

Roger
.

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