When you print a digital photograph, you must understand the relationship between the megapixels in the digital image and the print resolution of the printed image. These two measurement are different, but they must work together to create the print image that you desire. If you do not understand how these two measurements should work together, your print may appear blurrily or pixelated.
Megapixels measures the total number of sensors that detect the light that falls upon the sensor. Additionally, megapixels are a representation of the total amount of raw data that the camera sensor captures. DPI stands for dots per inch, and represent the number of ink dots that are deposited onto the print paper within a measurement of one inch of the printed image.
Megapixels and DPI for Printing Photos
To calculate the size of the print that your digital image can reach its maximum size, divide the pixel width of the digital image by the DPI that you desire for that print. Additionally, you can calculate the DPI that is required for your digital image to reach a certain print size by performing the same mathematics operation in reverse. The relationship between megapixels and DPI change based off the distance that an individual stands from the print.
A print that uses a lower DPI can be viewed from a distance that is much more far from the print paper, but if an individual stand close to the print paper, the dots will be viewed. Digital screens use a different DPI then print screens. The screen resolution of a monitor is typically low at 72 to 110 pixels per inch, and the monitor screens appear clear to the human eye because individuals stands from the screen to view the monitor.
Print screens, however, require the individual to stand closer to the print image, and, therefore, require a higher DPI for that screen to be clear to the viewer. Additionally, individual printers has their own technology that individuals that desire to print their digital images should also understand. For instance, some high-end printers has a high DPI rating of 1440 dots per inch.
However, the digital image that is printed does not have to contain 1440 pixels per inch for the print to be considered complete and high-quality. Printers print dots of ink that simulate the individual pixel of the digital image. Therefore, a target of 300 DPI for the digital image will allow the print to be of high quality.
The settings of the digital image file, however, do not have to be set to the DPI rating of the print jet printer, as this will create unnecessarily large file for the digital image. Additionally, if you attempt to print an image that is smaller than the size of the original digital image that the camera captured, software will use a process call interpolation. Interpolation allow for the creation of new pixels for the digital image software, but the software estimates the pixels that is created rather than being create by the camera that originally captured the digital image.
Therefore, if the software is used to perform this interpolation, you may end up with a less clear print than if you used a lower DPI for the print size. Additionally, there are also file format for digital images that will affect the print quality. RAW files will contain all of the data that the sensor in the camera captured.
JPEG files will contain data from the digital camera that the camera compress by to save space. If JPEG files are heavily compressed, data will have been discarded that is necessary for high quality prints. To print your digital image successfully, simply follow the steps described below: first, decide on the size of the print that you would like to create.
Second, determine whether the megapixels of your camera are capable of printing digital images at the DPI that you require at that size of print. Should the megapixels of your camera not contain enough data to support this DPI and print size, you have three options: you can print the image at a lower DPI so that you can view the print from a further distance, you can print an image that is smaller than the size that you desire, or you can purchase a camera with more megapixels in the future. If you follow these steps and ensure that the megapixels, print size, and DPI are all aligned with one another, your printed image will be of the same quality as your digital image.