Another DPI Plea for Help

[whitpet]

I'm using PSPX3. Please forgive another DPI question, but I tried to read the Help files and the related posts, and I'm more confused than ever. I routinely work only in web graphics, so in the past I've ignored DPI altogether. I've read previous responses that DPI is not important, but I'm having a brochure put together, and the printer has a serious love affair with DPI. This brochure is not cheap, so I want to make sure I get it right the first time. If anyone would be kind enough to walk thru the following process, I sure would appreciate it.

My camera defaults to 72dpi, and I'm shooting at 3648 X 2736 resolution. The brochure printer requires a max of 1024 X 768 @ 300 dpi. I opened the original image file, then image>resize and changed "Resolution" from 72 ppi to 300 ppi, and saved as a new file. I re-opened the new file, then image>resize and changed "pixel dimensions" to 1024 X 768, with "Resample" set to "Smart Size", and re-saved the file. I checked the new image information, and it's showing 1024 X 768 @ 300 ppi, so hopefully I'm there.

Anything I'm doing wrong or should do differently? Is there a more preferred Resample setting, other than "Smart Size"? Again, thanks very much for your help.

[DVDDoug]

I don't how to get the most out of your printer, but I'd probably send the highest resolution to the printer and let the printer driver sort it out. (There may be ways to manually optimize, but someone else will have to help you.. I'm not a photo or image expert.)

My camera defaults to 72dpi

No... DPI is dots-per-inch (printer), and PPI is pixels per inch (computer monitor). There are no inches in the camera or in the digital file. The important thing is the pixel resolution (3648 X 2736).

You only have inches when you print or display the image at a particular size. If you had a 1000x1000 image file and you print-out your picture as a 1-inch x i-inch image on a printer with sufficient (DPI) resolution, you'd have 1000 DPI. If your printer can only do 300 DPI, that's what you'll get. (If the numbers don't divide evenly, the printer driver will take care of the calculations.) If you print-out a larger 10-inchx10-inch picture, you'd get a 100 DPI printout.

[whitpet]

Sorry for the confusion, I guess I phrased my OP poorly. I'm sending the images to a commercial printing company, not to a printer on my system. They are the ones settings the specs I need to obtain. Also, the camera specs are 72 dpi, as they phrase it. I guess 72 ppi would be more accurate, but they refer to dpi. Thanks for your help.

[df]

Sounds like your brochure printer has been doing this for a long time and is stuck in 1987 mode. There was a time when you really needed to watch what you sent to a printer. Either that or they're straight out of school and have been taught that it really does matter oh so much, when real world experiences say otherwise.

I think you've got your process correct. Only thing I'd check is to make sure you check the keep aspect ratio button (however it's stated) and that PSP isn't compressing anything when it saves. Smart Size is my preferred resampling method also.

As for manually optimizing I've tried a few different ways of downsampling my 10mp camera files to 4x6, some using PSP and the rest using the limited capabilities (options) of Canon's Digital Photo Professional. 6 prints from the same image, all printed at 4x6 printed at White House Custom Color, one image was the full sized image, the rest were resampled to 1200x1800 @ 300 dpi. I showed them all to the wife, neither her nor I could tell any difference. After that we've never worried about downsampling. It's something that used to be necessary, but now most printers resample automatically. How else would a clueless individual be able to take their 14mp snapshots to their local store and get prints in an hour? It's industry standard to just do the brain work for the customer. All that being said, if you have a picky printing service you may ask them about it or find a different printing service. I now use Bay Photo and love their quality and work.

[LeviFiction]

I'm with Df here. From what I learned about the different resizing methods you'll only truly notice a difference with the different modes when upscaling not downscaling like you're doing. Though this may not necessarily be true all of the time. So if the downsampling comes out pretty bad go ahead and change the different settings otherwise it doesn't really matter. I keep mine at Bicubic simply because that was the default I started with.

[teknisyan]

My camera defaults to 72dpi, and I'm shooting at 3648 X 2736 resolution. The brochure printer requires a max of 1024 X 768 @ 300 dpi. I opened the original image file, then image>resize and changed "Resolution" from 72 ppi to 300 ppi, and saved as a new file. I re-opened the new file, then image>resize and changed "pixel dimensions" to 1024 X 768, with "Resample" set to "Smart Size", and re-saved the file. I checked the new image information, and it's showing 1024 X 768 @ 300 ppi, so hopefully I'm there.

You're in the right place.

[whitpet]

Thanks to everyone for the very helpful feedback, I feel much better. I had actually worked with a different printing company in the past on a couple projects, and they simply took my photos and turned out very good work. Unfortunately,they bit the dust. I was surprised by this company's restrictions, but I was in a crunch. At least, with y'all's help, I've learned several new things with PSP. Thanks again!

[David Milisock]

I am a printer and use Corel produst all the time.

Open the image under the image menu selece resize, check the advanced bos and uncheck the resample using box. The height, width and resolution ar enow locked, set to 300 the physical size will change to the maximum or that resolution.

The 1024 x 768 @ 300 is 3.47 x 2.56 inches