DPI control in camera

Hello,
I have an assignment and the client wants me to turn in images that are 400dpi and 8-bit color. Is there a way to control DPI in the camera? I've never heard of this. I've had very limited experience with print and the fews times I did I've set DPI in my image editor in post processing.

Also, if I can't set 400dpi in the camera is there a way to apply the setting to a batch in post processing? Maybe a script? I use Ubuntu Linux, Gimp, and UFraw.

Thanks!

DPI is more of a printer resolution. You would set image size in the camera to large, medium or small and this can be batch processed to another size if needed in post processing. I do not know how to do this with the software you mentioned, but others here likely do.

Camera image size relates to print size more or less by dividing the pixels by the intended DPI print resolution.

4,000 pixel image divided by 400 DPI equals a 10" printed image.

Do you know what the purpose of the images will be and how large they plan to print, display, etc.??

Nikonlion...who are you? How long have you been with us? Where are you from? What are you shooting with? This is why we ask people to fill out their profile.

If you fill out your profile we can better answer any questions that you might have.
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nikonlion said:

Hello,
I have an assignment and the client wants me to turn in images that are 400dpi and 8-bit color. Is there a way to control DPI in the camera? I've never heard of this. I've had very limited experience with print and the fews times I did I've set DPI in my image editor in post processing.

Also, if I can't set 400dpi in the camera is there a way to apply the setting to a batch in post processing? Maybe a script? I use Ubuntu Linux, Gimp, and UFraw.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

As stated, use a good photo editor such as Photoshop to change the resolution DPI for the images. You can also set programs, such as Lightroom, to export the NEF/DNG image at a specific DPI. Changing the DPI changes the size of the image too.

I wonder why they ask for 400 DPI? 300 DPI is more than enough to print great quality images.

nikonlion said:

Hello,
I have an assignment and the client wants me to turn in images that are 400dpi and 8-bit color. Is there a way to control DPI in the camera? I've never heard of this. I've had very limited experience with print and the fews times I did I've set DPI in my image editor in post processing. But, clients have to be humored.

Also, if I can't set 400dpi in the camera is there a way to apply the setting to a batch in post processing? Maybe a script? I use Ubuntu Linux, Gimp, and UFraw.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

The client just wants lots of pixels. His number 400 dpi has no meaning as stated, unless he also states a reproduction size, like 8x10 inches. But, clients have to humored.

The camera cannot change dpi (it was just an arbitrary number the camera assigns), but dpi is just a lone number in the file. The number has no effect on the image pixels (unless combined with a resampling operation)

I don't use Gimp myself, but this tells you how to change the number (change both X and Y resolution).

Digital image resizing with the GIMP

You can change the DPI in Photoshop. Re-crop the image and stipulate that you want the resolution to be set 400.

My question is why he would stipulate this?

Even guys at the prints are sometime unaware of what DPI exactly mean.

It is just the ratio of the image's pixel count vs the expected print size. It's not a property of the image file itself, unlike bit depth, but a metadata that's tacked on it for information, like the size in inches.

Say you have a 900x900 pixel image.
- a 1inch print would be 900 DPI
- a 3 inch print would be 300 DPI
- a 10 inch print would be 90 DPI

Same image, nothing changed but for expectations. You don't control DPI in camera, only pixel count.

Be wary if/when you change DPI value in Photoshop or other software : make sure you've entered the right values for expected print size or else it might very well cut in the image quality when it resamples (imagine you've left it at 1x1 inches, 400 DPI would turn your 24 megapixel image into a 400x400 pixels one).

I like this. I have been using Gimp for a little while now (still getting past the BIG learning curve) but finally had another AhHa moment after looking at this:WayneF Quote: "I don't use Gimp myself, but this tells you how to change the number (change both X and Y resolution).Digital image resizing with the GIMP "Sometimes this thick head of mine needs some extra illumination. Ha!