Print Size

I had not really printed anything other than a 8 X 10 so no idea of the true quality. I had only been looking in PhotoShop and anything more than 100% really looked like crap. I ran a few tests this afternoon and using 8 X 10 paper I printed 12 X 18 up through 24 X 36 and at a standard viewing distance they all looked good. Of course the 8 X10 was the sharpest, but hanging on the wall, the 24 X 36 would hold up pretty good.
Anyone had any lab printed large prints done and how did they look? What is the biggest anyone has done that the average person would consider acceptable?
I, like many other photographers, tend to look at prints at arms length, which is not how most prints are viewed, so I need an objective point of view.
 
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Rick M

Senior Member
This 10x20 is my largest print to date, still sharp at 1/4 mile :) and it's only 5mp!

919.JPG
 
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Carolina Photo Guy

Senior Member
If you want really large prints, I would humbly suggest a software program called "Genuine Fractals".

You can make prints that can be viewed from space!

A slight exaggeration. But only slightly.

Pete
 

kayte

New member
wow, now there would be someithing...
*astronaut floating in the shuttle*
'there's the wall of China......wow....the Nile....wait..wait...that's an AMAZING photo of the Nile!! who took that?!'

LOL...just my mental image, sorry, early and I should stop, eh? LOL!!!!
 
I sent off a file to be printed at an online site and they said an uncompressed tiff would be the best so that is what I sent them. Sounded good to me. Then today I went by a local lab and asked them a few questions and asked what format they accepted and was told JPEG. They said it was a waste of bandwidth to send anything else because the quality of the print would be the same. I am talking 12X18 size and up to ? .
What are your experiences with file formats, print sizes and do you have a favorite online lab that gives great service / quality.
 

Calgary 617

New member
It depends on the dpi you set your image to and the distance you are watching the print from.
I print shots from my D300 (12mp) up to 13x19 and they look just fine.
 
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