Megapixels

BooBoos

Senior Member
My nikon D-300 is a 12 megapixel camera but I never get 12 megapixels. I shoot on J-peg large. Am I missing something. I want to make prints on the larger size.Any help greatly appreciated as always.
 

Dave_W

The Dude
What size prints do you want to make? 12 mp can make fairly good sized prints without any problems. But muzza's got a point in asking why you're not shooting in RAW format. You'll find a RAW image is much more amendable to subtle changes than a JPEG file.
 

BooBoos

Senior Member
I have I-photo on my computer which is very basic. I would rather get it correct in the camera then spend time on the computer if that is possible.I can print 13x19 photos but I would like to go larger.I am not getting 12 megapixels out of my camnera and am wondering why.
 

Dave_W

The Dude
Possibly because "large" isn't the largest JPEG file type, "Fine" is the file type you should use. But I have to take exception with the notion that the camera is getting it "right". The camera is simply following a basic set of algorithms that may or may not apply to your specific image. Which means it is less likely to "get it right" than when you do it yourself. But I respect your opinion and if in-camera conversion is what you prefer, that's fine, too.
 

Guilden

Senior Member
I have had no issue with very high quality 24 x 36 prints from my D300s and D300. I do shoot 99.99% of the time RAW because I do not want the camera dictating what processing occurs on my photos.
 

Eye-level

Banned
Old golden rule of thumb...full frame 35mm film = 11 X 14 print...Kodachrome got you to somewhere around 20-24 MP if you knew what you were doing. The higher resolution stuff that everyone is crazy about nowadays can be a handicap in certain ways. Quality of the sensor and what it does well for it's class is what you ought to be looking at IMO.

I bet there are way more amateurs with D800's that don't print anything and for that matter don't manipulate any photos on a calibrated monitor than there is others who do.
 

Eye-level

Banned
6 MP will get you to 11 X 14 easy...12 will be very nice...16 will show more detail...etc. 24 will show you the insides of someone's pores on a face portrait but do you really need that? Your glass may give out in the resolution department before your sensor will...but like I said 6 will get you there in most snap shots. OK you guys can dispute that all you want but I say Hooyah! LOL

The eternal question what does it take to make a good snap that will print well???
 

nikonpup

Senior Member
my nikon d-300 is a 12 megapixel camera but i never get 12 megapixels. I shoot on j-peg large. Am i missing something. I want to make prints on the larger size.any help greatly appreciated as always.
r u asking why you do not get a 12 meg sized picture file with your 12meg camera. Am i reading this wrong?
 

Dave_W

The Dude
I bet there are way more amateurs with D800's that don't print anything and for that matter don't manipulate any photos on a calibrated monitor than there is others who do.

I don't know, don't you think the price tag would keep away most of these types? Especially in this current economy?
 

Eye-level

Banned
You have a D800...how many prints have you made in the last 30 days?

Anyone else with a D800 want to answer that question honestly?

I would bet just about every amateur photographer that is not getting paid to do stuff is going to print just about as many pictures as they did when they owned a D40. For most folks - 0. Unless they have have the wheelbase to afford a bad @ss printer and the paperstock too.
 

pedroj

Senior Member
I did a little test...I cropped a [7.2 MB 12x8] down to [1.6 MB 6x4] then re-cropped the 6x4 to 18x12 and it came up at 7.23mb plenty big enough to print at the size the poster wanted...
 
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Dave_W

The Dude
I'm not the right person to ask since I'm a print crazy dude. I've an Epson R2000 and I'm constantly printing out photos and experimenting with different papers. Lately I've been working with cotton rag. Not sure whether I'm getting the settings right or just don't like the output of cotton rag but I'm not in love with it...yet. My favorite is natural matte, makes a wonderful print, both color and B&W but the B&W really stand out.

But nevertheless, you have a point that there's probably a good % of people with high resolution cameras are not interested in making prints'

And while I'm on my soapbox, I'd like to make another impassioned plea for all those who love photography but do not make their own prints to seriously consider buying a printer. It's the other side of photography and as creative as taking the photo in the first place. There's something taking your image out of the digital world and into the real world is a real rush. And because you control every aspect of the image, from start to finish, it's 100% your creative vision.

Okay, I'll get down from my soapbox and return you to your regularly scheduled program...already in progress ;)
 

Eye-level

Banned
I find I like prints...even 4X6 and 5X7 prints better than digital displays. I don't print them that often but I do especially the film stuff. I think the tangibility factor is what appeals to me. It is cool to hold something in your hands or hang it somewhere and stare at it...I am weird like that. LOL
 
I have a HP that prints 13X19 I find the prints are so much better than any of my monitors will print. I owned two photo labs and before that managed over 100 labs. Printing is in my blood.
 

wysiwyg

Senior Member
I think the problem here lies with iPhoto. When you export for printing it will default (usually IMHO) to a low / medium sized image - you need to TELL it to save large file. (Iv simplified the process a little bit- but you should all know what I mean ?) ... my iPhoto does the same, no matter how large the original file size is - and yes Why aren't you shooting in RAW ?
 
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