Tobias Reed Production Knowledge Lead at 4OVER4.COM
Tobias is our voice for cutting, binding and large format, built from the knowledge of our production team, with over 20 years in printing.
Question
How do I know if my image resolution is high enough?
Answer
Check the image's pixel dimensions and divide each one by 300. The result is the largest size in inches it can print sharply, since 300 DPI at the final printed size is the standard for crisp print.
| Pixel size | Clean print at 300 DPI |
|---|---|
| 1500 x 2100 | 5" x 7" |
| 2400 x 3600 | 8" x 12" |
| 3000 px wide | 10" wide |
| 3600 x 5400 | 12" x 18" |
| 6000 px wide | 20" wide |
- Find pixel dimensions: in Photoshop, open Image then Image Size; on your computer, open the file's properties or info panel.
- Final size counts: aim for 300 DPI at the printed size, not the on-screen size.
- Soft threshold: anything below about 150 DPI at your target size looks noticeably soft.
- Start big: use a larger source image rather than enlarging a small one.
- Vector art: scales to any size without losing sharpness.
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