How to create a 4x5 300 dpi Image

<p>Hi All:<br>

I have a 5D Mark II and Photo shop CS-4 w/ NIK software. I shoot for my own enjoyment, but now a small newspaper wants to use two of my color photos. They have requested, through another party, that it be at least 4x5 and 300dpi. <br>

Could someone here help me through the steps to achieve this size? I assume they want jpeg. I have the DNG, I assume the process is under 'image>image size'. I'm confused between dpi and ppi<br>

Thanks for any help!</p>

<p>Jim</p>

<p>4 inches x 300 pixels per inch (dots per inch) = 1200 pixels.<br /><br />5 inches x 300 ppi = 1500 pixels.<br /><br />So, resize a <em>copy</em> of the image to 1200 x 1500 pixels. Every piece of photo editing software has some method for resizing, and all of them differ a bit in terms of how you enter the parameters for resizing. But by the time the dust settles, it's pixels. It's <em>always</em> pixels. X pixels wide, and Y pixels tall. If you deal in absolute pixels, you'll always know what you've got. <br /><br />Saying 4 x 5 inches at 300 ppi is just the same as saying as 1200 x 1500 pixels. <br /><br />As for "dpi" vs. "ppi" ... for these sorts of discussions, they're interchangeable. The term "dpi" is also used in more hair-splitting conversations about how ink is deposited during printing, etc., but don't worry about that part.</p>

<p>"They have requested, through another party, that it be at least 4x5 and 300dpi. " If this is truly what they want I'd send them the full size image. They want it 'at least' that size, not exactly that size. Then they can resize it to exactly what they want.</p>

<p>A simple way to achieve this:</p>

<p>1. Open a full size tiff format version of the image in Photoshop.</p>

<p>2. Now 4"x5" is "squarer" than your format, and since they ask for <em>minimum</em> 4"x5", let's aim for 4"x6": go to pulldown Image|Image Size.</p>

<p>3. Assuming this is landscape oriented, full frame image, set either document width or height to 6" or 4" respectively (setting one should cause the other to follow suit).</p>

<p>4. Set document resolution to 300 pixels/inch.</p>

<p>5. Ensure that Resample Image is ticked, and (assuming you are downsampling, ie: making the image smaller, set resample method to Bicubic Sharper. Then click OK.</p>

<p>Basically, Photoshop will do the pixel math for you, with this approach, if you have a target image size and (printing) DPI.</p>

<p>Now, you can convert to jpeg, and save as a copy.</p>

<p>We get these kind of requests quite often, too.<br /><br />They usually come from image editors, that don't have much of a clue about digital imaging, but are merely repeating, what someone else deemed to be appropriate for a given publication, probably dating back to the film days.<br /><br />Just send them the full-size originals – no need for extra work. Anyone working in digital pre-press will know, what to do.</p>

<p>"They have requested, through another party, that it be at least 4x5 and 300dpi."</p>

<p>What does the 4x5 mean? Does it mean inches? Your camera has a 3:2 aspect ratio and getting a 4x5 means a crop unless that "at least" allows a 6x4 inch.</p>

<p>You can play with this in Photoshop. Open the image and select the crop tool. Under Aspect Ratio choose No Restriction, Width 5in, Height 4in, Resolution 300 pixels/inch. You'll find the crop tool is restricted to produce 4x5, cropping off part of the image. Try it with 6in and 4in and there is nothing cropped out. That's the difference between 4x5 inches and your camera's 3:2 aspect ratio. Btw, using the crop tool like this is a quick way to get to a size plus specific dpi.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Martin;</p>

<p>RE"They usually come from image editors, that don't have much of a clue about digital imaging, but are merely repeating, what someone else deemed to be appropriate for a given publication, probably dating back to the film days."<br>

<br /><br>

Most all editors know what they are doing with digital. The ones I deal with are extremely tired of dealing with the lay publics total ignorance about the basics. Editors print paper products; magazines, flyers, newspapers. Their asking for "300 pixels per inch" for the target size of the printed image is over 2 decades old now. Here we got out first 35mm scanner in 1989; editors back then understood what they needed.<br>

<br /><br>

Don; 4x5 to an editor means usually a 4x5 inch printed image. This format goes back 100 years in photography. It is the size of a 4x5 negative; what 70 years worth of Graflex's and Speed Graphics shot in America.</p>

<p>****To ALL:<br>

<br /><br>

(1)What a publication needs depends on the line screen of the printing. A newspaper might be 85 line screen; National Geographic 185 line screen<br>

<br /><br>

(2) One generally wants double these line screen numbers to be the minimum ppi to prevent loss of image quality and to prevent banding effects. Most publications are not National Geographic in quality.<br>

<br /><br>

(3) thus the 2 decade plue old 300 number comes from 150 line screen multiplied by 2.<br>

<br /><br>

(4)many editors want to do their own editing; their own cropping; their own sizing. Thus having MORE than 300 ppi at the target 4x5" size is often WANTED by some editors; it gives them MORE FREEDOM.<br>

<br /><br>

Folks are getting all wrapped up in gobble gook here. </p>

<p>Editors and publications were cropping; downsizing; working with pixels before all you folks knew what a pixel was; or owned your first digital camera.<br>

<br /><br>

Not knowing what 300ppi at 4x5" is like a carpenter not knowing what a 2x4 is. <br>

<br /><br>

Let the newspaper do their job.</p>

<p><br /></p>

<p>A Blackberry or Walmart disposables 1300dpi 1 hour CD has MORE pixels than required for a 4x5" image at 300ppi.</p>

<p>Your Canon 5D Mark II's images have even vastly more useable pixels.<br /> <br /><br /> Thus send them your image off the camera;</p>

<p>let *them* create the 4x5" image at 300ppi.</p>

<p>They do this EVERY day; just like a carpenter knows how to nail a 2x4; or cut a 2x4.</p>

<p>Newspapers do layouts all the time; it is their life blood.</p>

<p>Both a newspaper and carpenter know how to cut down an image or 2x4; they have down this before we were even born</p>

<p>As DON said better:<br /> <br /> ""They have requested, through another party, that it be at least 4x5 and 300dpi. " If this is truly what they want I'd send them the full size image. They want it 'at least' that size, not exactly that size. Then they can resize it to exactly what they want."</p>

<p>If a carpenter wants at least six 8 foot 2x4's to build your book rack; he is NOT asking you to cut the wood to exact dimensions of 2 ft and 13 13/16 inches for each rack; he is asking for the minimum ammo to build it for you,</p>