Simple question : how big ?

[herve_laurent]

Allright Guys,

I have read all the tests and the postings on this site. I am contemplating buying a GR-D or a GX 100 and I

have a simple question

I shoot only Black & white but want all my work to be printed . If I use the camera at no more than 200 ISO

, how big Can I print with great quality

Please if you are going to use reference like A5 or something like that, be kind enough to give me the size

it corresponds to.

Thank you for your prompt feedback

[saskphotog]

I don't know how to answer that, because I don't know what you believe is "great quality." I think only you can decide the answer to that question by experimenting until you know how big YOU think you can print.

 

Sorry to be so little help, but I feel that what's good enough for you is a completely personal choice.

[darrengold]

You could probably print to about 10 x 8 inches. But if large prints and high quality is your main objective you might be better looking at a digital SLR with an APS size sensor or bigger.

 

The Ricoh point and shoots have sensors about 7mm x 5mm in size whereas the APS sensors are about 23mm x 15mm. That's about a 10x area which is more important in final print quality than straight pixel count.

 

All things being equal a 10x8 from a 6MP Nikon D50 is likely to be far better quality than the same print from a 10MP Ricoh P&S.

 

Just my 0.02c

[sfcole]

Depends on the subject, too--how much detail, etc. Some subjects enlarge really well and

some don't. I've found that B&W enlarges better than color.

[jcuknz]

Probably the most important parameter is how close are you going to look at the print to check its quality. Big prints should be viewed from a distance and 14x11 inches is not unduely large for most digital cameras these days when processed properly through a good editing programme. The important aspect of printing 'quality' B&W is the printer and the inks/paper being used if you want to match 'film' results. People do get good B&W results but it is so much easier to get good colour results with digital.

[dg1]

Your printing and post processing technique will be important. I've gotten what I consider great quality in color at 12X16 print size from a 5 meg Ricoh GX. But what you consider great quality may be different. Anyway the camera is no guarantee and there is no pat answer. If you like those cameras, get one and use it, that's the only way you'll find out if it meets your needs.

[sf_photo1]

Print scanners have come a long way. I have a 5mp camera that shoots RAW and makes great prints up to it's limit. Beyond that I have a print from the camera scanned then use the resulting file to make even larger prints. There is a slight loss in shadow detail but here the viewing distance comes into play.

 

In reviews the Ricoh cameras look like great tools but do not get high marks for output. As someone mentioned above, just get one and start shooting. You may very well like what you see right out of the camera.

 

Hope this helps-

 

Andrew in SF

[iansky]

Herve,

 

I shoot a lot of photos with the Ricoh GRD and I have had some fantastic A3 size prints made as gifts - The people who received them thought they had been taken with at least a 35mm film camera.

 

If you shoot only Raw (as I do) and manage them carefully in PS or other editing suites, you will not be dissapointed - I certainly am not and you will always find the "Experts" who respond based on their technical understanding rather than on their owning and using the camera!

 

I have quite a few of my GRD images on this site that you can view:

 

http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=632920