What size(s) can I print these scans at?

[francis_dantuono]

<p>Hi,<br /><br />Years ago, I was able to scan some color photos from a relative. Said relative and I are no longer on any good terms, so I will not have access to these photos ever again. That said, given the following dimensions of the following scans, what size can I hope to print and make new (hopefully lasting) copies with without any loss of image quality or without every single dust particle showing on the print? Basically, the way the print looked when I scanned it?<br /><br />Image 1: 600 DPI, Resolution: 1645 x 1710<br>

<br />Image 2: 600 DPI, Resolution: 1640 x 1744<br /><br /><br>

Image 3: 600 DPI, Resolution: 5534 x 4225<br /><br /><br>

Image 4: 600 DPI, Resolution: 4169 x 5509<br /><br /><br>

Image 5: 72 DPI, Resolution: 2088 x 1826<br /><br /><br>

Image 6: 96 DPI, Resolution 1452 x 2070<br /><br />Lastly, Image 7: 300 DPI, Resolution 2865 x 2255</p>

[JosvanEekelen]

Forget the dpi ratng, it's meaningless. Divide the resolution figure by 200 and you get the size in inches that you can print

with a reasonable quality. For better quality divide by 300, or if you're less critical by 150.

The outcome also depends on the quality of the original and on compression of the digital file. Do a test with one of the

files. Dust will show on the print if it's present on the scan. Count on some pre processing.

[vrankin]

<p>What Jos says. Excellent advice. Also, consider that a very large print viewed from farther away will get by with 150 pixels per inch, whereas a small print viewed much closer requires the higher resolutions. I prefer 300 over 200 pixels per inch on glossy paper. Matte seems a bit less critical.</p>

[david_henderson]

<p>All the above is right if the dpi refers only to the file size that exists now. However if they happen to be the dpi at which you originally made the scans they get more useful. That's because the prints from which you scanned are likely to have no more than 300dpi worth of detail in them. So scanning at 600dpi may give you a much bigger file but its bloat not useful information. Similarly if you have actually scanned at 72 dpi its going to be difficult to recreate the quality /detail of an original with 300dpi and you would need to print much smaller than would be implied by dividing its sizes in pixels by 300 to get anything useful.</p>

<p>So let us know whether these are the original scan dpi please , or just the values at which these files are currently stored. </p>

[francis_dantuono]

<p>Some of them were scanned by me, and I recall the original scan dpi for some. Any DPI labelled 600 is the original scan size. The ones with the smaller DPI size - the 96 DPI one wasn't done by me, but my sister for a family project. The 72 DPI one was done by me, but I'm not sure what the original scan DPI was. I know at the time I was scanning stuff at anywhere between 600 and 1200 DPI. But it's been so long I couldn't tell you what the original scan DPI was; perhaps on these prints that have a lower DPI, I made a mistake? Or perhaps the computer processed them at 72? No way of knowing.</p>

[Jochen_S]

<p>Ryan, read Jos' reply again please and try to swallow it as the truth.<br>

The DPI your computer happens to recall are <em>meaningless</em>. - Judge the pixels you have and figure out what you can do to them. In doubt it is hard to scan a lot more of resolution out of a print to blow it up size wise. The billboard effect, to place a huge blow up far away from the spectator, is of course an exception.<br>

Dust can be battled by downsizing or in pre-processing before you print. - If the pictures weren't taken with decent gear and technique the originals you scanned might already be oversized.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Jos has it, for sure. Listen.</p>

 

[James G. Dainis]

If the prints scanned by you were scanned at 600 DPI as you say then these are the sizes of the original photos:<P>

 

Image 1: 600 DPI, Resolution: 1645 x 1710 divided by 600 = 2.75 x 2.85 inches<BR>

Image 2: 600 DPI, Resolution: 1640 x 1744 divided by 600 = 2.75 x 2.9 inches <BR>

Image 3: 600 DPI, Resolution: 5534 x 4225 divided by 600 = 9.22 x 7.0 inches <BR>

Image 4: 600 DPI, Resolution: 4169 x 5509 divided by 600 = 6.94 x 9.18 inches<P>

 

 

Images 3 and 4 look like they were normal size photos made with enlargers but images 1 and 2 look like they may have been very old photos perhaps from 620 film processed and contact printed in a drug store or were they color slides? . Do you remember if they really were that small? Anyway printing Image 1 and 2 at 200 DPI would get you 8.25 x 8.5 inch prints.

<P> As for the rest:<P>

 

Image 5: 72 DPI, Resolution: 2088 x 1826 divided by 72 = 29 x 25.36 inches<BR>

Image 6: 96 DPI, Resolution 1452 x 2070 divided by 96 = 15.12 x 21.56 inches<BR>

Image 7: 300 DPI, Resolution 2865 x 2255 divided by 300 = 9.5 x 7.5 inches<P>

 

I don' t know what that is all about. I'm sure they don't have a scanner that could handle 29 inch or even 21 inch prints. But you have big enough files to get good size prints doing what Jos said.<P>

 

Don't you just love math.

[clifford_lipman]

<p>Depends on your printer, mine can't make it.</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>Once you get it out of your head that those dpi numbers are meaningful, it's worth understanding that how things look at specific sizes varies by content and viewing distance.</p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

Input FPI or PPI DOES NOT MATTER. What does matter is the ppi you output them at. Epson printers have a native

printing resolution of 360dpi but you can get pretty good quality down to 180dpi.

 

Most labs, As well as Canon and HP printers pigment and inkjet printers have a native printing resolution of 300dpi and in

my experience with Canon printers input resolution can go as low as 225 dpi.

 

And if you are handy with Photoshop you can interpolate the data to make a larger (in pixel dimensions) image before you

print, figure 4x if the scan is of decent quality.

 

On a more serious note, I am sorry you have had to go through what sounds like a traumatic break with someone who is

or once was in your extended family circle.