How do I know if an image will come out pixalated before I print it out?

Question

I am trying to print out 4x6 images
I saved the files off of facebook from my page or friend's pages and I am concerned that the file size might be too small
I have a mac and use preview so when I click get info I can see:
Size of file
Dimensions
Color space
What do I base it on?

Answer 1

open the file in preview on your mac and hit 'Apple' + 'I' to get information up about the photo. it will tell you the file dimensions. You will want at least 800x600 to print out your photo - 1200x1600 recommended.



I would suggest getting your friend to email you the original photos to you as they will be better quality than the photos from facebook (facebook optimizes files for the web - 72dpi and about 600pix along the widest point). If your not friends with the person who's facebook profile you got the pictures from then the quality will be very low and you could be breaking copyright laws by taking the photos and printing them out.

Answer 2

You work it out via the resolution, here is the basics of the maths involved:



The size of a print depends on the size (pixels) and the resolution (dpi).



For good quality, you should have at least 250 dpi, but 300 would be best.

If a print is made for viewing from a greater distance, e.g. a poster on a wall, you can get away with a lower resolution. The bigger the print and the distance, the lower the resolution needed. For something really big and really far away, 150 dpi would still be VERY good quality.



For example if your resolution was 2100 x 3000 pixels, then at 300 dpi your print size could go up to 7 x 10" at excellent quality.



If you only have a tiny little photo to start off with, i.e. few pixels, there is not much that can be done, you can't invent pixels that weren't there in the first place. Enlarging a tiny photo only makes the quality suffer.



To ensure best possible quality, you need to always leave your camera set to the biggest resolution and highest quality (lowest compression) settings.



Here is a simple but pretty good explanation of it all: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/learnmore/bestquality.mspx



P.S. Apart from size, there are other variables, too, such as quality of the optics, focus, etc.

Answer 3

Ok, abit of an add to Selina's answer. Dimensions is pixel dimension so it will be something like 800x600 or whatever. Resolution on photos from facebook and most other websites is 72dpi. You can use Selina's formula's to calculate print size from there. Also the resolution of your printer itself will matter but pretty much any printer can handle 72 dpi since office charts are often printed at around 150-200dpi.

Answer 4

right this is one theory. shall we are saying you utilize photoshop or maybe powerpoint to try this: a million. make beneficial purely like your face and purely like the cranium are sized the two (the eyes journey the attention socket place, the noses, and the mouth and so on.....make beneficial the image borders are taken into observe (i.e. the dotted line wherein the photographs are) 2. The face may be on one document or one slide (for powerpoint) and the cranium may be open in yet another document or slide. 3. Now Print the face, yet assign web site borders in accordance on your liking. the precise + backside border and the two area borders must be alter top. have in mind the values of the borders, u will choose them. 4. as quickly as the face is outlined, re-insert the paper into printer such that as quickly as u print lower back, it will look on the lower back area. 5. Align the cranium image on the web site with the precise comparable borders you used for the face image. Aligning the borders may be sufficient, for the reason which you have already made beneficial that the two photographs' -cranium and face- are matching whilst overlapped. 6. Print the cranium image! this ought to artwork in case you do it top :)

Answer 5

right here is one thought. we could say you utilize photoshop or perhaps powerpoint to try this: a million. make confident in simple terms like your face and in simple terms like the cranium are sized the two (the eyes journey the attention socket place, the noses, and the mouth and so on.....make confident the image borders are taken into observe (i.e. the dotted line wherein the photos are) 2. The face may be on one report or one slide (for powerpoint) and the cranium may be open in yet another report or slide. 3. Now Print the face, yet assign web site borders in accordance on your liking. the right + backside border and the two component borders could be regulate good. bear in mind the values of the borders, u will desire them. 4. as quickly as the face is outlined, re-insert the paper into printer such that once u print returned, it's going to seem on the returned component. 5. Align the cranium photograph on the website with the stunning comparable borders you used for the face photograph. Aligning the borders may be adequate, considering you have already made confident that the two photos' -cranium and face- are matching whilst overlapped. 6. Print the cranium photograph! this could artwork in case you do it suitable :)