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Using a digital camera involves more than just capturing photos; it can turn your images into art. Eugenio Marongiu / Getty Images/Image SourceYou’ve purchased a top-tier digital camera and now wish to print high-quality photos. A digital camera is a sophisticated tool that, when used correctly, can deliver crisp, stunning images. Follow the tips below to learn how to calculate image dimensions and PPI for printing.
- What is PPI? The first step in printing high-quality photos is understanding pixels per inch (PPI). The pixels on your camera or computer screen are converted to dots on the printed image. A higher PPI means sharper photos. A general guideline is to aim for a PPI between 200 and 400 [source: Colorama].
- Size and Pixel Count To print a high-quality photo, start by determining the desired print size. Then, check the image’s pixel count. To find the pixel count, open the image on your desktop, click File in the menu, and select Properties. The dialog box will display details including the pixel count [source: HD]. Once you have the size and pixel count, you can calculate the PPI and image resolution.
- Calculating PPI To calculate PPI, use the formula: PPI = width(pixels)/width of image (inches); PPI = height(pixels)/height of image (inches). For example, for a 4-inch by 6-inch print with a pixel count of 800 x 1200, divide 800 (pixel height) by 4 (photo height) and 1200 (pixel width) by 6 (photo width). The result is a PPI of 200, yielding good print quality. For an 8-inch by 10-inch photo, PPI reduces to 100 for width and 120 for height, resulting in lower quality prints [source: Colgate].
Keep in mind, increasing your camera’s MP setting will enhance your photo quality. While this will take up more space on your memory card, it allows you to print larger and sharper images [source: HP].
