What resolution do I need if i want to print a photo that is 8 x 10?

Question

I'm really confused by this whole pixel/resolution/dpi stuff...

I want to print a picture that i found from the internet, the specs are :

1930 x 1200 pixels

96 x 96 dpi

i also have another version of the photo that is 1280 x 900 pixels....so...is this a good resolution for a print size of 8 by 10?

Answer 1

In the ideal world you want to use 300ppi resolution for printing. That's for the best results. So for 8x10 you need 2400*3000 pixels. But in general the resolutions down to 100ppi will produce a more or less acceptable results given high quality original image. Of course at 100ppi that's going to be marginally acceptable. For 100ppi you need 800x1000 pixels, so that would be sufficient for both of your files.

Many labs will either refuse to print images below 100ppi or will make you sign a waver that they won't be responsible for the quality, should you ask them to print at lower resolutions.

LEM.

Answer 2

Always use your cameras highest resolution to assure your image files are able to produce high quality images.  You can always resize you images smaller later, saving them as a different name so you do not overwrite your original files.

Answer 3

Print the 1930 x 1200. If it's pixelated, just step back some and enjoy it.