How print exact dimensions of image?

[live in the now]

I have resized the image in Photoshop CS5 using Perfect Resize.  The image dimensions are 20.00 inches x 13.33 inches.

In the Lightroom print module, I chose these settings:

• cell size to 20.00 in x 13.33 in. 
• All the margins are set to 0.00. 
• "Zoom to Fill" is not checked.
• Page Setup:  17 x 22 paper.  Manual - rear-borderless (retain size)

The size printed is 20.5 in x 13.75 in

What should I be doing to get the print size to match the cell size of 20.00 x 13.33?

Information:

Lightroom version 4.1

Mac OS:  10.6.8

Printer:  Epson 3880

File:  Tiff

Thanks!

[Jogi73]

If I set up my Epson Stylus Photo R800 for borderless printing, it will scale the page a little larger than the real dimensions. EPSON says this is a feature to avoid thin white borders around the image because you will always have tolerances in the paper conveying system and in the position of the paper within the printer.

So what you have to do is: Switch off the borderless printing. Then you won't have any scaling of the print. Unfortunatelly you will have the (in my case) 3 mm white borders all around because it's the maximum standard printing area. But as far as I can see you want to print smaller than you paper size anyway. So you shouldn't have trouble with this. So just switch off the borderless printing.

[live in the now]

Jogi73, thanks for the suggestion.

In the Print Module, I chose Page Setup and the US C 17 x 22in  (Manual - Rear)

This was the selection that turned off borderless printing.

The size printed was 20.5 in x 13.75 in - still does not match the cell size of 20.00 in x 13.33 in

Any other suggestions?

[live in the now]

For anyone who is interested, these are the Lightroom settings that enabled the print size to match the actual image dimensions:

1. Resize the image in Photoshop CS5 using Perfect Resize. 
2. In the Lightroom print module, I chose these settings:

• Cell size set to match the image dimensions.  The photo was sized to the same aspect ratio as the cell size/print size.
• All the margins are set to 0.13, which is the minimum.
• "Zoom to Fill" is checked.
• Page Setup:  choose paper size and manual - rear.  Make sure you do not choose borderless unless you are printing a borderless photo. When you print borderless the printer driver enlarges the photo slightly to ensure edge to edge coverage.

[Jogi73]

Why should I resize my image in Photoshop first?

• I use my photo as it is, no resize in advance
• Make sure that "borderless printing" is disabled in the printer driver
• I set my cell size to the desired print size according to the aspect ratio of the image
• I switch off the contour (German "Kontur") because this makes the image smaller again
• Activate rotate & fit in (German "Drehen & Einpassen")
• Activate zoom to fill if the image is too small in the size / resolution
• Borders to minimum size (this comes from the printer driver, non-borderless printing -> max. printable area)
• Then simply print the image.

I tried it here with a 24 MPixel image from Sony Alpha 850, aspect ratio 3:2. I set the cell size to 150 x 100 mm and the printed image size is exactly 150 x 100 mm. There's no mismatch.

[live in the now]

Jogi73 - that's a good question about resizing in Photoshop first.  I should have written a more generalized list for enabling the print size to match the actual image dimensions.  I've incorporated your steps above - where can I switch off the contour (German "kontur") as you suggested?

Here is another draft:

1. Is the image in the right proportion to print?  Does the aspect ratio of the image width and height match the desired cell size in the Lightroom Layout Panel?  If you are printing for standard mat and frame sizes, this may be a concern. Cameras capture images in a variety of aspect ratios that don’t necessarily match common print sizes.  For example, in a full frame camera the number of pixels may vary from model to model, but the ratio of the long side to the short side will always be 1.5:1 or 3:2.  Digital compacts often have a ratio of 1.33 or 4:3. 
   
   • If the answer is no:
     
     • Blank spaces fill the areas where the aspect ratio of the photos and the image cells don’t match.  You can also set an option so that photos completely fill the space within an image.  When this option is selected, portions of the photos (especially vertical images) might be cropped to fill the aspect ratio of the image cells. (source: Lightroom 4 documentation accessed with Print Module)
     • In the Develop Module, you can crop the image to a specified aspect ratio.  This will enable you to manually choose what is cropped.
       
   • If the answer is yes:  proceed to Step 2
     
2. Do we have enough pixels to get an acceptable print quality in a particular size?  For example, if I am taking a photo from an iphone and making a print size of 17 in x 22 in, then I go to Photoshop, and use the plug-in On-One Software’s Perfect Resize (formerly Genuine Fractals) to crop to a specified aspect ratio and resize.   Photoshop can do upsampling as well.  I am not sure if Lightroom can do this upsampling.
3. Now for printing in the Lightroom Print Module.  To print the exact dimensions of an image, here are the key selections:
   
   • Image Settings:
     
     • Check  “Zoom to Fill”
     • Check “Rotate to Fit”
       
   • Layout:
     
     • Margins set to minimum size
     • Cell size is the desired print size according to the aspect ratio of the image.
       
   • Page Setup:
     
     • Make sure that “borderless printing” is disabled in the printer.  When you print borderless the printer driver enlarges the photo slightly to ensure edge to edge coverage.
     • For the Epson 3880, choose the paper size and manual – rear.

[Jogi73]

Well, don't write too general - that's confusing the people...

I switched Lightroom to English language and checked the original designation:

German "Kontur" means "Stroke Border". Of course, this has to be disabled.

If we talk about print size then it won't matter what type of pixels you have. Lightroom calculates in the absolute ratio. If you tell lightroom to print in 400 dpi then it will scale the image to the right size. If the image is too small then you can use "Zoom to fill" and it will upscale the image. I haven't made a comparison if the print would be better if the upscaling was done by photoshop CS5.1.

For the EPSON Stylus Photo R800 (and R1800) just disable "Borderless Printing".

I guess this should help some people printing their photo in the real size.

[TheDigitalDog]

live in the now wrote:

1. Do we have enough pixels to get an acceptable print quality in a particular size?  For example, if I am taking a photo from an iphone and making a print size of 17 in x 22 in, then I go to Photoshop, and use the plug-in On-One Software’s Perfect Resize (formerly Genuine Fractals) to crop to a specified aspect ratio and resize.   Photoshop can do upsampling as well.  I am not sure if Lightroom can do this upsampling.

It can and it can do this as well or better IMHO than Photoshop and GF (Prefect Resize) at least with proper capture sharpening in Develop and output to a print.

[live in the now]

Thank you Jogi73 and Andrew Rodney.

I did a test today cropping to a specified aspect ratio and resizing in Photoshop/Perfect Resize and in Lightroom before printing.

The image  had been originally 1062 x 1428 and then cropped to 952 x 1428 for the aesthetics of the image.  When I wanted to print this at 3200 x 4800 (13.33inches x 20inches), I corrected for the aspect ratio and printed. 

Both prints came out fine - I have to look very carefully at the details to see the differences.  Which one is "better"?  For this image anyway, it's a tough call and really it's a personal preference. 

I don't know if there are particular types of images that would do better using Lightroom or Photoshop/Perfect Resize.  I guess I'll find that out through experience.    This test thought has taught me that both are viable approaches. 

Thanks for your comment, Andrew, that spurred me on to investigate and try out the two approaches!  I'll look into any particular preparation like the "proper capture sharpening in Develop" that you mentioned that might optimize the process.