Lightroom CC collection saves as 96 dpi

[chrism83501895]

I would like to distributed photos via the shared collection features of Lightroom CC. However, the images downloaded are 96 DPI, not the original DPI. Thus, they are not suitable for printing. How do I enable saving at the original DPI?

[JP Hess]

Unfortunately, many users seem to misunderstand this setting. If you download the images as full-sized images then they will have all the pixels that are possible to download. That DPI setting or PPI setting really has no impact on the quality of the image. It's only an indicator as to how large the image will measure at that particular setting. For instance, if the image is 6000 x 4000 pixels, it doesn't matter whether it is 96 PPI Or 300 PPI. It is still 6000 x 4000 pixels. Any other pixel dimensions are the same story. If the image has sufficient pixels to print the size image you want, the pixel setting in the file will have literally no impact on the quality of the print. If you print your own images, try printing a 8 x 10" print from a file that you saved at 96 PPI and save it again at 300 PPI with some software such as Photoshop. Don't crop the image, or modify it in any other manner. Print the two files the same size with the same printer, or order the same size print from somewhere like Costco or Walmart just as an experiment and compare the two prints. You will find there will be no difference in the quality.

[chrism83501895]

Thanks for the reply. I agree with your points. My concern was that a printer would use the file DPI to inform the printing resolution. Reading more it seems like printers don't use this information, thus the invariance in printing with different file DPI (assuming resolution is the same). This is good to know.

[JP Hess]

Yes, that is correct. You cannot control DPI in the settings of the image file. That is a printer setting, and has nothing to do with the image file.