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M
MeeR
Participating Frequently
October 21, 2019
Question

Unable to export high resolution jpgs from LR

  • October 21, 2019
  • 1 reply
  • 911 views

I have trouble exporting high-resolution jpgs from LR to use for large format prints.

original file is RAW, followed all the steps to import for print with 300dpi. Does anyone has other suggestions? Thank you. 

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    1 reply

    JP Hess
    JP Hess
    Inspiring
    October 21, 2019

    You cannot change the quality of an image file by changing the DPI (really it's PPI or pixels per inch). Regardless of what that setting is set to, the image will still have the same pixel dimensions, the same file size, the same image quality, no difference whatsoever. That setting will not change the picture content in any way. The only way you can have an image for large format prints is to have an image that has a lot more pixels.

    Consider an image file that has 6000 x 4000 pixels. If you choose to print, for instance, an 8 x 10 or even a 16 x 20 print from such an image, it wouldn't matter whether the PPI was designated at 72 or 240 or 300 or 600. The image quality would remain precisely the same, and the print quality would remain the same as well. I've tried it with my own printer, and I've tried it by sending images to commercial printers. You cannot modify image quality by changing that PPI setting. The only way is to have more pixels.

    M
    MeeRAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    October 21, 2019

    Hi Jim, thank you for your reply and the clarification. So, how do I find out the PPI setting or how much pixels the image has. It was shot in RAW, edited in LR - my understanding was that shooting in RAW gives you the biggest possible file size. 

    JP Hess
    JP Hess
    Inspiring
    October 22, 2019

    Hi Jim, my RAW files are 5760x3840, as per standard settings on the camera. So there should be enough data to print large scale. I'm not sure, why it doesn't transfer into LR? 


    Define large scale. And what do you mean when you say doesn't transfer into Lightroom?

     

    Large-scale images will be viewed from a distance and therefore don't need to be printed at 300 PPI. Given the resolution of your images, you could consider a print resolution of 200 PPI, and could produce images measuring roughly 19 x 28". Of course if you print an image that size that is what the PPI would be regardless of what the setting is in the image file. If you want images larger than that then you need more pixels unless you can deal with even lower resolution such as 150 PPI.

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