Unable to export high resolution jpgs from LR

[MeeR]

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. 

[JP Hess]

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.

[MeeR]

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]

Shooting raw will give you the biggest file size as far as the number of megabytes in the file, but it's the number of pixels that matter. If you're going to send the image to a commercial lab to be printed you'll have to send a copy of that raw image, usually a JPEG anyway. What are the pixel dimensions of the image you are working with? For instance, the camera I use takes images that are 6000 x 4000 pixels. What is the size of your images?

[MeeR]

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? 

[JP Hess]

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.

[MeeR]

Hi - I just meant that somewhat LR is not exporting them as high-resolution jpg's. I followed the export with all the settings for high-resolution jpg's, but the jpg's it's exporting are not even enough to print an 8x10? Final jgp size is around 1-5MB - Is there another way to export them you know?

[JP Hess]

Can you post a screenshot of your export dialogue showing the settings you have chosen? Also, 1-5 MB file size doesn't really tell me anything. The key to quality printing is the number of pixels in the image, and you can't determine that by looking at the size of the JPEG file. And just to clarify, are you using Lightroom for the cloud or Lightroom Classic? There's a big difference when it comes to saving files.

[MeeR]

I'm using LR classic. Here's the export settings. Thank you. 

[JP Hess]

Your export settings like right. The JPEG image format is a highly compressed format, and the file size can vary greatly depending on the content of the image. Without seeing any of your images, it is difficult to determine what the size of those image files "should" be. Are any of those images cropped? Would you care to share any of your images that others might examine them?

[MeeR]

Sure, if that helps. I attach you two of them. They only have basic LR edits. I upload two examples... should I upload the original or edited file? 

[JP Hess]

For now, just upload the JPEG.

[MeeR]

ok. thank you for looking at this. 

[JP Hess]

That method didn't work. It only gave me the small one that was on the web. You need to use another method that will provide me a link to the image with the real filename and the full-size.

[JP Hess]

What camera are you using? Make and model?

[MeeR]

Canon 5D Mark III, 24-70mm - I need to figure out how to send the files. Off to work now. Will be back. Thanks again for looking into it. 

[JP Hess]

If you have a Dropbox account, you could share the file using it.