How to avoid using 'resample' when resizing images for print.

[TDTD]

I am new to photoshop and printing. I am preparing my first images to send to a print lab.

I have only just discovered that when reducing my 'image size' in photoshop, it adjusts the PPI accordingly. I am trying to avoid selecting 'resample' as I believe this removes pixels and can affect the quality of the print.

The print lab requests images in 300ppi but this would produce prints that are too large unless I select 'resample'.

Does anyone know if there is a way around this or is it just not possible?

Thank you.

[JJMack]

Ink jet Printers can change the resolution they print an image.   In the Images size dialog.  Do not check resample make sure it is not checked. Then set one of the image's side length to the print size you want it printed.  Photoshop will calculate the resolution  needed to print the image that size.  It will set the Print Resolution and the length the other side will be print.   Ink jet printers can paint in Pixels any size down to there max resolution.  When you resample an image you loose some image quality.  If you have a lot on pixels the not reason to resample the image when printing.   You only need to resample your images when you nee a small image to fit on a browsers display in a web page.   If your print lab printer can not handles the image resolution set in you image they should have not problem sampling your image.   The important thing for you is the keep you copy of the image with the best pixels you have for your image,  Do not resample your master copy...... If your print lab can not handle what you provide them you need to use a better lab.

[TDTD]

Thank you for your reply JJMack. I thought I should explain further. I will be using C-type printing.

When reducing the image dimenions for printing, I am trying to avoid using 'resample' in the 'image size' dialog box in photoshop. It'll be great learn this, not only for test prints, but also for the final large prints that may be just 10% smaller than their full, original size.

What I'm trying to do:

In photoshop, I bring up my full, original size image that is 16 bit, been flattened and converted to a tiff file.

I bring up the 'Image Size' dialog box. This is what it says:

Image Size: 287.9 M
Dimensions: 5792 px x 8688 px
Fit to: Original Size.
Width: 49.04 cm
Height: 73.56cm
Resolution: 300 PPI

When I uncheck 'resample' (so I can keep a top quality image) and change the width to 15cm, the resolution automatically jumps up to 980.779 PPI.

Do I send a lab printer this tiff file at 980.779 PPI or do they just end up 'resampling' it anyway to print?

The final images will be close to their full, original size, so I would like to save as much of the original quality of the image as possible. Is it best to print them at 100% of their original size?

I'm obviously a beginner who's trying to thrash this out as I have a few images that I have finished editing, now just trying to work out the printing side of things.

[JJMack]

I know nothing about C-Type Printing.  Digitals Picture are a matrix of square pixels.  C-Type printer need to be able to materialize you Image's Ptxels on C-type Paper.  If  these Printers havs a fixed pixel density resolution.  You need to resample your images to print the sized you want using the Printers fixed pixel density resolution.  These printer would be more like Computer displayes that have a single Pixels density.  They will be abe to change their Image's Aspect Ratio and size for the different Display Paper surfaces and your Image's Aspect Ratio.  If the C-Type printers can change the size they render pixels within  some range of resolutions you should resample for their best quality pixels resolution.   Most likely these printers will be 8bit color devices.

[D Fosse]

TDTD, when you don't resample, the ppi number will naturally go up as print size goes down. This is what it's supposed to do, there's nothing wrong.

Pixels per inch, remember? It's a ratio, a simple equation: ppi = pixels/inches. If inches go down, ppi goes up.

People tend to think of ppi as a native property of the file, but it's not. It's just a way to translate pixels to physical print sizes. It determines how densely the pixels will be printed, and thereby the final print size.

[TDTD]

Thank you D Fosse, I understand that.

So do I need to select 'resample' (therefore reducing quality as photoshop is removing pixels) in order to reduce the physical print size of my image and keep to 300 PPI?

[Joely]

Hi!

First of all, i would not use 16 bit (Image > Mode > 8 Bit)

Step 1:

Change resolution from 72ppi to 300ppi, re-sampling/re-calculate is NOT selected.step 1: Re-Sampling is NOT selected

Step 2:

SELECT/ACTIVATE the checkbox, change Image Size (Hight/Width) as needed, OK.

[TDTD]

Thank you Joely. The print lab asks for 16 bit for some of their C-type papers. I hope this is OK?

[Lumigraphics]

Resample is fine if you don't need the extra pixels. Say my original is 6000x4000 pixels, and I want to print a 4x6 print at 300 ppi. That works out to 1800x1200 pixels. Unless you know the printer can use the extra resolution, it won't make a difference.

Usually the extra pixels are fine but in some cases that can cause problems with the printer and of course it means sending a larger file. Follow the recommendations of the print shop.