# How Big Can I Make This Photo?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-can-i-make-this-photo/269610
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 17, 2004, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-can-i-make-this-photo/269610 "2004-10-17T02:02:41Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2004, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-can-i-make-this-photo/269610/1 "2004-10-17T02:02:41Z")
I hope this link works:
[http://www.ofoto.com/PhotoView.jsp?&collid=21978947406&photoid=11129947406](http://www.ofoto.com/PhotoView.jsp?&collid=21978947406&photoid=11129947406)
It’s a great picture of my daughter, and I want to order a very large (I’d go with 20x30, larger if I could) copy of it…as big as I can get without losing a lot of detail or having it get all grainy or icky.
I don’t have enough experience with digital pictures to know how much I can get away with here; I’m hoping someone with more knowledge can offer an opinion. I know it’s not incredibly sharp to begin with (part of its charm for me, I think)…but I don’t want a big field of green with a fuzzy thing off to one side, either.
Thanks!
karol
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### Author:  [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2004, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-can-i-make-this-photo/269610/2 "2004-10-17T02:13:29Z")
The popuplink on the page should give you some guidance:
> [@](#):
>
> Digital image resolution is the size of your image, measured in pixels (“picture elements”). A high-resolution image (such as 1600 x 1200 pixels) will result in a better printed photo than a low resolution image (such as 320 x 240 pixels), all other things being equal. If the resolution is too low for the size of the print chosen, the photograph will look fuzzy and indistinct. Ofoto recommends that you always use the high resolution setting on your camera to ensure the best prints.
>
> Recommended Minimum Resolutions
>
> To get high-quality prints in variety of sizes, Ofoto recommends your photos have at least the following minimum resolutions:
> For a wallet-size print, the image resolution should be 320 x 240 pixels minimum
> For a 4 x 6" print, the image resolution should be 640 x 480 pixels minimum
> For a 5 x 7" print, the image resolution should be 1024 x 768 pixels minimum
> For a 8 x 10" print, the image resolution should be 1536 x 1024 pixels minimum
> For a 16 x 20" print, the image resolution should be 1600 x 1200 pixels minimum
> For a 20 x 30" print, the image resolution should be 1600 x 1200 pixels minimum
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2004, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-can-i-make-this-photo/269610/3 "2004-10-17T02:24:05Z")
The caption says the resolution is 1280 x 960 pixels.
If you enlarge it to 20 X 30", each pixel will be 0.5 X 0.5 millimeters on a side.
That’s getting pretty course, but is still smaller than the [~2mm dots](http://www.education.tas.gov.au/itproject/topics/imagetasks/photomosaicsp5.htm) Seurat used for [A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte](http://www.usc.edu/schools/annenberg/asc/projects/comm544/library/images/221.html)
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### Author:  [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2004, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-can-i-make-this-photo/269610/4 "2004-10-17T02:24:18Z")
**Duckster,** those specs may be pushing it a bit.
> [@](#):
>
> For a 20 x 30" print, the image resolution should be 1600 x 1200 pixels minimum
That works out to 53-60DPI, assuming the 1200 pixels are on the 20" side. OK for a poster, if you don’t look too closely.
Compare that to a quality magazine, which will have, as an absolute minimum, 300DPI and probably a greater color depth (bits per color) as well.
The more pixels, the better. If you can plan in advance, use the highest settings on your camera (and the lowest compression, or none) if you can.
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### Author:  [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2004, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-can-i-make-this-photo/269610/5 "2004-10-17T02:31:55Z")
> [@Musicat](#):
>
> **Duckster,** those specs may be pushing it a bit.
They’re not my specs. They are the recommended specs from the web site where the photo is posted.
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### Author:  [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2004, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-can-i-make-this-photo/269610/6 "2004-10-17T02:38:37Z")
> [@Musicat](#):
>
> **Duckster,** those specs may be pushing it a bit.
I tend to agree. I normally shoot at 1600x1200. I’ve found, depending on the image, 8x10 looks good. 11x14, maybe, but you begin to notice it’s not film. 20x30, I dunno. I suspect that image would be looking pretty muddy.
On preview…then you need to find out your specs…what’s your camera set at? Do you have a program you can open it in that will give you image size?
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### Author:  [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2004, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-can-i-make-this-photo/269610/7 "2004-10-17T02:40:21Z")
Oh…I thought that was the OP posting…sorry, confused…
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### Author:  [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2004, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-can-i-make-this-photo/269610/8 "2004-10-17T13:28:25Z")
Hmmm…I did finally spot the pop-up info after I posted my question, of course.
Maybe I’ll try 8x10 and a good-sized mat. I could do an artistic (ha!) rendering of it, too, I suppose…
Thanks for the info. My camera does have different settings, so I’ll experiment a bit as well.