Resizing images in photoshop

A
Posted By
ahomannyc
Mar 8, 2006
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291
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I’ve been told that resizing an image in Photoshop can degrade the image if you don’t resize to a multiple ( of 10? of the original dpi?, not sure) of the original dpi. For instance, when I need to print an image at a minimum dpi of 300, and I have an original file of 72 (at 8×10", lets say). Will I get a better quality image if I resize the image to 360 (@ 1.6 x 2"), which is a multiple of 72) than if I resize to 300 (@1.92 x 2.4"). I understand that I have a better quality in the sense that it is a higher dpi, but is there any harm in just typing in 300 in the Image Size>Resolution fill-in? My objective is to get the largest possible print size at 300 dpi.
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nomail
Mar 8, 2006
wrote:

I’ve been told that resizing an image in Photoshop can degrade the image if you don’t resize to a multiple ( of 10? of the original dpi?, not sure) of the original dpi. For instance, when I need to print an image at a minimum dpi of 300, and I have an original file of 72 (at 8×10", lets say). Will I get a better quality image if I resize the image to 360 (@ 1.6 x 2"), which is a multiple of 72) than if I resize to 300 (@1.92 x 2.4"). I understand that I have a better quality in the sense that it is a higher dpi, but is there any harm in just typing in 300 in the Image Size>Resolution fill-in? My objective is to get the largest possible print size at 300 dpi.

If you change an image from 8 x 10" @ 72 ppi to 1.6 x 2" @ 360 ppi, you do not resize at all. You just change the print size, because the pixels are printed smaller (1/360 inch rather than 1/72 inch). The same goes for 1.92 x 2.4" @ 300 ppi. Consequently, it doesn’t matter because you do not change any pixels at all.

Whether printing at 360 ppi will give you better results than printing at 300 ppi has nothing to do with Photoshop, only with the printing device. For most devices I seriously doubt you will see any difference. Just use 300 ppi if that’s the objective.

—
Johan W. Elzenga johan<<at>>johanfoto.nl Editor / Photographer http://www.johanfoto.nl
J
Jim
Mar 8, 2006
wrote in message
I’ve been told that resizing an image in Photoshop can degrade the image if you don’t resize to a multiple ( of 10? of the original dpi?, not sure) of the original dpi. For instance, when I need to print an image at a minimum dpi of 300, and I have an original file of 72 (at 8×10", lets say). Will I get a better quality image if I resize the image to 360 (@ 1.6 x 2"), which is a multiple of 72) than if I resize to 300 (@1.92 x 2.4"). I understand that I have a better quality in the sense that it is a higher dpi, but is there any harm in just typing in 300 in the Image Size>Resolution fill-in? My objective is to get the largest possible print size at 300 dpi.
For this specific case, you are unlikely to get a satisfactory image no matter how you proceed. Going from an image that is 576 pixels by 720 pixels to one which is 2400 pixels by 3000 pixels is too big of a jump to expect a good image. It is the number of pixels that matter instead of some number of pixels per inch.
Jim
A
ahomannyc
Mar 8, 2006
Thanks, Johan and Jim….both very helpful!
JM
John McWilliams
Mar 8, 2006
wrote:

I’ve been told that resizing an image in Photoshop can degrade the image if you don’t resize to a multiple ( of 10? of the original dpi?, not sure) of the original dpi. For instance, when I need to print an image at a minimum dpi of 300, and I have an original file of 72 (at 8×10", lets say). Will I get a better quality image if I resize the image to 360 (@ 1.6 x 2"), which is a multiple of 72) than if I resize to 300 (@1.92 x 2.4"). I understand that I have a better quality in the sense that it is a higher dpi, but is there any harm in just typing in 300 in the Image Size>Resolution fill-in? My objective is to get the largest possible print size at 300 dpi.

This example is astoundingly easy to prove out: do both on the same "canvas", same printer, same settings. Can you see any difference?

Also, dpi’s come into play only at the stage it’s handed off to the printer. Before then, it’s ppi, and you will see them used interchangeably by a lot of folks. Often it’s clear in the context, so doesn’t matter much then, but sometimes there’s a real hashup because the two are confused.

—
john mcwilliams

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