advice on resizing and dpi!!

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Kris
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Hey guys, just a quick question if anyone can help please...

I am entering a photo competition and am trying to ensure my photo resized correctly to what they want! The description they give for the sample image is:
Resized images to submit by email
Before you email your image(s) please resize each one to 800 pixels along the longest edge at 72dpi.

Who is confused about dpi - me or them? I thought dpi was in reference to printing size, not screen resolutionm which is what I think they are refering to. Although I say this, I have also noticed my images do have a dpi property.

can someone clear this up as they also want the original image for submission to be:
Your picture needs to be of high enough resolution to be printed to at least 30cm x 25cm at 300dpi (3,600 pixels along the longest length).

...and im a little baffled! I know i could email them, but I dont think anyone will be there at 20:00!! cheers
 
Hi

So do they want 2 images? I wouldnt recommend printing a 72dpi 800pixel image 30cmx25cm, can't imagine it looking all that fantastic.

The 72dpi image will be for web purpose, as far as I know, the screen resolution restricts any benefit of using images over 72dpi. I THINK....lol,I don't think web sized images will convey any difference in quality.

Sounds similar to competitions I've entered previously and it's standard I wouldn't worry about it.

Hope that helps

Regards

Danny
 
You're right with the first part, in that if they are specifying pixel dimensions dpi is tantamount to irrelevant.

The second one looks about right for a display image.

Are they asking you to send the sample, the main image or both?

The sample should be about 150Kb or so at Jpeg 8, whilst the main image will be around 3-5Mb at Jpeg 10 and a lot harder to email (dependant on your and their email restrictions).

I'd be tempted to email them just the sample and ask for clarification as to whether they want the full res image now or later.
 
Last edited:
sorry, should have been more specific - and thanks for quick replies.

The competition entry (can be up to 3 images) needs to be resized to 800px and emailed to them. If it progresses / wins / what ever, they want the full size image which must be the 3600px image.

mark, the large image is 4.92mb and the smaller resized image is 240kb! :) so about right! :p I think ill just resize my image and export straight from fireworks for the smaller image!

thanks again
 
800px is the size that's saved, and determines the level of detail in the saved image. All the 72dpi bit says is that the default printing size will be 11" wide. If you saved the same image as 300dpi, it would look identical, but by default would print smaller - but of course printing software can be made to ignore that default anyway.

David
 
just checked my resized image and windows is telling me 72dpi! woo result!? :thinking:

although the original at 2448 x 3672 is 610dpi!! meh!
 
800px is the size that's saved, and determines the level of detail in the saved image. All the 72dpi bit says is that the default printing size will be 11" wide. If you saved the same image as 300dpi, it would look identical, but by default would print smaller - but of course printing software can be made to ignore that default anyway.

David

Ermm, no it doesn't. The level of Jpeg compression governs the quality and detail.

What saving at a higher dpi may do is increase the file size as some software takes that into consideration during compression. It wont however affect the visible image.
 
They want a 800 pixel image at a resolution of 72.
It's nothing to do with printing, its just another person who can't differentiate between ppi and dpi.
 
thanks all for your insight!
all sorted! :)
 
800px is the size that's saved, and determines the level of detail in the saved image.

Ermm, no it doesn't. The level of Jpeg compression governs the quality and detail.

Errrm, yes it does. Take a 3000x4000 pixel image and save two versions - one at 3000x4000 pixels and jpeg quality 60, the other at 30x40 pixels, jpeg quality 100. Which one has more detail?
 
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