Essentials for getting 12X18 and higher prints with Canon Rebel DSLR

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Tony Graber - 08 Jan 2007 07:48 GMT

Hello Group!

What are is the essential information that one our need in order to be able
to have files large enough? for for getting 12X18 and higher prints with
Canon Rebel DSLR. I am not sure that I am correctly asking what I need.
Basically, I have some large .jpgs (large because of the .jpg setting in
the camera), but want to make sure that this setting is correct for
producing prints that are at least 12X18 and, hopefully, larger. Should I
be using RAW mode? Does a larger image file size correlate into better
quality for larger prints?

Thanks for any help that you are able to give.

Tony Graber
Tucson,AZ

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Bill Hilton - 08 Jan 2007 15:17 GMT

> Tony Graber wrote:
>
> What are is the essential information that one our need in order to be able
> to have files large enough? for for getting 12X18 and higher prints with
> Canon Rebel DSLR.

The printer will either ask that the files be a certain ppi (pixels per
inch) in size, or he will do this for you. So if they ask for 200 ppi
you need to ship them a file 2,400 x 3,600 pixels to print at 12 x 18",
if they ask for 300 ppi it's 3,600 x 5,400 pixels etc ...

> I am not sure that I am correctly asking what I need.
> Basically, I have some large .jpgs (large because of the .jpg setting in
> the camera), but want to make sure that this setting is correct for
> producing prints that are at least 12X18 and, hopefully, larger.

You'll get the best large prints if you know how to use USM (unsharp
masking) and how to best resample to a larger file size.

> Should I be using RAW mode?

RAW files give you more flexibility ... you can adjust white balance
and exposure and sharpening before you convert the RAW file (repeatedly
if necessary), but with the jpeg basically the camera has taken the RAW
file and made one conversion of it using the presets for WB, sharpening
etc and then deleted the RAW file. This is fine if you hit everything
dead on but if you need to change things you would be better off with
the original RAW data and a good converter.

> Does a larger image file size correlate into better
> quality for larger prints?

Absolutely, other things being equal.

Which Rebel do you have, the 6 Mpixel or the 8 Mpixel or the 10 Mpixel
model? And what software do you have for editing, something like
Elements or Photoshop or ? And who is going to print these?

Bill

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Tony Graber - 08 Jan 2007 21:54 GMT

> Which Rebel do you have, the 6 Mpixel or the 8 Mpixel or the 10 Mpixel
> model? And what software do you have for editing, something like
> Elements or Photoshop or ? And who is going to print these?
>
> Bill

Thanks, Bill! I have the 6 Mpixel Canon Digital Rebel. I have both
Elements and 6.0 Photoshop, but prefer Elements. As far as who to print
these, I am not sure, yet. Just as a test to see what a 12X18 print
would look like from one of my largest files, I had Walgreens make the
print. I know there are better ways to do it, but I wanted an idea from
a less expensive place about what their print would look like from my
camera. The print could be better, but it was not as bad as I thought
it would be. Am interested in print shops that are local to Tucson, as
well as mail order shops.

Tony Graber

>> Tony Graber wrote:
>>
[quoted text clipped - 35 lines]
>
> Bill

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