| Scanned Photograph or Digital Printing Requirements | ||||||||||
| Below you will find a few tables outlining print resolutions and there absolute digital equivalents. First I want to note that I have built these tables around a 300dpi US pre-press standard. Many people print photos at 250 dpi too, therefore those folks would need slightly less resolution. Also please understand that the tables are absolute values, all print drivers and photo finishers will interpolate the needed mega-pixels to produce enlargements from a lower resolution image. That is not to say that at some point you will start to see grain and loss of sharpness from those lower resolution images as the are enlarged beyond a certain point. | ||||||||||
| If you want to print an enlargement from a lower resolution image (as we all do) I recommend using Photoshop (or equivalent) to resize the images before you either print it or have a photofinisher print it. Please remember that pixels and dpi are not the same, once you resize your image also set the printing dpi in your image manipulation software too. | ||||||||||
| Printing Digital or Scanned Photograph Pixel Requirements | ||||||||||
| 300 | DPI Printer (300 is standard US pre-press) | |||||||||
| Picture Size | Print Width | Print Length | Width*DPI | Length*DPI | Total Pixels | Mega Pixels Required | ||||
| 40x60 | 40 | 60 | 12000 | 18000 | 216,000,000 | 216.00 | ||||
| 36x54 | 36 | 54 | 10800 | 16200 | 174,960,000 | 174.96 | ||||
| 36x48 | 36 | 48 | 10800 | 14400 | 155,520,000 | 155.52 | ||||
| 24x36 | 24 | 36 | 7200 | 10800 | 77,760,000 | 77.76 | ||||
| 20x30 | 20 | 30 | 6000 | 9000 | 54,000,000 | 54.00 | ||||
| 16x20 | 16 | 20 | 4800 | 6000 | 28,800,000 | 28.80 | ||||
| 13x17 | 13 | 17 | 3900 | 5100 | 19,890,000 | 19.89 | ||||
| 11x14 | 11 | 14 | 3300 | 4200 | 13,860,000 | 13.86 | ||||
| 8x10 | 8 | 10 | 2400 | 3000 | 7,200,000 | 7.20 | ||||
| 5x7 | 5 | 7 | 1500 | 2100 | 3,150,000 | 3.15 | ||||
| 4x6 | 4 | 6 | 1200 | 1800 | 2,160,000 | 2.16 | ||||
| 4x5 | 4 | 5 | 1200 | 1500 | 1,800,000 | 1.80 | ||||
| 3x5 | 3 | 5 | 900 | 1500 | 1,350,000 | 1.35 | ||||
| Sample Camera and Scanner Resolutions | ||||||||||
| Width | Length | Total Pixels | Mega Pixels | DPI | Bits Color Depth Output | Bits A-D per Color | Dynamic Range | Interface(s) | Max Film or Sensor Size | |
| Minolta Elite 5400 | 5232 | 7800 | 40,809,600 | 40.81 | 5400 | 48 | 16 | 4.8 | USB 2/FW | 35mm |
| Epson Perfection 4870 | 4747 | 7187 | 34,113,968 | 34.11 | 4800 | 48 | 16 | 3.8 | USB 2/FW | 6x9 |
| Epson Perfection 4870 Pro | 4747 | 7187 | 34,113,968 | 34.11 | 4800 | 48 | 16 | 3.8 | USB 2/FW | 6x9 |
| Nikon Super Coolscan 4000 ED | 3946 | 5959 | 23,514,214 | 23.51 | 4000 | 48 | 14 | 4.2 | FW | 35mm |
| Nikon Coolscan V ED | 3946 | 5959 | 23,514,214 | 23.51 | 4000 | 48 | 14 | 4.2 | USB 2 | 35mm |
| Nikon Super Coolscan 5000 ED | 3946 | 5959 | 23,514,214 | 23.51 | 4000 | 48 | 16 | 4.8 | USB 2 | 35mm |
| Canoscan FS4000US | 3780 | 5669 | 21,428,820 | 21.43 | 4000 | 42 | 16 | 4.2 | USB/SCSI | 35mm |
| CanoScan 9900F | 3165 | 4791 | 15,161,764 | 15.16 | 3200 | 48 | 16 | na 1 | USB 2/FW | 4x5 |
| Minolta Diamge Scan Dual IV | 3120 | 4680 | 14,601,600 | 14.60 | 3200 | 48 | 16 | 4.8 | USB 2 | 35mm |
| Kodak DCS Pro/n or Pro/c | 4500 | 3000 | 13,500,000 | 13.50 | na 1 | 36 | 12 | na 1 | FW | Full 35mm |
| Canon 1Ds | 4064 | 2705 | 10,993,120 | 10.99 | na 1 | 36 | 12 | na 1 | FW | Full 35mm |
| Canon 1D Mark II | 3504 | 2336 | 8,185,344 | 8.19 | na 1 | 36 | 12 | na 1 | USB 2/FW | 1.3x 35mm |
| Canon Pro 1 | 3264 | 2448 | 7,990,272 | 7.99 | na 1 | na 1 | na 1 | na 1 | USB 2 | 1/8" |
| Nikon Coolpix 8700 | 3264 | 2448 | 7,990,272 | 7.99 | na 1 | na 1 | na 1 | na 1 | USB 2 | 2/3" |
| Canon 10D / Digital Rebel 300D | 3072 | 2048 | 6,291,456 | 6.29 | na 1 | 36 | 12 | na 1 | USB 2 | 1.6x 35mm |
| Kodak Easyshare DX7630 | 2856 | 2142 | 6,117,552 | 6.12 | na 1 | na 1 | na 1 | na 1 | USB 2 | na 1 |
| Nikon D70 | 3008 | 2000 | 6,016,000 | 6.02 | na 1 | 36 | 12 | na 1 | USB 2 | 1.5x 35mm |
| Nikon D100 | 3008 | 2000 | 6,016,000 | 6.02 | na 1 | 36 | 12 | na 1 | USB | 1.5x 35mm |
| Nikon D1x | 3008 | 1960 | 5,895,680 | 5.90 | na 1 | 36 | 12 | na 1 | FW | 1.5x 35mm |
| Canon S500 | 2592 | 1944 | 5,038,848 | 5.04 | na 1 | na 1 | na 1 | na 1 | USB 2 | 1/8" |
| Nikon Coolpix 5200 | 2592 | 1944 | 5,038,848 | 5.04 | na 1 | na 1 | na 1 | na 1 | USB 2 | 1/8" |
| Olypus E-1 | 2560 | 1920 | 4,915,200 | 4.92 | na 1 | 36 | 12 | na 1 | USB 2/FW | 2.0x 35mm |
| Nikon D2H | 2464 | 1632 | 4,021,248 | 4.02 | na 1 | 36 | 12 | na 1 | USB 2 | 1.5x 35mm |
| Nikon D1 | 2000 | 1312 | 2,624,000 | 2.62 | na 1 | 36 | 12 | na 1 | FW | 1.5x 35mm |
| Add your own: | - | - | ||||||||
| 1 - Information not availible from manufaturer | ||||||||||