Resolution: 200 v 300 PPI

[Kathleen]

There have been several discussions lately about the quality of DSP products at 200 PPI and print quality. I thought I would share my experience, and a recent change I made.

Historically, I would design my pages at 12"x12" at 300 PPI (or 3600x3600 pixels). Printing results have been great printing 12"x12" at Costco.

In a recent thread, someone (maybe Lauren) discussed the difference in file size, processing speed in Photoshop, etc. when using 300 PPI rather than 200 PPI. So I decided to give my computer and Photoshop a break, and tried with my last few LOs creating my documents 12"x12" at 200 PPI (or 2400x2400 pixels).

On screen, I can't see any difference in the image. I do notice a difference in how Photoshop acts with more intense tasks (like applying the liquify filter), and Photoshop does not have to work so hard in general, even opening and saving a file goes quicker. File sizes are also extremely different. To start, a 12"x12" blank document at 300 PPI starts at 37.1MB, yet a 12"x12" blank document at 200 PPI is 16.5MB (less than HALF!). My finished LOs historically (at 300 PPI) have been on average 300MB and up (I don't keep very "tidy" Photoshop documents with layers put in, but not used, just in case I change my mind, I have had a couple documents approaching the 900MB mark, YIKES!!!). The LOs I have done at 200 PPI are more in the 150MB - 250MB size.

Of course, the proof is in the printing. I've now printed 3 pages that were designed at 200 PPI, and they look as lovely as ever!

Although I have never had any concerns about DSP products, I can officially say I am a 200 PPI convert from start finish. My hard drives are doing a happy dance!

[JenniferG]

WOW!!! Those are some large files!

[happybeingamom]

It is so much easier to work at 200ppi

[Abby]

Nice to see yet more confirmation :) .. I've found my 200 ppi are beautiful to behold!

[scamptx]

Love to hear this from someone coming from the other direction--as well as being someone I know is exceptionally artistic and wouldn't settle for less than great! Thanks!

[HeatherH]

Thanks for sharing this information. I have always made my pages at 200ppi and was happy with them, but always wondered if 300 would be better. Glad to hear there's no noticable difference!

[luv2stamp82]

Thanks, glad to hear they look just as good! It is definitely much easier to work at 200ppi!

[Muma]

I am such a fan of 200ppi that any 300ppi kit I have will be reduced to 200ppi when I work with it. The time saved in program rendering and performance times can be 30-60+ mins a page. I have in the past when working on a complicated LO at 300ppi done a selection reduction and gone to the bathroom, got myself and my DD some food and a drink, sat down to find the rendering is just completing .... I have a dual core processor and 2g RAM so its not an old PC.

I have just done a size comparison of LOs I created in 300 and 200 ppi in PSP format.
300ppi: 90-150mb
200ppi: 20-70mb

I do however clean my file of hidden layers when I have finished.

[audreyt]

Thanks for the information. I was taught to use 300 dpi and I have been too scared of picture quality to lower it down to 200. Like you say, proof is in the printing, I'll have to give it a try.

[Kathleen]

Audrey, I was the same way, 300 just ingrained in my head for long, I didn't want to change! When I bought my new computer and started with a 500GB hard drive just for STUFF (system, programs on a separate drive), I thought I'll never fill that! I haven't filled it, but those PSD files keep growing, as does my digital stash, so I am glad to save a little space especially when quality is not compromised.

[Lynnie]

YAY! That is good to know that you have tested and found 200 to be perfect!

[Leslie]

I can't see any difference in the quality of the DSP material I have used, and the occasional plopper using 300 I have used from somewhere else. I have looked hard - but it's not visible to me.

[lmilgram]

I recently had a book printed and as I have used some kits from other designers, some pages were 200 dpi and others 300 - I couldn't tell the difference in print quality. The pages I like most were all DSP products.

[diturpin]

I've always been a 200 PPI scrapper because DSP was where I started and where I've been since! I scrap 12 x 12 but I normally print 8x8 so it is essentially 300 when I reduce it anyway! But it is great to know that you can't tell the difference. I know when Margie printed one of my LOs on the Epson large format printer, I was very pleased. I couldn't tell any difference from my 8x8 layouts where quality was concerned. And who doesn't need to save space when it comes to computer files!

Thanks for the comparison Kathleen. I never thought about it saving processing time, but I guess that's just and extra bonus!

[shawsi]

This is such great information. Thank you.
Sandi

[Kathleen Chambe]

Kathleen, I am hoping you won't mind me bringing this old post back up. But I have a couple of questions for you. I wanted to have some pages printed at Costco and I was checking out their website. They recommend a 12 X 12 resolution of 1380X1380. Are yours larger? Also, do you produce them in CMYK or RGB, or does it matter. I am having some trouble uploading files and am trying to figure out the problem.

[Kathleen]

Hi, Kathleen (great name, by the way!). I don't mind the questions at all.

I have printed my pages exclusively at Costco and am thrilled with the results. I found the suggested resolution on their web site, and it seems in all the suggestions, the PPI is less than 200. For example, 1380x1380 as they suggest for a 12x12 is 115ppi. I can also tell you what I do, and that I have never seen any pixelation or fuzziness.

I use Photoshop, and here are my new document settings that I use (12" x 12" is the same as 2400 pixels x 2400 pixels at 200ppi):

http://cdn-2-service.phanfare.com/images/external/1466784_1419796_68075517_WebSmall_3/0_0_27231985bfdb2c6792971c5fa425a063_1

I have also been lucky in that I haven't had a need to calibrate my monitor, or use a printer profile. I feel like what I see on my monitor is what I get in my prints.

As far as upload problems, Costco did an upgrade a while back and their uploader uses Java and it was giving me all kinds of problems in Firefox, but I could do it with no problem in Internet Explorer. Now, I don't have issues, but do you have Java installed?

Do you get any error? Just not past a certain point? Have you saved your files as JPG files? As mentioned before, I use Photoshop, and I save the native PSD file, and then do File > Save As > choose JPG from the file type, and choose the highset setting (12) when I save.

You can read this post (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/showpost.php?p=638732&postcount=61) for a little more information on what my file looks like before I send it to print.

If it is feasible, I would highly suggest that you do a test print of a couple pages, rather than printing say 20 at a time and finding out you didn't allow enough room on the edge, or the colors are off, or something else. I am spoiled as my Costco is only a few minutes away, but I know that isn't the case for everyone.

Let me know if this helps, or if you have more questions. Although I love my pages on screen and sharing them that way, I do love my printed pages!

[Kathleen Chambe]

Kathleen (The few, the proud, the determined to not use the diminutive),

You are awesome, I will try the 200 dpi over the 300. And then I have to check into the 98% for the smaller pages. Thanks!

Kathleen

[cass_design]

I believe you should be at 300ppi for printing a 12x12 page. Anything less will look grainy. You can probably get away with 200ppi on an 8x8.
The computer screen isn't going to look grainy.


There have been several discussions lately about the quality of DSP products at 200 PPI and print quality. I thought I would share my experience, and a recent change I made.

Historically, I would design my pages at 12"x12" at 300 PPI (or 3600x3600 pixels). Printing results have been great printing 12"x12" at Costco.

In a recent thread, someone (maybe Lauren) discussed the difference in file size, processing speed in Photoshop, etc. when using 300 PPI rather than 200 PPI. So I decided to give my computer and Photoshop a break, and tried with my last few LOs creating my documents 12"x12" at 200 PPI (or 2400x2400 pixels).

On screen, I can't see any difference in the image. I do notice a difference in how Photoshop acts with more intense tasks (like applying the liquify filter), and Photoshop does not have to work so hard in general, even opening and saving a file goes quicker. File sizes are also extremely different. To start, a 12"x12" blank document at 300 PPI starts at 37.1MB, yet a 12"x12" blank document at 200 PPI is 16.5MB (less than HALF!). My finished LOs historically (at 300 PPI) have been on average 300MB and up (I don't keep very "tidy" Photoshop documents with layers put in, but not used, just in case I change my mind, I have had a couple documents approaching the 900MB mark, YIKES!!!). The LOs I have done at 200 PPI are more in the 150MB - 250MB size.

Of course, the proof is in the printing. I've now printed 3 pages that were designed at 200 PPI, and they look as lovely as ever!

Although I have never had any concerns about DSP products, I can officially say I am a 200 PPI convert from start finish. My hard drives are doing a happy dance!

[Kathleen]

I believe you should be at 300ppi for printing a 12x12 page. Anything less will look grainy. You can probably get away with 200ppi on an 8x8.
The computer screen isn't going to look grainy.

As you can see from my "experiment" my printing results at 200ppi have been beautiful, and I can see no difference on a 12x12 print v. a 12x12 print @ 300ppi. There is absolutely no graininess in my prints. And technically if you are printing 200ppi at 8x8 or 200ppi at 12x12, they are the same thing. I am sure some printers recommend different things, but reviewing Costco's minimum PPI recommendations (http://www.costcophotocenter.com/help/default.aspx?q=How_Costco_Photo_Center_is_Organize d.htm) (under Help > Digital Photo Services > Photo Resolution), they are all under 200ppi.

That being said, it is what works for me. If 300ppi works for you, then that is what you should do.