ppi problem

[tamclane]

I have a Sony 7.2 megapixel camera and I am trying to scrap in Paint Shop Pro. My camera is set to a 7M image size. I have followed the directions in the tutorial. After opening my picture and checking the resolution in "original dimension", it is 72 ppi, but with Width 3072 Pixels (42.667 in.) and Height 2304 pixels (32 in.).
Upon completing my first layout (yeah!), I printed it - what a disappointment. The quality was awful. I have tried on both an Epson and HP photo printer.

I don't know enough about what I'm doing to know where to look for the answer. Is it the low ppi, (I have emailed Sony and am waiting for an answer). Does my printer just suck? or am I doing something to distort the picture? I have had pictures printed from this camera through Shutterfly and the resolution was fine even for a poster size print. Help!

[Amanda]

Your camera isn't the problem. What resolution was your layout created in? What was the width and the height in pixels?

That will help us answer you question easier :)

[serena812]

You can change the ppi of the photo Image>Image Size. You don't want a photo to be 42 inches wide anyway.

If you find out how to change the ppi on the photo from Sony let me know. It irritates me that I have to change it every time I use a photo. I would love for them to open formatted at the right ppi already.

[tamclane]

When I start a new spread, I am doing an 8x8 with a 200 ppi in the New Image box.

So, when you change the ppi of the picture in Image>Image Size, what fields are you changing and to what? I'm so sick of this trial and error stuff. What has worked for you?

Thanks (still no answer from Sony)!

[Amanda]

So you are starting a new page at 1600 pixels x 1600 pixels (8x8 at 200ppi) and then copy and pasting your photo in?

I am assuming you resize the photo smaller. Are you doing that before or after you put it on your page?

How old are your printers? Have you gotten good results printing photos from them before? Did you print on your printers best setting?

[tamclane]

yes on the first question.

second question - that's the trial and error that is driving me nuts! What should I be doing? My latest trial (after I read your ??) is to change the print size to a 4x6 (or close) and 200 dpi in the Image Resize box. I just printed in 'best' quality and it is much much much better. Is there anything I need to be careful of when if/when I resize (using the Deform tool) the picture after I have copy/pasted onto the layout?

My HP is about a year old and has printed very well in the past. The Epson is new but came free with the camera. I think it is just a poor printer.

[Emma]

does the rest of the layout print well, just the photo is bad? Or the whole layout is bad? Is it grainy, noisy, pixellated? How is it bad?

How does the photo print when you just File>Open and Print it alone?

The Deform Tool won't affect quality unless you size it way up, which you're not doing. When sizing it down to fit on your layaout, use the right mouse button and click/drag on a corner handle to make it smaller with no distortion.

Most importantly, don't get frustrated! Just take it easy, take it slow. You're not in a race, just think of it as a free lesson in digi scrapping and how much you're learning by chasing down the right answer. Even things learned on a wrong path are useful.

[tamclane]

thanks to all of you for the help. The solution was in the Image Resize. I changed the pixels from 72 to 200 and then changed the photo to a 4 x 5.33. I've been able to copy, paste and still do some resizing with the deform tool without losing anything! If I put a border on a photo before I copy and paste to the lay out and then I end up resizing a little more, is there a way to keep the border the same size so that all the borders on the photos are the same. Does that make sense?
and one more question. I was looking at your classes Emma and need your help deciding what to take. I'm using a trial version of Paint Shop Pro that came with my new Dell. We have Abobe Photoshop on a Mac G3 that I don't know how to use (both the Mac and the Photoshop). I'm not too keen on trying to learn a new operating system while I try to figure out this digital scrapping stuff. Should I just purchase Elements (since I'm going to have to buy something once the PSP trial ends) and take the Elements class. Or if I took a class in PSP, would the skills transfer once I started using Photoshop?
Thanks!