FunkyL Loc: MD

Hello, Hedgehogs!

I started shooting in RAW a few months ago, and am delighted with the results, but am curious about something. Using Photoshop Elements 19, I make collages for a family photo album, usually 3-5 photos, background, possibly some frames or graphics, and some text for an 8 1/2 x 11 page. I end up with a PSD with a number of layers.

These files print OK on my Canon Pixma TS9200, but I wonder - is there more info there than actually prints at 300 DPI, especially with RAW photos rather than JPGs? If so, how does the printer "decide" what to print and what to leave out? Is there any advantage or reason to reduce the size of the file prior to printing by converting the photos to JPGs before incorporating them into the PSD, or by converting the whole PSD to a JPG or other format?

Thanks folks!

CamB Loc: Juneau, Alaska

You don’t need to convert to print. Any editing program will print just fine with whatever file type you use. I just tell LR my final size and print away. I never convert my RAW to anything else for printing and my 4x5s look just like my 17x25s.
...Cam

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

TonyBot

Here's an over-simplified answer: The printer and/or program converts to something akin to JPEG at whatever resolution you pick and whatever size - from thumbnails to wall-sized murals. (Actually, it's CMYK, and interpolated just like a JPEG would be. See below)

You COULD do the math and select the original (ie 1 to 1) resolution to print, but then you'd just be wasting ink, time, and paper, 'cuz the RAW is probably in the vicinity of six to eight hundred pixels (or more, much more) per inch. For a letter size print, viewed as 12 inches, 240 dpi (native printing resolution on most Adobe products) is more than you can see without a loupe of at least four power.

LOTS of other math and science stuff goes into making the print, but nothing you have to worry about unless you're a print geek.

TonyBot

Oops! I was too lazy to do the math earlier.

A 25meg resolution sensor, printed full-out but limited to 8x10, would be 610,000.00 dpi. To get a 300dpi print, and full resolution, you would have to go to a print 500 inches wide (about 40 feet by 13 feet).

You're gonna need a bigger printer!

FunkyL Loc: MD

Thanks, Cam!

FunkyL Loc: MD

Thanks, Tonybot. I am not a print geek, but I am curious and I appreciate the simple answer. Another miracle of modern technology! All those dots, all trying to be squished onto that small piece of paper. Something had to be deciding which ones actually got printed.

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

Something to consider; For printing purposes, working with TIFF or PSD files retains the 16 bit color depth. Which, if nothing else, helps to keep color banding issues to a minimum. When you convert an image to JPEG, it is automatically converted to 8 bit.

FunkyL Loc: MD

Rich, thanks for that "bit" of info. Since I apparantly don't have to worry about choking my little printer on too much info, and it saves me some extra steps as well, I'll do that!