how hard should it be...

[acroyear]

...to get a simple answer to the following question:

What is the optimal resolution an image file should have to not look like absolute crap when enlarged to 5x7, 8x10, 8x12, a 12x36 banner, or a 12x24 poster?

My google-fu is failing me on this.

I keep seeing things either useless, or in "DPI" - I don't think "DPI", dammit, I'm looking at 3456x2304 and 3280x2460 and I want a straight answer dammit.  DPI is all about the printer - I don't care about the printer, I am asking about the source image itself.

(I also keep seeing sites about 5mp and "expensive memory", and all that is SO 3 years ago...).

Ok, one site is finally hinting that 7200x4800 (or 34mp) is best for that 24x12 poster, so that's out with what I've got... guess I'll go with a set of 8x12s mounted side by side.

of course, along the way I run into sites about resolutions to enlarging the european parliament, and high resolution images on other...enlargements...

oh well.  gotta go for now.

Comments

[kowari.livejournal.com]

DPI matters, in the sense that you want to be removing information not stretching it when you print out the image.
But your rule of thumb is... the more megapixels, the better the print image will be.

The optimum is the biggest you can find.

MOAR PIXELS! MEGA MEGA PIXELS. (seriously, it is. Like wildrose said, at least 7, but the higher the resolution the better)

Soooo
8x10@300DPI is 2500x3000 is a 7,500,000 image. 7.5mega pixels.

:)