What resolution is generally recommended for photographic images intended for print at final size?

What resolution is generally recommended for photographic images intended for print at final size?

• A. 300 dpi (dots per inch) at final output size.
• B. 72 dpi.
• C. 600 dpi.
• D. 150 dpi.

Answer: (A)

For print, the clarity of a photographed image depends on how many pixels you have to render each inch of the final size. The standard target is about 300 pixels per inch (ppi) at the final print size. This density provides enough detail for most printers and viewing distances, producing sharp, clean results without creating unnecessarily huge files. To see what that means in practice, an 8-by-10 inch print should be about 2400 by 3000 pixels (8×300 and 10×300). If your image is smaller, say 1800 by 2400 pixels, the print would be closer to 225–240 ppi, which can look softer or pixellated up close. That’s why other options like 72 dpi are typical for screens, not print, and 150 or 600 dpi are either too low (blurry) or unnecessarily high for photographs, especially given typical printers and viewing distances. So the best guidance is to prepare images at 300 ppi at the final print size, and resize or crop to meet that pixel dimension when needed.

For print, the clarity of a photographed image depends on how many pixels you have to render each inch of the final size. The standard target is about 300 pixels per inch (ppi) at the final print size. This density provides enough detail for most printers and viewing distances, producing sharp, clean results without creating unnecessarily huge files.

To see what that means in practice, an 8-by-10 inch print should be about 2400 by 3000 pixels (8×300 and 10×300). If your image is smaller, say 1800 by 2400 pixels, the print would be closer to 225–240 ppi, which can look softer or pixellated up close. That’s why other options like 72 dpi are typical for screens, not print, and 150 or 600 dpi are either too low (blurry) or unnecessarily high for photographs, especially given typical printers and viewing distances.

So the best guidance is to prepare images at 300 ppi at the final print size, and resize or crop to meet that pixel dimension when needed.