Max. Size print help.

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canonrick1
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p.1 #1 · Max. Size print help.

Hey Sports FM shooters,
As a follow-up to an earlier question to finding good PS templates, I wanted to ask about max size print. I shoot a 1D MKIII, with a 70-200 2.8L MKII. Most BBall gyms require me to shoot at iso 2500-3200, 400l/sec at 2.8. I develop in LR3. I normally output for the web. I know that I will have to make adjustments for print output. The question is how big a print would you suggest I not exceed to maintain a good image. Some of my shots will have some cropping and several that I shot have no cropping at all. These images once placed in a template will be given to the senior varsity players on senior night. The team mom showed me what the did last year of a heavily cropped image to "zoom in" but it was extremely grainy. I am hoping to improve these shots for this years seniors.

Thanks to all in advance for your help.

Rick

Jan 20, 2013 at 05:00 AM

Frank Lauri
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p.1 #2 · Max. Size print help.

Rick I normally print to 16x20 but I've printed larger. I have one in production now where the customer wanted a 20x30 print. With the Mark III you will be fine provided your camera is set to the best quality settings and the image is a quality image. If the camera is set for an 800x600 setting.....it won't work. One thing to keep in mind is that most posters are not viewed up close....but a little distance in between. Most images, if you get close enough show some noise. I have a 84"x26" pano of the last pitch at the old Yankee Stadium that was shot by another professional and up close there is some noise....back out to about 2 feet and it looks great.

The bottom line is that you....as the photographer...need to be able to see this in your editing before you sent it to the lab. Once I sent a series of images to WHCC for a senior shoot I did and they called me to let me know one image in the the series was too pixelated which meant that I put a smaller sized image into an 8x10 template in ROES and I didn't catch it....but the lab did. But I don't count on the lab....that was my miss and I now check and re-check before I send them in.

Hope this helped and if you need any more info....shoot me a PM.

Good luck with this.

Jan 20, 2013 at 10:48 AM

drbob
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p.1 #3 · Max. Size print help.

I agree, the larger you want to print, the more important it is that your image is quality (meaning spot on focus and exposed properly). I've made a number of 24 x 36 posters from my 8mp 20D that have been quite acceptable. As Frank said, a little viewing distance helps too. Noise processing software helps a lot, especially if you're using high ISO files.

bb

Jan 20, 2013 at 09:40 PM

Russ Isabella
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p.1 #4 · Max. Size print help.

Keep in mind as well that some labs can up-res for you, which in my experience allows you to go bigger without much cost to resolution. If I'm printing 20x30 with El-Co, for example, I'll create a 10x15 file and they'll take care of the rest.

Jan 20, 2013 at 09:52 PM

John Korduner
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p.1 #5 · Max. Size print help.

My focus the past few months has been making large prints. I find it very difficult to get anything acceptable larger than 16x20. I have a couple of stitches that easily convert to 20x30. But any single images from the 1Div, 1Diii, and 5Dii that I've printed outside that size, has been disappointing. I've begun creating layers, and adding fractals for resampling, but it's been a pretty slow process.

...Anything from web sizes to 12x18 seem to transfer without issue.

Jan 20, 2013 at 09:54 PM

Carl Auer
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p.1 #6 · Max. Size print help.

This is a gray area. Please read my post stuck to the top of this board. Not being camera specific, I specifically used strobes when booster shooting for high schools (before my Maxpreps days), so I could shoot at lower ISO's to make 16x20 senior posters.

Jan 20, 2013 at 09:56 PM

canonrick1
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p.1 #7 · Max. Size print help.

To Frank, John, Carl, Russ, Dr. Bob I really appreciate your input. I think after your input from much more experienced shooters than I have that I will stick with the 16x20 size. Carl I will definitely read your article. I just acquired some alien bees that i will try in some spring summer league action to prepare for next year.

This website has been the best investment I've made in photography.

Thanks to all again,
Rick

Jan 21, 2013 at 12:23 AM

Ralph Thompson
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p.1 #8 · Max. Size print help.

I've sold 20x30 prints & templated posters from my 1d3 @ 3200. That being said, you've gotta have the settings right and the exposure good to start with. You can't start with crap and expect to fix it in post and produce an exceptable product. +1 to Frank's comment.

I've found poster Templates to "up size" easier. The graphics may be vector based and layered in PS. Your actual image size may not be that large, but if you've shot loose and now are doing a heavy crop.... another story.

Ralph

Jan 23, 2013 at 05:37 PM

Shutterbug2006
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p.1 #9 · Max. Size print help.

Or you could use a 30 day free trial of Perfect Resize ($49.95 if you buy it) or Perfect Photo Photo Suite 7 ($79.95 includes Perfect Resize) from OnOne Software to complete your project.

http://www.ononesoftware.com/products/perfect-resize/

Jan 25, 2013 at 03:39 AM

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