Today’s digital cameras range from simple point and shoot models to those used by pros. One of the keys to getting good images to print is the megapixel count of the sensor. Mega means “millions” and refers to the number of photo sites—or light and image gathering points—on the sensor. If you would like to make prints as large as 8 x 10 inches you will need at least a 6-megapixel camera. If you want to make larger prints—or get the best quality in your 8 x 10 inch prints—then a higher megapixel camera is recommended.
You might think that you can simply buy an older camera and get the megapixel count required to make great images and prints, but the key here is in the image processor. Older digital cameras tend to produce much noisier images with numerous image “artifacts” that can be quite detrimental to image quality. My advice is to avoid buying a used digital camera made prior to 2009.
You have a number of options when making photographs with your digital camera. For the best prints follow these guidelines:
If you have a camera that only allows you to photograph in JPEG format:
1) Choose the largest file size you can get. If you have a choice of various pixel resolutions choose the largest. This is generally indicated as “L” on the menu choice (with M or medium and B or basic also available.)
2) Choose the lowest compression ratio. Compression is a way for the system to gather more images on a given capacity memory card, but it tosses away information when it writes to the card and replaces that information with mathematical formulas, not “raw” image data. If, for example, you have a choice between Super Fine, Fine and Normal, or some such naming scheme, choose Super Fine.
3) Don’t “tweak” the image processor in the camera with contrast or sharpness settings. These are fine for special effects in the camera, but we can do better with the image information later in the digital darkroom.
4) Don’t use digital zoom. This actually crops into the sensor rather than getting optical information through the lens. Even if you use the largest available resolution (Large) and lowest compression you’ll lose information.
If you have a camera that allows you to choose between JPEG and Raw format, do the following:
1) Choose Raw. The only drawback to Raw is that you have to open and view and change the image file in special software, usually bundled with the camera that has a Raw mode option.
2) If you have a choice of pixel resolutions in Raw choose the highest pixel count.
Although the image resolution or file size is key when making prints, that’s just part of the equation. Exposure and lens sharpness and how the camera’s internal image processor converts the data from the sensor to digitized image information have a very important role to play as well.
When thinking about settings on your digital camera consider how file format and compression will affect results, and what the end use of the image will be. This shot was made in a coastal town in Maine using RAW file format on a Canon DSLR.
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Copyright: George Schaub 2011
