Hardware - - Resolution Issues

Regez · #1 12-01-2007, 02:05 PM

I own a Canon 10D. I wanted to upgrade my camera equipment so I purchased a Sony model A100 with a 18 to 200 mm lens. I selected Sony because of the 10 MP, image stabilization, and the same size lens so I could use my existing filters.

I’m having a problem with image quality. I have the camera set at the highest image quality setting . However, the highest resolution I can get is 72 pixels/inch. I called Sony support and they said this was the maximum I can achieve with this camera. At 72 pixels/inch my image has jagged edges along the color separations. If I increase the resolution in Photoshop I still see these jagged edges. I have tried to increase the resolution with the crop tool, the image size box, and the stairstep image size program. Nothing seems to improve the quality.

Is there a setting in photoshop or another way of changing the resolution that will improve my image quality? I really should not have to change every image I shoot to improve the quality.

Did I make a big mistake here when I purchased the Sony A100 camera? My daughter has a $200 digital point and shoot that has180 dpi images.

Doug Nelson · #2 12-01-2007, 02:18 PM

PPI is irrelevant in terms of camera. It has a set pixel count width and height. PPI is just those pixel counts divided by a suggested print size. 10MP is plenty large enough to get excellent prints.

James Penner · #3 12-01-2007, 02:40 PM

Hi Regez,

This may seem like a silly question, but what are your actual pixel dimensions (how many pixels do you have vertically and horizontally)? Ph otoshop may be telling you that the image is 72 dpi, but if you have enough pixels, you can change it to 300 dpi (or whatever print resolution you need) and still have a decently sized picture.

I believe the A100 has a resolution 3872 x 2592 at JPEG Fine. That’ll be producing (roughly) about a 55 inch x 35 inch image at 72dpi.. Even at 300 dpi, that’s about an 8 x 12, which is a decent-sized print.

The Image Size dialog box is where you want to make these changes; the crop tool won’t help you to adjust the resolution.

Hope that helps.

mistermonday · #4 12-01-2007, 03:23 PM

James and Doug are both correct. How are you importing the images from your camera?
To make sure your importing s/w is not downsizing the image, open it after importing and check the size in actual number of pixels. If the pixel dimensions are 3872 x 2592 then you have the full 10M pixels and you should have excellent looking images.
Regards, Murray

Regez · #5 12-01-2007, 05:34 PM

Doug, I see the relationship now.

James, the settings you listed are what I have. When I change the image size I do get 8 X 12 at approximately 300 dpi, and maintain the 10M pixels. I had the “Resample Image Box” checked previously and that was confusing me.

Mistermonday, I am importing my images properly because those are the pixel readings I have.

Thanks to everyone for your help.