Screen resolution...

[DanUK]

Hi
I've recently learnt that when working with photo's in Photoshop the ideal resolution should be set to about 150ppi. Is this right? As my ppi is dictated to by my scanner, my files are generally much larger especially when scanning slides & negatives. I also print to a minimum of 800dpi and was wondering how the quality would be affected by dropping the resolution by so much...
Thanks

[Ed_L]

Welcome to RP. I think you'll find most professional users will opt for the final file to be between 240 and 300 ppi. I'm sure there will be more opinions offered.

Ed

[KevinF]

Printing at 800dpi? The only time I do printing at resolutions like that is when outputting line art to a 1200dpi monochrome laser. If you are doing laser or press-run photo prints, 300dpi is typically plenty. Outputting to inkjet can be done at 150dpi to 300dpi.

Unless you are printing line-art, 300dpi should do you

[skipc]

Scanners scan in SPI—scans per inch—even though marketed confusingly as DPI. The scanner's maximum resolution is usually in the name ie Epson 3200. 3200 scans per inch. We all know this a lie and in reality is closer to 80% of advertised at best.

The scan resolution is set in the scanner software. For most work I scan at 2x maximum output—say 600 SPI—to allow for cropping, and set for the largest print size required.

As stated, inkjet print resolution for a photo print is from 240 to possibly 320. I use 288 DPI. Resolutions larger than that are thrown out by the printer driver, often with destructive results...skip

[DanUK]

Thanks for the advice