Understanding resolution and reproduction size

Images have a width, a height, but many people don’t realize that they also have a depth.

Different uses require different image depths:
• Print reproduction by a commercial printer requires 300 pixels per inch
• Your office colour laser printer requires 150 pixels per inch
• Images displayed on your computer monitor require only 72 pixels per inch

To determine how large an image can be reproduced, divide the number of pixels by the image depth.

For example:
Let’s say you shoot a picture with your digital camera. It yields a size of 3500 x 3530 pixels.

3500 divided by 300 = 11.667 inches
3530 divided by 300 = 11.767 inches

That’s a lovely big image suitable to run on a glossy magazine cover!