[interested_observer]

I received a call from our oldest son who works for a local startup, asking for some links to my images. So, I bundled up some links and emailed them to him. The folks he works with, asked if I would mind if they could use some of the images for wall paper on their desktops (sure - no problem). Then the owners asked if I had any images that were sort of engineering related, they would like to have poster sized prints made ($9 @ Costco) to put up on the walls at the office (sure - no problem). Then this evening I received a special request for any John Deer or Tractor photos (sure - no problem).

So, the last few evenings, I have been sorting through my images that might be appropriate for desktop wallpaper. This has been a real learning experience, that has cast my hobby in a all together different light. First - I have really only shot for myself. I do have to say, when I shoot a lot - I get better images as a result. I can tell when there has been a lull in my shooting - the image quality decreases and stupid mistakes spikes up. The other realization is that the K5 is just flat out - really very very exceptional. The K20 was very good, but noisy. The K100 is excellent - still very impressed.

From time to time, I also carried a Panasonic LX3 (on business trips) when I just did not have room for a dSLR. I took images just for myself - unfortunately in JPG (it has a raw format option, but I did not switch). Yes, I know - always shoot RAW regardless - lesson learned.

To the question - Some of the images that I think that they are going to want to print will be from the K100 (6MP) and LX3 (10MP). There was a post/thread here in the last year or so (that I just can not find), that touched on an up-sampling utility (something of an industry standard) that prepared files for printing. I know, not a real good description - but would anyone know of such a software program that might fit the bill? They would like to print at 20" x 30". I have printed exactly two images this large - both from K5 files, and both were simply spectacular (blew my socks off - at least). I would like to get the K100 (6MP) files to print as good as possible.

I see this as something of a learning experience for me - particularly in printing large.

What I find interesting is that for everything I have shot just over 2.5 years (2012 - 2014) that I have reviewed (and I still have another 5 years to sort through), I have come up with 90 images so far, that I think are really good enough for desktop wallpaper. Somewhat surprised both that it's - that many, and also that few. That works out to about 40 really fine keepers a year - or about a 1% rate, at best.

Thanks!!

[Richard Briggs]

Not sure if this is much help but I had a K100 and I have an image taken on it on our wall printed on canvas. It was printed by a specialist (i.e. not high street) and is 30" by 20". People who come to the house are mightily impressed by the image and even more impressed when I tell them it was only 6mp. They then try and spot pixels and fail. So, a good low ISO photo from the K100 will print no problems at 20x30 in my view.


Interesting comment about your 'hit rate'. It is rather depressing isn't it? I find the same. In fact, when I take a batch of photos (say on holiday) I whittle them down from maybe 600+ to something viewable (not more than 200). Then I wait months, maybe longer, before culling them again down to usually 50-60. The reason I wait so long is to get rid of the 'effort factor'. Sometimes, if you know you waited 30 minutes for the right things to come together for a shot, it's sometimes hard to convince yourself that the results is only average. But months down the line you can make a more accurate judgement without the baggage of the effort or circumstances clouding your judgement.


Richard

[Miguel]

You should be able to get a decent 20x30 from a 6MP file, but there are a lot of variables along the path.
Some of them rest with the Costco printer. Are you going to be printing at a local one, another one that is nearer your son's employer's place, or their online service?
It's an important question to answer because they may utilize different printers at each location.
Once you make that decision, then go to Dry Creek, read the how-to, and download the profile for the Costco printer of your choice.
You can use that profile to soft-proof your image file in either Lightroom or Photoshop.
I would also check on the file size requirements for the Costco. They may have limitations.
Regarding upresizing your image, again check with Costco. They may prefer to let their printer's software handle it. This works for a lot of customers, especially since you are not having a custom lab handle the printing. Printer driver resizing software has gotten quite good during the past few years.
If you do choose to up-size your image, the testing I trust plus my own experience tells me that the inherent tools in current Lightroom and Photoshop versions work just fine. Third party tools were more popular ten years ago, but I think some of them can even do worse work than what I favor today.
Run a cheap test with Costco.
The ultimate is to develop a good working relationship with a professional printer at a custom lab who will use proven techniques--but these costs can be exponentially greater than Costco--and it doesn't sound like your son's employer is seeking out collectable fine art, though I'm sure your images could go that way.

M

[narual]

the software you mention might be Perfect Resize - Perfect Resize 8 - onOne Software

[interested_observer]

You should be able to get a decent 20x30 from a 6MP file, but there are a lot of variables along the path.
Some of them rest with the Costco printer. Are you going to be printing at a local one, another one that is nearer your son's employer's place, or their online service?
It's an important question to answer because they may utilize different printers at each location.
Once you make that decision, then go to Dry Creek, read the how-to, and download the profile for the Costco printer of your choice.
You can use that profile to soft-proof your image file in either Lightroom or Photoshop.
I would also check on the file size requirements for the Costco. They may have limitations.
Regarding upresizing your image, again check with Costco. They may prefer to let their printer's software handle it. This works for a lot of customers, especially since you are not having a custom lab handle the printing. Printer driver resizing software has gotten quite good during the past few years.
If you do choose to up-size your image, the testing I trust plus my own experience tells me that the inherent tools in current Lightroom and Photoshop versions work just fine. Third party tools were more popular ten years ago, but I think some of them can even do worse work than what I favor today.
Run a cheap test with Costco.
The ultimate is to develop a good working relationship with a professional printer at a custom lab who will use proven techniques--but these costs can be exponentially greater than Costco--and it doesn't sound like your son's employer is seeking out collectable fine art, though I'm sure your images could go that way.

M

Hi Miguel,

Thanks for the link to Dry Creek. I have had good luck with Costco and now with their equipment profiles it should make it more consistent. I was going to run 2 images at a time, so that I can see if there is anything I need to adjust. I am looking at this print run as a real learning opportunity. Costco is certainty not fine art, but for what it is it's great - and you can't beat the price.

the software you mention might be Perfect Resize - Perfect Resize 8 - onOne Software

I was on a conference call this morning, so while other folks were discussing other areas, I had an opportunity to sit surfing the web on my office PC, looking for this utility. I believe it was originally Genuine Fractals (which all references have just disappeared from the web), which apparently was bought out by One on One - and re-labeled as Perfect Resize. It has the same features and price. Thanks for the link!