[TOUGEFC]

Ok, im looking at getting some prints done. Now my camera is a k200d which the colour space is set at sRGB. Now i shoot RAW and do PP in Lightroom 2.0
and having being exporting all my pics as JPEG in sRGB and PPI as 240 (lightroom default)

Now this Printing Company -
Orders - Pixel Perfect Pro Lab - The Digital Photography Lab

says on that page - "CLICK TO CONFIRM YOU ARE UPLOADING
300 PPI, ADOBE RGB, JPEG IMAGES. "

Does this mean i can not give them my sRGB 240PPI JPEGS?

Or will i have do go back and export them all again to ADOBE RGB and 300PPI?

This is my first time getting some proper prints done too by the way.

Thanks,
Simon

[wlachan]

ppi setting is not important really. For example, 4x6" at 300dpi = 1200x1800 actual resolution, which can also be 5x7.5" at 240dpi. That means so long as the jpeg is 1200x1800, it will do fine for 4x6" regardless of the ppi value.

As to colour space, the chosen space in camera is unimportant for raw. Lightroom uses ProPhoto RGB as the working space which cannot be changed. If the lab wants AdobeRGB jpeg, you need to export the files to that space otherwise the prints will be oversaturated. If the lab wants sRGB jpeg but AdobeRGB jpeg were given, the prints will be undersaturated.

[TOUGEFC]

Ok thanks for the advice. Looks like i will go back and set to what they need.
Im going to get a couple 8x12 and 12x18 prints done and see how they turn out

ppi setting is not important really. For example, 4x6" at 300dpi = 1200x1800 actual resolution, which can also be 5x7.5" at 240dpi. That means so long as the jpeg is 1200x1800, it will do fine for 4x6" regardless of the ppi value.

As to colour space, the chosen space in camera is unimportant for raw. Lightroom uses ProPhoto RGB as the working space which cannot be changed. If the lab wants AdobeRGB jpeg, you need to export the files to that space otherwise the prints will be oversaturated. If the lab wants sRGB jpeg but AdobeRGB jpeg were given, the prints will be undersaturated.

When you go to print dpi/ppi does matter. Search for other threads on this subject. There's at least three on here.

[Wheatfield]

When you go to print dpi/ppi does matter. Search for other threads on this subject. There's at least three on here.

When I was printing for the pro boys and girls, I always asked them to size their images to the print size at 320 ppi (the Noritsu I ran printed at that resolution) because it ensured that any resampling errors came from the customer not from the lab, and to keep throughout times to a minimum.
The PPI tag doesn't mean squat to the printer, but it allows the customer to size the image appropriately without having to break out a calculator.
I had one guy who consistently brought me in CD's with full resolution files from his 8mp Canon that he wanted proofed to 4x6. It took about 3 times longer than it needed to because of the extra processing time that the printer needed to do to take the files down to 1280x1920.

[Marc Sabatella]

When you go to print dpi/ppi does matter. Search for other threads on this subject.

Yes, and I'd summarize them this way and *hopefully* avoid the lengthy digressions that always result when this topic comes up:

The *actual* resolution in ppi does matter when printing, yes, absolutely. *Actual* resolution is number of pixels in the image divided by number of inches in the print, and may or may not match the number in the EXIF. It's the *actual* resolution you want to be at least 300. As Wheatfeld says, for a 4x6" print, that means you need at least 1200x1800 pixels. If you've got at least that many pixels in your file, you're good. For larger prints, you need more pixels.

The ppi figure stored in the EXIF does *not* matter when printing. Proof positive: you don't need even need EXIF info to print.

As other threads have correctly touched on, the number stored in the EXIF will indeed be looked at by Photoshop and other programs when setting a default canvas size, but it in no way determines what sizes you can or cannot print. As long as you have 12000x1800 pixels, you can print 4x6" at 300dpi regardless of the number in the EXIF.

How you go about making sure you've got at least 1200x1800 pixels is up to you. Simply never touching any button anywhere that has anything to with resizing, resampling, or changing resolution will guarantee that, though. if it pleases you to tell Photoshop to put 240 in the EXIF, that's fine - that neither helps nor hurts the printing process - but do be sure you don't accidentally change the number of pixels in the image while you're at it. Since there is no advantage in messing with those fields, my recommendation is to not touch them unless you already know enough abut the process to not need to have this question in the first place.

Yes, and I'd summarize them this way and *hopefully* avoid the lengthy digressions that always result when this topic comes up:

The *actual* resolution in ppi does matter when printing, yes, absolutely. *Actual* resolution is number of pixels in the image divided by number of inches in the print, and may or may not match the number in the EXIF. It's the *actual* resolution you want to be at least 300. As Wheatfeld says, for a 4x6" print, that means you need at least 1200x1800 pixels. If you've got at least that many pixels in your file, you're good. For larger prints, you need more pixels.

The ppi figure stored in the EXIF does *not* matter when printing. Proof positive: you don't need even need EXIF info to print.

As other threads have correctly touched on, the number stored in the EXIF will indeed be looked at by Photoshop and other programs when setting a default canvas size, but it in no way determines what sizes you can or cannot print. As long as you have 12000x1800 pixels, you can print 4x6" at 300dpi regardless of the number in the EXIF.

How you go about making sure you've got at least 1200x1800 pixels is up to you. Simply never touching any button anywhere that has anything to with resizing, resampling, or changing resolution will guarantee that, though. if it pleases you to tell Photoshop to put 240 in the EXIF, that's fine - that neither helps nor hurts the printing process - but do be sure you don't accidentally change the number of pixels in the image while you're at it. Since there is no advantage in messing with those fields, my recommendation is to not touch them unless you already know enough abut the process to not need to have this question in the first place.

Question is when you save out of PS does the exif stay in tack if you do a save as?

[Nesster]

You can use photoshop as a calculator, however - without resampling, change the resolution to 300 - if this changes your bitmap size, you did it wrong - and ps will tell you the physical print size accordingly. If the printers are sticklers about this, save what you did: now the EXIF will show 300DPI, but nothing actually has changed with the bitmap.

[kxr4trids]

As mentioned, the printer doesn't cares about the exif. Obviously you should be asking them directly if they will work with your files as is. Only way to know if they will take the files is to ask.

If I had to guess, it's because they don't have lab management software and don't want to spend the man hours futzing with printer software and manually integrating orders, instead dumping everything into one "300 dpi" hotfolder.

However, given that labs are hurting as badly as photographers, they might be willing to go a few extra steps just to get your work in the door.

As mentioned, the printer doesn't cares about the exif. Obviously you should be asking them directly if they will work with your files as is. Only way to know if they will take the files is to ask.

If I had to guess, it's because they don't have lab management software and don't want to spend the man hours futzing with printer software and manually integrating orders, instead dumping everything into one "300 dpi" hotfolder.

However, given that labs are hurting as badly as photographers, they might be willing to go a few extra steps just to get your work in the door.

My guess is they wouldn't. They have it set so they get consistency. Different parameters means test prints. Test prints cost the consumer. Plus applicable billable time.

Their software probably, as does mine, looks at dpi/canvas size. These places are geared for gang running and production. You might want to look at their price list. Minimum order is $25. And they charge to fix nonconforming files. If they're going to fix it for conformity I'd rather do it myself to avoid surprises.

[TOUGEFC]

thanks for all the advice guys, it has helped me understand alot more.

Yeah ive seen their pricing guide, i plan on getting a few different size enlargments to meet the $25 quota. And i will wait and see how i go with them before i get anymore.

Ive gone back into lightroom and exported all the prints i want with 300dpi and adobeRGB along with resizing them to save any trouble.

Im going to place an order at the end of the week, so will see how it all goes

[TOUGEFC]

Well i sent them my files sunday night (email) and my enlargements were at my door when i got home today.

Got some 8x12's and a 12x18 done, they came out perfect and great quality!

[artobest]

Great result, now here's my 2 cents' worth of advice - eliminate sRGB from your workflow entirely, except for images intended specifically for the web. Why throw away perfectly good colours if you don't have to?

[TOUGEFC]

Cheers, yeah thats what i intend to do from now on.
sRGB for computer and adobeRGB for prints.