Originally posted by netuser Thay did, they want LARGE files for large printing on billboards/outdoors like the ones I show a few posts back.
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Do yourself a favor, call up a company that has billboards up in your area and ask them what the file specifications are. If necessary, just tell them that you have a potential client that is interested in outdoor advertising. They should be able to give you a little more detail than "LARGE files". They will tell you how many megapixels they need, the dimensions, and how they want the file (JPG, TIFF, RGB, CMYK, etc..) and whatever else.
Then take the each of the linear dimensions and multiply them by 1.25 or 1.5 to give you a little breathing room, because media sales people will give you the absolute lowest acceptable values (lower hurdles = more sales), while the production folks who you won't be speaking with will have higher IQ standards.
Then find a camera that satisfies those linear dimensions and has the ISO capabilities to boot. Don't just go by megapixels, because billboards are usually very wide and you'll be throwing away a lot of the pixels on the top and bottom of the image.
Then take this information and educate your client. They may be making decisions based on wrong assumptions and turning down otherwise good photos from good photographers.
Originally posted by dlacouture Printed pics are not billboards... Offset printing is far from 300dpi...
If it's for billboards, then iso/resolution are really superfluous...
A 8MP camera can output a billboard as big as the distance it is viewed from, without any interpolation.
With careful doctoring, the pic could be enlarged further, or seen from closer.
But all this is of no use if your buyer just want huge MP...
+1. The OP should try to view a billboard up close. They'd be appalled at the IQ. If that's not possible, look at these messenger bags made from recycled billboard material:
Creative and Exciting Messenger Bags Gorilla Sacks Day Tripper Messenger Bag 5005-002 - GreenGrocerBags.com