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07/01/2005 12:52:09 AM · #1 |
I'm fairly new to digital photography and having a great time here at dpchallenge. I just printed off my first 8x10 at the local drug store.
I noticed that I oversharped the image even though the image on the screen at home looked alright. Has this happened to anyone else, and if so, what can I do to prevent this next time? |
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07/01/2005 12:53:48 AM · #2 |
Have you calibrated your monitor? Test prints are sometimes necessary to get the right combination.
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07/01/2005 12:56:49 AM · #3 |
From what i understand (i print very little) yo need to sharpen for web or video viewing. for inkjet printing a very little bit is OK. for 'real' printing NO sharpening is needed.
for web/video display, DPI is meaningless. the overall pixel dimension is what counts.
for printing you need about 200 dpi - so for a 4x6 print the image needs to be 800x1200 (or more).
There is a theory that for inkjet printing the image should be the exact mathematical size for the printer - so if it prints at 200dpi, the image should be that. if it is not an evenly divisible number (as in 100, 200, 400) then the printer will have to interpolate and you will lose sharpess and quality.
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07/01/2005 01:05:09 AM · #4 |
Which sharpening technique do you use?
the High Pass method, or the USM method?
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07/01/2005 01:07:10 AM · #5 |
| I've been using the USM method. |
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07/01/2005 01:14:02 AM · #6 |
Originally posted by dw_photo:
I've been using the USM method. |
try the high pass method, it may help. The USM has its uses too, but sometimes artifacting accures, and halos as well.
copy background layer>filter>other>high pass @10%> (on the layers drop down)hardlight> adjust layer to desired look with opacity.
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07/01/2005 01:59:21 AM · #7 |
How much USM do you apply?
For "normal-sized" prints (4x6 up to 8x10) I use something like
88%/1.3 dia/TH=5
which is "some but not much" -- I find a lot of photos (especially those prepared for offset printing) to be over-sharpened, but almost all pictures (at least from my cameras and scanners) seem to need a bit. |
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07/01/2005 02:08:20 AM · #8 |
| I think I used something around 150%/.75/TH=1. |
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07/01/2005 02:09:54 AM · #9 |
My USM settings are usually around 250%, 0.8, 0
When only very minimal sharpening is required then I use a percentage between 100 and 150.
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07/01/2005 02:18:44 AM · #10 |
Originally posted by dw_photo:
I think I used something around 150%/.75/TH=1. |
Those are not a wildly high values, but a lot also depends on the subject matter and inherent contrast -- a photo full of brightly-lit leaves and branches needs different settings than a sunset or portrait.
My suggestion would be to take a small section of one or two test images, and put four 2x3 examples with different sharpening settings onto a 4x6 print -- for under 30 cents you'll have a lot of information. Ideally, you'd make three different prints, each one changing only one of the values around while leaving the others at some average/standard value.
Pay especial attention to the threshold setting; at zero or one you are basically telling it to apply the sharpening effect everywhere it finds adjoining pixels of different colors. Especially if you are working on images with smooth tonal gradations like sunsets or portraits, set the TH value up to 5 or even 7 to limit its application to appropriate areas. |
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07/01/2005 03:27:57 AM · #11 |
It might be the store doing the printing - some places "helpfully" do all sorts of things (brightness, contrast, maybe even sharpening) to your pictures before they print them.
That may work out helpful to the customers who bring their card straight from the camera but can really confuse anyone who spends time prepping their images first!
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07/01/2005 03:33:19 AM · #12 |
I tend to find print shops (particularly cheaper ones) tend to sharpen images during the print process. I always sharpen my images MUCH less when I'm sending them for print.
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07/01/2005 07:00:45 AM · #13 |
I would say don't take your prints to the drug store. The use an auto-enhance feature and don't check the prints. Take your pictures to a photo store and get to know the people who print the shots.
I use Ritz camera and another local store and they prints always come out perfect, and when if there is a problem they always reprint.
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07/01/2005 10:03:44 AM · #14 |
You might try Walmart. You can upload your photos and pick them up at a store 1 hour later. They will let you reject/return any you aren't satisfied with.
They use Fuji Frontier printers--a photographic process. This is the same printer used by many online labs, including DPCPrints (I believe). |
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07/01/2005 10:21:23 AM · #15 |
Originally posted by nshapiro:
You might try Walmart. You can upload your photos and pick them up at a store 1 hour later. They will let you reject/return any you aren't satisfied with.
They use Fuji Frontier printers--a photographic process. This is the same printer used by many online labs, including DPCPrints (I believe). |
Most of these shops are using the Frontier or similar machines from Noritsu to image to actual photo print paper. Costco and Ritz use them for sure. |
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07/01/2005 10:26:44 AM · #16 |
I have NIK Sharpener 1.0 filter. I has settings for color jet/ink jet/internet/ and offset. Would anyone recommend using this filter for prints and at what settings? It has auto scan and manual adjustments.
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