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Hayley, my camera doesn't specify "72dpi" or "200dpi" or "300dpi", which I think are the more common landmarks when using "dpi" to discuss image resolution. Instead of stating that iit offers a variety of "dpi" choices, per se, my camera allows you a choice of what Nikon has chosen to refer to as "IMAGE QUALITY" options. Which you can think of, given how we've been discussing things here, as "RESOLUTION." (Resolution = dpi = ppi = image quality. In other words, how much fine detail is packed in, per inch. That's Resolution. That's Image Quality.)
As example, my particular camera -- a Nikon Coolpix 5400 -- has two image settings.
(1) Size -- which is the OUTSIDE DIMENSIONS of the image. Ex: 1280 x 960
(2) Quality -- which is the image RESOLUTION. Ex for this camera: HIGH, FINE, NORMAL, BASIC
It does NOT say on the camera, or even in the manual, what HIGH, FINE, NORMAL, and BASIC actually translate to, in terms of any dpi measurement.
I just played around with it and found what works. With my camera, I shoot in FINE mode and end up with a picture that's 300dpi when it is downloaded to my desktop folder.
So, given this, I don't think you will find, on the web, any camera advertising its dpi/ppi options using that language. Look instead, maybe, for verbage which explains that there are many QUALITY or RESOLUTION options, which are appropriate for enlargements or high quality prints.
It's too bad there isn't some kind of industry standard, or easier reference, because this stuff is sooooooo confusing. Just to add one more thing into the mix... and don't take this in too much because it will literally drive you mad... but... if you're printing photos at home, even if you've got a super high quality, high res image... if your printer only prints at 200dpi you won't get the great result you'd get from a 300dpi printer, or an 800dpi printer.
Again, just FYI -- you really do not need to know this, but you're all so curious! -- Even though the terms dpi and ppi are basically used interchangeably (by me, too, I admit), dpi (Dots Per Inch) is actually a printing-specific measurement; it measures how many dots of color your printer sprays out per inch. And, technically speaking, ppi (Pixels Per Inch) is a digital-image-specific measurement; it measures how many pixels (little squares) of color your digital image contains per inch.
AARGH!!!!
Hope this helps. Forget the last part. It's basically irrelevant. Unless you're in the market for a high-end printer, that is...
:D:D
bears by beesley TMOK Shelli, now you have my attention.:lol: I have an HP photosmart digital camera and a option for picture quality.3MP Best, 3MP, 1MP, and VGA. The cameras auto setting here is 3MP. It says medium file size is good for printing? It also has ISO speed and a few options which I have no idea what that is. Anyway thank you I am starting to get the drift of this conversation but still have absolutely no idea what I am doing???:mad:
Hugs Louise
Resolution. The more megapixels a camera has, the higher its maximum resolution. The higher the resolution of a digital photo, the sharper it looks — and the more memory it requires. Most digital cameras offer several resolution settings. When you need lots of photos and don't need super-precise images, use a lower-res mode — but when you want crystal-clear shots or larger, sharper prints, use the highest resolution.
-- taken from http://www.crutchfieldadvisor.com/ISEO- … meras.html
How many (megapixels) do you need? That depends on your use.
If you only ever plan to put your pictures on a web page, the image from a 1.3 megapixel camera is about 5 times bigger than you need. (Shelli reminder: monitors display at 72ppi, so anything higher than that, in terms of resolution, is unnecessary, IF ALL YOU'LL BE USING YOUR CAMERA FOR IS TAKING WEB-READY PHOTOS, NOT FOR HIGH RES, OR LARGE SIZE, PRINTING.)
If you want a decent quality 11x8 inch print, though, a 4 megapixel camera is your friend.
Below is a table showing (how many) megapixels you (will) need for which print size, and which screen resolution this gives.
Print sizes are given in 300 and 150PPI, or Pixels per Inch. 300 is generally regarded as the optimal resolution, but bigger prints tend to be viewed from further away, (so) you can therefore usually get away with a lower PPI count (if you're printing, for example, a 16x20 inch image.)
* Please note that resolutions given are ballpark figures, there are slight fluctuations between brands and models.
Apple Dumpling DesignsShelli...you're scarin me...did you like hook your brain up to the computer or what?
I can't even begin to follow all of this...AUGH!!!:|
Hey, this last stuff isn't mine. Note the citations, but thanks anyway for the compliment.
Remember I've been toying with this stuff pretty hardcore for over a year now, and have not just Andrea, but also another graphic designer friend to consult with questions and for clarification.
This digital camera stuff is totally nutso. It takes a computer science degree... Quy, are you there? :)... to figure it out. AND a PhD. And twenty years of free time.
Just Us BearsShelli,
I've been 'off list' for almost a week so excuse my lack of acknowledgement for your answer. It was very helpful, thanks. My Father- in -Law is talking of upgrading and his camera is a lot more recent than ours and has heaps of options so we may try to prise it from him. I'll have a look in the manual.
Ta muchly!
Delartful BearsI have been wondering where you have gotten to Hayley.
Glad to see you are back!
Danni
Past Time BearsGood grief . . . Kelly and Shelli (I love the rhyming names) are geniuses!!! You are both so talented in being able to explain such technical stuff in a way that even we techi-challenged people can understand. Great info!
bears by beesley TMOK. Now I have a stupid question? Garnet is making me a light box but what do you recommend for a type of cloth or material?
Many Hugs Louise
Upstate New YorkYooohooo ... Shelli!
OK. Now I have a stupid question? Garnet is making me a light box but what do you recommend for a type of cloth or material?
What kind of fabric are you using ladies? The fabric I've draped over sides and top is translucent, i.e., light does go through, but perhaps isn't dispersing the light correctly.
P.S. I should confess that on my auction, I borrowed <shamlessly> part of your wording on international postage. It was stated so tastefully ~ I couldn't help it. Also ... I guess am going to have to email my picture I guess to Quy. I'm going to check one more time, but I'm sure falls within the specs she gave for posting.
Deb
Fabric:
I just bought several yards of white, translucent -- but not transparent -- polyester type fabric. It's actually shiny on one side, which I turn to the inside, imagining that the shiny-ness probably helps light bounce around.
Get the kind of fabric where, if you hold your hand up behind it, you can see some of the coloration of your hand... but not all of it. The "hint" of pink or beige or olive or black or whatever color you happen to be! 
That should be just about right.
Then drape it over your frame, and be sure to throw LOTS of light through the fabric, toward the inside center of the light tent. Use lights at left, top, and right. I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record, but as example, I use six fluourescent tube lights at left, AND at right, AND two at top + my closet's overhead "regular" light bulb... AND a strong shop light aimed at the background and top of head as a "hair light"... AND sometimes a halogen flashlight used as a "spotlight" for special features or extra sparkle.
LOTS of light means LOTS. If you try to use a light tent with a single overhead ceiling fixture, your pictures will probably get DARKER instead of lighter.
You can also take the tent outside, by the way, if it's portable enough, and grab some great outdoor shots using the same bounced-lighting principle on a very bright day. It will keep harsh shadows from ruining your shots but will otherwise illuminate them beautifully.
Hope this helps.
bears by beesley TMThank you Shelli from the bottom of my heart! You are a wise woman! Again, thankyou for sharing your knowledge.
Hugs Louise
Upstate New YorkAhhhh ... indeed it does help. Many thanks! Now off to JoAnn's!
Deb
