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A question about prints...

Kevriano
Posted 16/11/2017 - 10:15 Link
Hello. For my sins I rarely get any photos printed, but have recently had some prints done for a friend's wedding shots. The size requirement for the album was 7 x 5, and so any photos that I had to edit (crop etc) that I submitted for printing were sized as 7 x 5 in Photoshop.
When I received the first batch of prints some had white borders top and bottom, and so I argued with the printer, got some done larger at 7. 5 x 5, and this seems to have solved the issue with the cropped shots, but recreated the issue with those I didn't touch.
Obviously I now have 2 batches of pics that I can work with, but it doesn't seem right. Surely you can get prints the right size from an APS-C camera these days? Or am I wrong?
K3, K3 II, 100MM 2.8 Macro, Sigma 10-20 3.5, Sigma 17-50 2.8, Nikon D7500, Tamron 150 600 G2
derek897
Posted 16/11/2017 - 10:39 Link
Have you compared the images that came back with a border to the images submitted. Should be able to tell from that where the problem is.
Nothing to do with your camera.
I know what i like, If not always why.
Edited by derek897: 16/11/2017 - 10:40
Kevriano
Posted 16/11/2017 - 11:46 Link
derek897 wrote:
Have you compared the images that came back with a border to the images submitted. Should be able to tell from that where the problem is.
Nothing to do with your camera.

Yes, and this was my issue. There are no borders on my uploaded pics. They wanted me to crop or shrink to fit, which I didn't do, as they were exactly as they needed to be. They agreed they weren't right, but the next batch have different photos with borders. I certainly won't use Photobox again.
K3, K3 II, 100MM 2.8 Macro, Sigma 10-20 3.5, Sigma 17-50 2.8, Nikon D7500, Tamron 150 600 G2
derek897
Posted 16/11/2017 - 11:54 Link
We're the shots that came back with borders top and bottom missing part of the original image, if they were then the issue would seem to be with photobox, it kind of sounds like the were trying to print a different aspect ratio on to 7 x 5 .
They were hardly so stupid to mix up the portrait and landscape orientation on different shots, it's the only other thing I can think of.
I know what i like, If not always why.
Kevriano
Posted 16/11/2017 - 12:09 Link
derek897 wrote:
We're the shots that came back with borders top and bottom missing part of the original image, if they were then the issue would seem to be with photobox, it kind of sounds like the were trying to print a different aspect ratio on to 7 x 5 .
They were hardly so stupid to mix up the portrait and landscape orientation on different shots, it's the only other thing I can think of.

I'll take some pictures of the prints and my originals.
K3, K3 II, 100MM 2.8 Macro, Sigma 10-20 3.5, Sigma 17-50 2.8, Nikon D7500, Tamron 150 600 G2
pschlute
Posted 16/11/2017 - 14:16 Link
I would recommend DSColour Labs or ProAm imaging for prints.

You resize your photos using 300 ppi (or 402 for ProAm) and send them via the website. prints are very good and usually back in a couple of days.
Kevriano
Posted 16/11/2017 - 14:28 Link
So this is from the second batch. How they can print the colour version wrong and the B and W conversion right is beyond me.


Comment Image


As for resizing using PPI, How does that work as I have dropped to 7 x 5 in photoshop?
K3, K3 II, 100MM 2.8 Macro, Sigma 10-20 3.5, Sigma 17-50 2.8, Nikon D7500, Tamron 150 600 G2
Edited by Kevriano: 16/11/2017 - 14:28
JAK
Posted 16/11/2017 - 14:35 Link
Kevriano wrote:
Yes, and this was my issue. There are no borders on my uploaded pics. They wanted me to crop or shrink to fit, which I didn't do, as they were exactly as they needed to be. They agreed they weren't right, but the next batch have different photos with borders. I certainly won't use Photobox again.

What were the pixel dimensions of your 7x5 images? Ideally they'd be 2100X1500 pixels.
John K
Edited by JAK: 16/11/2017 - 14:36
Kevriano
Posted 16/11/2017 - 16:08 Link
JAK wrote:
Kevriano wrote:
Yes, and this was my issue. There are no borders on my uploaded pics. They wanted me to crop or shrink to fit, which I didn't do, as they were exactly as they needed to be. They agreed they weren't right, but the next batch have different photos with borders. I certainly won't use Photobox again.

What were the pixel dimensions of your 7x5 images? Ideally they'd be 2100X1500 pixels.

I don't know, as I just used the 7 x 5 aspect option for cropping, I never look at pixels, so this may be where I went wrong, but it doesn't explain this?

Comment Image
K3, K3 II, 100MM 2.8 Macro, Sigma 10-20 3.5, Sigma 17-50 2.8, Nikon D7500, Tamron 150 600 G2
pschlute
Posted 16/11/2017 - 16:10 Link
Kevriano wrote:


As for resizing using PPI, How does that work as I have dropped to 7 x 5 in photoshop?

When you resize in PS you have a parameter "triangle". Physical size (inches) x pixel dimensions x ppi. 300 ppi is common for printing, so keeping that constant, changing your image size to 7x5 inches gives you as JAK says 2100 x 1500 pixels

If you are using the crop tool, check the parameters you are using to make sure you retain 300 ppi. After you crop, check the image dimensions with the "resize image" menu
Edited by pschlute: 16/11/2017 - 16:15
JAK
Posted 16/11/2017 - 16:38 Link
Windows explorer can show the the pixel dimensions if set up to do that as will photo info in PS Elements. If it's in Elements I can't believe it won't be in the full product! That dimension figure is critical to your solution.
John K
derek897
Posted 16/11/2017 - 16:43 Link
That is weird.
They shouldn't have given them to you like that anyway. Should have redone them as soon as they saw that.
I know what i like, If not always why.
Kevriano
Posted 16/11/2017 - 17:04 Link
pschlute wrote:
Kevriano wrote:


As for resizing using PPI, How does that work as I have dropped to 7 x 5 in photoshop?

When you resize in PS you have a parameter "triangle". Physical size (inches) x pixel dimensions x ppi. 300 ppi is common for printing, so keeping that constant, changing your image size to 7x5 inches gives you as JAK says 2100 x 1500 pixels

If you are using the crop tool, check the parameters you are using to make sure you retain 300 ppi. After you crop, check the image dimensions with the "resize image" menu

Thanks for the explanation. I'm fighting for a refund now, and will go elsewhere, and bear this in mind first.
K3, K3 II, 100MM 2.8 Macro, Sigma 10-20 3.5, Sigma 17-50 2.8, Nikon D7500, Tamron 150 600 G2
McGregNi
Posted 17/11/2017 - 10:40 Link
I think this is one of the scenarios where you shouldn't resize your image files, as I was writing about recently on a related thread

Usually these online services have a choice you make, to either apply automatic cropping or scale the image down with a border added. This should be an option when you are making the order. If you can't tolerate a crop then you might have to accept a border and a slightly smaller image area than the actual physical print size. You can then trim off the border yourself.

I'd try next time not resizing the files ..... Just send them the maximum quality, full size JPEGs, and let the oneline system sort it out. The crop option is probably nearest, so long as it doesn't chop anything important off. .... Shooting a little wide can be a good idea in preparation for printing like this.
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pschlute
Posted 17/11/2017 - 12:59 Link
It depends on the printing service. DSColourLabs require the image resized to the specific print size at 300 ppi. ProAm require the same but use a different ppi (402 I think). You should always check on the printing services website.

The advantage of creating your file to an exact specification is that you dont then rely on the printers software to make any adjustments. In the case of DSCL or ProAm it wont make any adjustment at all, your print will just be wrong. This enables them to keep costs low yet still produce a high quality print.

For a service that offers the ability to crop on the website itself or has software that will do it for you then Nigel's advice is probably correct.

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