Is It Really Better to Resize Image and Canvas Before Printing???????

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Posted By
xtx99
Aug 18, 2005
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296
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Is it better to resize the image and canvas before printing? It may sound like a dumb question but it seems to me, that if I resize the image and canvas in Photoshop:

1) If I print the photo on my own printer, the printer’s software will essentially be resampling the photo data anyway (even if I correctly resize image and canvas to match printer resolution and photo paper size),

or

2) If I take the photo to a commercial printer, that printer’s software will resample the photo anyway AND the person processing the photo will resample it (adjusting brightness, color, etc.).
It would seem to me that one would be better off just letting the printer software resize the image and canvas of the photo (and therefore skip at least one unnecessary resampling which would needlessly decrease the quality of the photo). Thanks for any opinions either way.
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Bart van der Wolf
Aug 18, 2005
wrote in message
Is it better to resize the image and canvas before printing? It may sound like a dumb question but it seems to me, that if I resize the image and canvas in Photoshop:

1) If I print the photo on my own printer, the printer’s software will essentially be resampling the photo data anyway (even if I correctly resize image and canvas to match printer resolution and photo paper size),

No, if the image size in pixels corresponds to the native printer resolution for the output size chosen, there will be no resampling done by the printer driver, i.e. 600 ppi for Canon / HP and 720 ppi for Epson desktop printers. Large format IJ printers may have upper limits like 360 ppi, to conserve ink but especially to get faster printing times, because the result may be viewed from a larger distance.

or

2) If I take the photo to a commercial printer, that printer’s software will resample the photo anyway AND the person processing the photo will resample it (adjusting brightness, color, etc.).

Just instruct them not to resample. It depends on their hardware how that can be achieved. Talk to the person in charge how to best communicate it to the operator.

It would seem to me that one would be better off just letting the printer software resize the image and canvas of the photo (and therefore skip at least one unnecessary resampling which would needlessly decrease the quality of the photo).

That would mean there is no (re-)sharpening at final output size. Almost all resampling introduces loss of contrast (perceived sharpness), that’s why my images print sharper after resampling to the output device’s native ‘resolution’ followed by re-sharpening for the losses. It is also beneficial to re-sharpen after up-sampling because now you can apply sharpening at a sub-pixel accuracy (compared to the original image), IOW much more accurate and with less visible halo.

Bart

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