Digital Resolution Chart - 300 DPI

Here's how to use this chart.  Find the PRINT size that you want to make.  For example let's assume you want to make an 8 x10 and print it at  photo quality (300 DPI).  The 8 inch side would need 2,400 dots, the 10 inch side would need 3,000 dots.  Now find your negative size.  Let's assume that you are using 35mm film (24mm x 36mm frame size).  The 24mm side would have to scanned at 2,550 DPI and the 36mm side would have to be scanned at 2,117 DPI.  Since you can scan at only one resolution you must use the  HIGHER resolution.  Thus you would need to scan your 35mm negative at 2,550 DPI.  The difference in DPI is caused by the different aspect rations of the print vs. the negative and allows for cropping the negative.

Let's take the same example of an 8x10 print but use a 6x6 negative,  A 6x6 negative on 120 film is about 56mm x 56mm.  Looking at the 10" column and 56mm you see you would need a scan of 1,361 DPI for the 10" side.  The large the negative, the lower the DPI needed for a given size print.

I stopped the resolutions at about 5900 DPI as that is the highest resolution film scanners available for the home user (April 2004).

Scan Requirements by Print Size - 300 DPI
                                       
Size in Inches 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 22 24 25 26
Size in CM 10.2 12.7 15.2 17.8 20.3 22.9 25.4 27.9 30.5 33.0 35.6 38.1 40.6 43.2 45.7 50.8 55.9 61.0 63.5 66.0
                                       
DPI 300                                      
Dots Needed 1,200 1,500 1,800 2,100 2,400 2,700 3,000 3,300 3,600 3,900 4,200 4,500 4,800 5,100 5,400 6,000 6,600 7,200 7,500 7,800
                                       
Film Size in MM DPI Scan Needed
24 1,270 1,588 1,905 2,223 2,540 2,858 3,175 3,493 3,810 4,128 4,445 4,763 5,080 5,398 5,715 - - - - -
36 847 1,058 1,270 1,482 1,693 1,905 2,117 2,328 2,540 2,752 2,963 3,175 3,387 3,598 3,810 4,233 4,657 5,080 5,292 5,503
                                       
42 726 907 1,089 1,270 1,451 1,633 1,814 1,996 2,177 2,359 2,540 2,721 2,903 3,084 3,266 3,629 3,991 4,354 4,536 4,717
56 544 680 816 953 1,089 1,225 1,361 1,497 1,633 1,769 1,905 2,041 2,177 2,313 2,449 2,721 2,994 3,266 3,402 3,538
69 442 552 663 773 883 994 1,104 1,215 1,325 1,436 1,546 1,657 1,767 1,877 1,988 2,209 2,430 2,650 2,761 2,871
83 367 459 551 643 734 826 918 1,010 1,102 1,193 1,285 1,377 1,469 1,561 1,653 1,836 2,020 2,203 2,295 2,387
                                       
8 3,810 4,763 5,715 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
10 3,048 3,810 4,572 5,334 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
11 2,771 3,464 4,156 4,849 5,542 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
12 2,540 3,175 3,810 4,445 5,080 5,715 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
13 2,345 2,931 3,517 4,103 4,689 5,275 5,862 - - - - - - - - - - - - -
14 2,177 2,721 3,266 3,810 4,354 4,899 5,443 5,987 - - - - - - - - - - - -
16 1,905 2,381 2,858 3,334 3,810 4,286 4,763 5,239 5,715 - - - - - - - - - - -
16.7 1,825 2,281 2,738 3,194 3,650 4,107 4,563 5,019 5,475 5,932 - - - - - - - - - -
17 1,793 2,241 2,689 3,138 3,586 4,034 4,482 4,931 5,379 5,827 - - - - - - - - - -
18 1,693 2,117 2,540 2,963 3,387 3,810 4,233 4,657 5,080 5,503 5,927 - - - - - - - - -
21 1,451 1,814 2,177 2,540 2,903 3,266 3,629 3,991 4,354 4,717 5,080 5,443 5,806 - - - - - - -
28 1,089 1,361 1,633 1,905 2,177 2,449 2,721 2,994 3,266 3,538 3,810 4,082 4,354 4,626 4,899 5,443 5,987 - - -
30.2 1,009 1,262 1,514 1,766 2,019 2,271 2,523 2,775 3,028 3,280 3,532 3,785 4,037 4,289 4,542 5,046 5,551 - - -
40 762 953 1,143 1,334 1,524 1,715 1,905 2,096 2,286 2,477 2,667 2,858 3,048 3,239 3,429 3,810 4,191 4,572 4,763 4,953
                                       
                                      Copyright © 2003 Anthony Oresteen

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