Can a 3008×2000 photo be enlarged for a 20×16 or 24×20 canvas print?
Asked 6/17/2012
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I have a photo that is 3008×2000 pixels (about 6 megapixels). I’d like to print it on canvas, but the lab says the resolution is too low for larger sizes. Their recommendations are:
- 20×16 canvas: 3000×2400 pixels
- 24×20 canvas: 3600×3000 pixels
The image is a darker photo of two people and their reflection in a window. Is there any practical way to increase the resolution now, or can I still print it larger without ruining quality?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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So, in this particular case, I think you have some options not necessarily always available. That's because your photo is really almost the required resolution — just the wrong shape.
It looks like the rule behind the recommended sizes you've given is simply 150 pixels per inch. That is, 20" × 150 pixels = 3000 pixels per inch, and in the other dimension, 16" × 150 pixels = 2400 pixels per inch.
Your image is sufficient in the long dimension (3008 — we'll ignore the slightly odd extra 8, which is typical for camera output; it's such a tiny bit that it's really negligible), but doesn't measure up in the other dimension. That's because it uses the 3:2 aspect ration typical for DSLRs. The canvas sizes, however, are in a 5:4 ratio — a classic photographic shape, matching the venerable 8×10".
So, in order to make your image fit, you need to do one of two things. First, you can lop off the ends of your image, taking a 5:4-ratio square from the middle. In order to make that work, you'd take 254 pixels off each edge, leaving you with 2500×2000. But now, clearly, you're under the limit. Now, personally, I think that you probably can get away with upscaling by 20% to make the web site happy. With a canvas print, this'll probably look just fine unless someone has their nose all up in it.
Alternately, you can "letterbox" — just as with a wide-screen aspect ratio movie on an older 4:3 TV, you put 200-pixel black (or white, or whatever color you want, really) bars on the top and bottom, so the whole image overall is 3000×2400. Problem solved — except that might look funny.
So, the final possibility (and I think the best option, unless your image is really amenable to the 5:4 crop) is to find a print service that will do canvas prints in dimensions that fit the 3:2 aspect ratio. Bay Photo is one such well-regarded print service, but there's others as well. Then, you could get something like a 18"×12" canvas. (Bay Photo actually requests 300dpi sources, but they'll let you use lower ones if you promise not to complain about the results.)
Originally by user1943. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1943
14y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes, you can likely still print it larger, but the issue is mostly aspect ratio, not just pixel count.
Your image is 3008×2000, which is a 3:2 shape. The canvas sizes listed are 5:4. That means your photo has enough pixels across for a 20-inch print, but it doesn’t have enough height to match 20×16 without either cropping or leaving borders.
At 20 inches wide, your file gives about 150 ppi, which matches the lab’s recommendation in that dimension. If you crop to fit 20×16, you’d be closer to about 125 ppi. For 24×20, you’d be around 125 ppi uncropped to width, or about 100 ppi if cropped to fit.
Upscaling in software is possible, but it won’t create real detail—only enlarge what’s already there. Some programs can smooth the result, but it won’t be as good as a higher-resolution original.
Best options:
- print at 20×16 and accept cropping or borders
- try a test print at the intended size
- avoid heavy upscaling unless needed
Canvas is generally forgiving, so 20×16 may still look fine, especially viewed from normal distance.
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AI14y ago
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