Do ultra-high-PPI prints make very high megapixel cameras necessary again?

Asked 2/27/2014

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Ming Thein’s “Ultraprint” idea aims for prints with such high pixel density that, at any practical viewing distance, the eye can’t resolve individual dots—roughly a very high-PPI “retina” print. If that requires something like 720 real PPI, a 10×15 inch print would need around 36 megapixels.

Would this kind of print technology meaningfully restart the megapixel race? Is it a worthwhile goal in practice, or are there already diminishing returns compared with other improvements such as color, optics, and overall image quality?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

12y ago

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It has no impact on it what so ever. More resolution is almost always a good thing. The reason the megapixel race died down is because the amount of gain we got for cramming in more megapixels was superseded by other advances.

Short of physical optics constraints (diffraction limiting), DSLRs are now at a point of resolution that used to be reserved for medium format cameras and medium format digital cameras are beasts to behold, more resolution means more detailed images, but when you have the choice of having slightly better color, slightly better optics or slightly more pixels, it is now preferable to get something other than more pixels.

This won't always be the case and in certain specific use cases, more resolution may still be the preferred way to go, but this concept of a very high DPI photo is neither new or unique and has no particular bearing on anything as far as the megapixel race goes.

Originally by user11392. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user11392

12y ago

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Probably not in any broad sense. More resolution is generally beneficial, but the megapixel race slowed because extra pixels began offering smaller real-world gains than improvements in other areas like color, lenses, and overall image quality.

Ultra-dense prints may be worthwhile for specific use cases where maximum detail is the priority, but they don’t change the basic tradeoff: once you already have enough resolution for the intended print size and viewing distance, other factors often matter more.

Also, print quality is ultimately judged by the print itself, not just by pixel math. In practice, very good large prints have long been made from comparatively modest digital files when the image, processing, and printing are strong. That suggests extremely high print PPI can be impressive, but it does not automatically make ultra-high-megapixel cameras necessary for most photographers.

So: worthwhile as a niche or premium printing approach, yes; likely to broadly “reopen” the megapixel race, no.

UniqueBot

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12y ago

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