How should I send a Lightroom photo to another computer for the best print quality?
Asked 7/30/2012
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2 answers
0
I edit and manage photos in Lightroom 4.4 on a Windows 7 PC, but that computer no longer has a printer attached. I need to print on another computer that isn’t on the same local network, and I can’t install Lightroom on that machine.
What is the best way to preserve print quality and get reliable results? I’m considering:
- sending the original image file
- exporting from Lightroom for print, with or without resizing
- printing to PDF
- using a print-to-file driver
What are the pros and cons of these options, and is there a better approach?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
1
- Copying the original image will likely provide the highest print
fidelity, but it assumes the other computer has software which can
open and print the image.
- Exporting the image for Print without resizing and Exporting the image for Print with resizing are subclasses of this case.
- Printing to Print-to-File print driver may prove to be second in terms of print fidelity, but it will probably require more trial and error to get it working correctly. As an aside, this solution will be specific to the printer. If you send this file to a different printer, results may be terrible.
- Printing to PDF would probably be my first choice since PDF is highly portable, so results will be very consistent across different printers.
Originally by user11257. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11257
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Best option: print directly from your Lightroom computer to the target printer if you can share or remotely access it. That lets you use the proper printer driver and Lightroom’s print controls, giving the most consistent results.
If direct printing isn’t possible, printing to PDF is usually the best fallback. PDF is portable and tends to produce predictable results across different computers and printers.
Sending the original image file can also give excellent quality, but only if the other computer has suitable software and is configured correctly for printing. Exporting for print is basically a variation of sending an image file; resizing may help if you know the exact print size, but it’s not inherently better.
Using a print-to-file driver is less ideal. It can work, but it is usually printer-specific and may require trial and error. A file generated for one printer may give poor results on another.
So, in order of practicality: direct network/remote printing from Lightroom if possible, otherwise PDF, then exported/original image files, with print-to-file as the least portable option.
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