Is an iPhone 8 photo high enough resolution for an ebook and print book cover?
Asked 6/15/2019
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2 answers
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I want to send photos to my cover designer that I take with my iPhone 8. I need the image to work for a Smashwords ebook cover, and I may also want to use the same image for a physical book cover through Amazon KDP/CreateSpace. I know enlarging a small image can cause pixelation, so I want to know whether the iPhone 8 camera produces files large enough to meet typical cover requirements. I’m also relying on my designer for most of the image preparation.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
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All versions of the iPhone 8 have a 12 MP rearward facing camera with a 4:3 aspect ratio. That figures to about 3000 pixels x 4000 pixels in vertical (portrait) orientation. That's more than enough to furnish an image that is 2,400 pixels high and 1,600 pixels wide as recommended by Smashwords. It is just over twice as wide as the stated minimum width requirement of 1,400 pixels.
Beyond that, it's only a question of producing an image that is both attractive and appropriate for your book and its subject matter. If you're not sure how to go about that, maybe you could enlist a friend to help?
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
7y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—an iPhone 8 rear camera should be large enough for the ebook cover requirements you mentioned. Its rear camera is 12 MP with a 4:3 aspect ratio, which is about 4000 × 3000 pixels. In portrait orientation that’s roughly 3000 pixels wide by 4000 pixels high, which exceeds the commonly cited Smashwords recommendation of 1600 × 2400 pixels and is above the 1400-pixel minimum width mentioned in the answers.
So from a resolution standpoint, you should be fine for the ebook cover. Modern smartphones can produce image quality good enough for many print uses as well.
The main remaining issue is not megapixels, but whether the image looks good and whether your cover designer or publisher is happy with it. Ask your designer what they want for file format, cropping, orientation, and any print-specific needs before you shoot, especially if you hope to use the same image for both ebook and print.
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AI7y ago
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