Print size and DPI calculator
Print quality is pixels per inch on the paper. What counts as enough depends on how close the viewer stands.
Print width at that resolution
50.80cm
- Print height
- 33.87
- Width in inches
- 20.000
- Resolution at your target width
- 254.0 DPI
- Resolution the eye can resolve at that distance
- 145.5 DPI
- Enough resolution for that viewing distance
- 1
- Megapixels
- 24.00
- Aspect ratio
- 1.5000
Show the working
- Image width = 6000
- Image height = 4000
- Print resolution = 300
- Or a target print width = 60
- Viewing distance = 60
- Megapixels = 6000 * 4000 / 1e6 = 24
- Width in inches = 6000 / 300 = 20
- print_height_in = 4000 / 300 = 13.3333
- Print width at that resolution = 20 * 2.54 = 50.8
- Print height = 13.3333 * 2.54 = 33.8667
- Resolution at your target width = 60 > 0 ? 6000 / (60 / 2.54) : 0 = 254
- Resolution the eye can resolve at that distance = 60 > 0 ? 3438 / (60 / 2.54) : 0 = 145.542
- Enough resolution for that viewing distance = 254 >= 145.542 ? 1 : 0 = 1
- Aspect ratio = 4000 > 0 ? 6000 / 4000 : 0 = 1.5
Values are shown to six significant figures here; the arithmetic itself runs on exact fractions and is only rounded where a number is printed.
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The formula
- print size in inches = pixels / DPI
- the eye resolves about one arcminute, giving 3438 / distance in inches
A billboard is often printed at 20 DPI and looks fine, because nobody stands a foot away from it.