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blury pictures from 3 meg camera

E

EvanAdams

Senior member
My dad uses a 3 mp Nikon camera. It has served him well but he has decided he wants to print pro full size 8x11 pages. His current HP 895Cse prints such things quite blurry. What sort of resolution does he need from his camera and from his color printer? He uses this to take pictures of his installed construction jobs and give to architects as examples.
 
3 mp is about the minimum size for a 8x11. I had a 2.1 a few years back and the picture looked ok at that size but were obiviously pushing the limit. If it looks sharp full screen on the monitor then it is the printer. If it is blurry on the monitor then something is up with the camera. Check the settings on the camera. There are normally multiple selections for resolution and image compression.
 
3mp is minimum.. thats being way optimistic in my opinion. and 3mpix sensor varies very widely in quality from type to type. sensitivity/sensor size, lense size/quality etc all contribute to noise/quality. i'd suggest atleast 5mpix
 
You may want to look at the digital SLR's, they have faster shutter speeds.. A faster shutter speed will help w/ camera shake..

A good fast lens is also a plus, it lets you open the aperture bigger to let more light in, thus you can use a faster shutter speed..

Take a look at the Nikon D70 & the Canon EOS Digital Rebel ~$800 for the body. Also remember the lense system makes the most impact on the quality of the pic.

Regards,
Jose
 
In order to isolate the camera from the printer, why not get a few prints developed at a retail developer and compare those to what comes out of the printer? 3 mp should produce good 8x11s, assuming no camera shake, proper camera settings, etc. I've seen good 8x10s from a 2 mp camera.

When I got my first digital camera about a year ago, I debated whether to try printing my own photos or have them printed elsewhere. I went to WalMart; just stick my camera's memory card in their machine, select the print size and number of prints for each photo. The photos are ready in about an hour.
 
If it is graininess or noise that is the problem, then there are a few options. Change the ISO speed in the camera setting to something more appropriate for the lighting. If you are Photoshopping the pictures, then look up "flaw frames" on google or a digital photography site and try that technique. If you are turning off the flash and still trying to use a "normal" shutter speed, then you might get this noise a lot in your pictures.
 
I second the comment 2 posts up.
Grainy-ness is most likely a function of ISO speed. Less likely, it may be the cameras image compression technique. Often that is adjustable... with settings like "standard" or "fine" or "high quality".

Most likely, ya just need more light. If the camera is manual or semi-manual, the speed is probably adjustable somewhere in the camera settings. Tri-pod'ed, that's a fine way to go. Lacking a tripod, ya just need more light.

It's not a function of it being 3mp or 5mp or 2.1mp.... I have a 2.1mp panasonic, and the images are crystal clear at 8X10 and lower.

Another good place to see opinions about specific cameras is at www.dpreview.com under forums

hth
 
Use a tripod and you will be fine. A three meg camera will deliver fine quality prints. I have a 3 and a 6mg, and both do well. Even with film, always shoot with a tripod when possible. Motion, ever so slight, will show as you enlarge your print.

By the way, many fine photographers have their photos printed at costco. It is hard to bet their price and quality. Check out the forums in digital photography review, dpreview.com
 
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