Printing images - what file size do you need?
A guide to required file sizes for printing out photos [Updated Feb 2016]
Image size Pixels
(Virtual Size of Scans)
Megapixel
rating
Print size (inches)
at 200ppi
Print size (inches)
at 300ppi
640 x 480
0.3
3.2 x 2.4
2.1 x 1.6
1,024 x 768
0.8
5.1 x 3.8
3.4 x 2.5
1,280 x 960
1.2
6.4 x 4.8
4.2 x 3.2
1,504 x 1,000
1.5
7.5 x 5.0
5.0 x 3.3
1,632 x 1,224
2.0
3.3 x 6.1
5.4 x 4.1
2,000 x 1,312
2.6
10.0 x 6.6
6.7 x 4.4
2,240 x 1,488
3.3
11.2 x 7.4
7.5 x 5.0
2,275 x 1,520
3.5
11.4 x 7.6
7.6 x 5.1
2,272 x 1,704
3.9
11.4 x 8.5
7.6 x 5.7
2,590 x 1,920
5.0
13.0 x 9.6
8.6 x 6.4
3,008 x 2,000
6.0
15.0 x 10.0
10.0 x 6.7
4,256 x 2,848
12.1
21.3 x 14.2
14.2 x 9.5
4,536 x 3,024
13.7
22.7 x 15.1
15.1 x 10.1
5,782 x 3,946
22.8
28.9 x 19.7
19.3 x 13.2
Professional/online printing
Some professional services specify lower resolutions for image sizes, so you could get away with smaller image sizes.
Kodak, for example, suggests these resolution/file sizes:
For a 4" x 6" print, the image resolution should be 640 x 480 pixels minimum.
For a 5" x 7" print, the image resolution should be 1024 x 768 pixels minimum.
For an 8" x 10" print, the image resolution should be 1536 x 1024 pixels minimum.
For a 16" x 20" print, the image resolution should be 1600 x 1200 pixels minimum.
For a 20" x 30" print, the image resolution should be 1600 x 1200 pixels minimum.
For a Wallet-size print, the image resolution should be 320 x 240 pixels minimum.
Quality vs file size
This guide shows you the kind of quality you can expect when you're printing out your photos.
Digital camera resolution vs print quality
Capture Resolution
Video Display
Print Size
2x3"
4x5"/4x6"
5x7"
8x10"
11x14"
16x20"
20x30"
320x240
OK
Good
OK
Crap
Crap
Crap
Crap
Crap
640x480
0.3Megapixel
Good
Excellent
Good
Crap
Crap
Crap
Crap
Crap
800x600
Excellent
Photo Quality
Very Good
Reasonable
Crap
Crap
Crap
Crap
1024x768
Excellent
Photo Quality
Excellent
Good
OK
Crap
Crap
Crap
1280x960
1 MP
Excellent
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Very Good
Good
Crap
Crap
Crap
1536x1180
Excellent
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Excellent
Very Good
OK
Crap
Crap
1600x1200
2MP
Excellent
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Very Good
OK
OK
Crap
2048x1536
3 Megapixel
Excellent
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Excellent
Good
OK
OK
2240x1680
4 Megapixel
Excellent
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Very Good
Good
OK
2560x1920
5 Megapixel
Excellent
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Excellent
Very Good
Very Good
3032x2008
6 Megapixel
Excellent
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Excellent
Very Good
3072x2304
7 Megapixel
Excellent
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Excellent
Excellent
3264x2448
8 Megapixel
Excellent
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Excellent
10 Megapixel +
Excellent
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Photo Quality
Crap
Horribly pixelated blocky mess, like something out of 1987
OK
Looks reasonable enough, but nowhere near photo quality
Good
Pretty good all round, with a fair bit of detail
Very Good
This will be fine for most uses, unless you get up reeeeal close
Excellent
As good as a photo for most purposes
Photo Quality
Woohoo! Fantastic quality print, full of detail and perfect for your picture frame or for your showing off your very best shots.
WANT TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK TO PHOTO AGENCIES?
There's no hard and fast rules for stock library resolution requirements, but as a rough guide, you should be looking to get a dSLR camera 10MP and above (you might just get away with 6MP or less for web use only) and remember you'll need model release forms for people featured in your images.
Be sure to check the terms and conditions of the agency you're submitting your work to very carefully and think twice before signing off your very best photos.
Here's a useful guide from a stock library agency: Alamy.com
