# Setting printer resolution



## MichaelBrindle (Apr 30, 2019)

I am persuaded to start printing in Lightroom rather than through Photoshop bu am confused about setting the pdi.  In a recent series of short videos at Marrutt Image Resolution Calculator I am advised to use much higher pdis thansuggested in the newest LT Classic CC by LRQ. An extract form an email from Mrtin Evening Martin Evening says "Lightroom automatically resizes the image data to the print size you have set in the Layout panel. Providing the print output image ends up falling within the range of 180 to 1440 ppi, there is no real need to use the Print Resolution option to interpolate the print data. Basically, Lightroom automatically applies the correct amount of sharpening on a sliding scale between 180 and 1440 ppi and it is best to let Lightroom work out the optimum pixel resolution and sharpening.

With some prints though, it may help to manually increase the resolution. If you are making blow-up prints that contain high-frequency edge detail, it is worth checking the Dimensions info box. This can be done by enabling ‘Dimensions’ in the Print module Guides panel. If the output resolution appears to fall significantly below 360 ppi, and especially if making smaller prints, it may be worth using the Print Resolution box in the Print Job panel to manually set the file’s resolution to 50% more than whatever the native resolution happens to be. When you do this, Lightroom applies an adaptive upsampling routine that combines the Bicubic and Bicubic Smoother interpolation algorithms prior to applying the print output sharpening.”.

Any advice would be welcomed.
Mike Brindle


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## happycranker (May 1, 2019)

For Epson printers the native resolution is 360 PPI and for Canon is 300 PPI, but if required you can upscale to 720/600 and beyond.  It is not optimal to send any other resolution to the printer, as this would require the printer driver to do the interpolation. Yes in LR the re-sampling is done with Bicubic and if  up-sampling uses Bicubic Smoother, automatically.


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## Victoria Bampton (May 1, 2019)

If you ask 10 different people, you'll get 10 different answers, because there isn't one "right" answer. It just depends how much control you want over the process. 

I've based my recommendations on the tests done by Jeff Schewe, because he's far more of an expert on printing that I am. His more detailed tests got the same kind of results I was expecting from my earlier tests. I would bet that if you applied my advice and Martin's advice, you won't be able to see a difference.


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## MichaelBrindle (May 1, 2019)

Thank you, both Victoria and happycranker. I guess I'll have to do my own testing before deciding how I will set up my own Lightroom printing module for my Epson SC P600.


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## msmack (May 4, 2019)

MichaelBrindle said:


> Thank you, both Victoria and happycranker. I guess I'll have to do my own testing before deciding how I will set up my own Lightroom printing module for my Epson SC P600.


I and several people I know have the Epson p600 and Epson p800.  If not billboard size   we print at 300 or 360 and we get very good prints.


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## Bernard (May 5, 2019)

If you really  want the best printing quality, and are ready to  do some testing, then have a look at Qimage Ultimate.
I am using it  for years, and from time to time doing  comparisons with LR ....
If you don't buy it, there is still a lot of information on printing quality.
Bernard


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