How Many Megapixels Is Considered Photographic Quality?

Image resolution is measured in pixels per inch.

Images with at least 300 pixels per inch are considered high-resolution and photographic quality.

DPI versus PPI

Pay attention to an image's "DPI" (dots per inch) and "PPI" (pixels per inch) amount, as they are not the same but are often used incorrectly and interchangeably. When a photo is printed, dot patterns are used to compose the printed image, and have space or no space between them. The DPI is the number of printed dots and the space between them. With a digital image on a computer screen, square pixels compose the image and never have space between them. PPI is the amount of pixels in an image.

Photographic Quality

300 PPI --- or 150 DPI --- is the accepted standard for photographic quality printing. 150 LPI (lines per inch) or 133 LPI are standard measurements of photographs printed in books and magazines, and 85 LPI is the standard measurement in newspapers.

Locating Image Sizes

Locating an image's PPI can be done using a number of photo editing programs. In Adobe Photoshop --- a program used by many design professionals --- open the image. Select "Image," then "Image Size" to determine the PPI and dimensions.

References

• Design 215 Photography: Printing Guide