Q: "How big can I print my digital files?"

Born Digital are images created with a digital camera.  We recommend that your files be kept or converted to 16-bit mode (16-bit grayscale or 48-bit RGB). If you are using a color-managed system or have a professional retoucher, you may send us the retouched file without interpolating the file to a specific ppi. We will scale the file as necessary when printing.

You can use your own scaling software, such as Genuine Fractals. We do not recommend that this be used to enhance details that, in reality, were not captured in the image. There is no software that can create detail where it does not exist. The only solution is to return to the scene or event and re-photograph it in a higher resolution. 

Large prints may print beautifully when they are scaled up from 72 ppi to 300 ppi, depending on the subject matter.  When the subject matter is soft with broad tones and no fine details, it is more likely to meet the best visual standards, even when printed with significant scaling. Conversely, an image with fine details may not print with acceptable quality if the original resolution falls below 200 ppi for a given print size regardless of how you scale the image to 300 ppi (printing level). A finely detailed subject photographed with a 12 mega pixel (MP) camera, can be expected to produce a maximum print size of 15 x 20 inches (not including a border).  If the subject matter is, for example, in a Pictorialistic style with soft tones and no fine details, the same 12 MP camera might produce a perfect 42 x 56 inch image (or a 4 x 5 foot print with 2-3 inch border).

Resolution to Print Size Guide

Mega-Pixels (MP)	Approximate Pixel Dimensions	Highest Detail	Normal Detail	Soft Pictorial, Low Detail	8x10 scan ppi
8	3,264 x 2,448	8 x 11" print	12 x 16" print	34 x 45" print	330 ppi
10	3,888 x 2,592	9 x 13" print	13 x 19" print	36 x 54" print	390 ppi
12	4,000 x 3,000	10 x 13" print	15 x 20" print	42 x 56" print	400 ppi
15	4,752 x 3,168	11 x 16" print	16 x 24" print	44 x 66" print	480 ppi
18	5,184 x 3,456	12 x 17" print	17 x 26" print	48 x 72" print	520 ppi
21	5,616 x 3,744	12 x 19" print	19 x 28" print	52 x 78" print	570 ppi
30	6,496 x 8,872	16 x 22" print	24 x 32" print	68 x 90" print	650 ppi
33	6,726 x 5,040	17 x 22" print	25 x 34" print	70 x 93" print	680 ppi
45	7,216 x 5,412	18 x 24" print	27 x 36" print	75 x 100" print	730 ppi
56	9,288 x 6,000	20 x 31" print	30 x 46" print	83 x 129" print	930 ppi

For more information see our White Paper (Rules of Thumb) which is available for download (PDF).

Q: "How do you care for your pigment ink prints?"

Pigment ink prints are a great improvement from traditional chromogenic printing for creating superb, long-lasting color images. Even with these improvements, care must be taken to protect them -- a necessity for all works of art on paper. Below are tips on taking the appropriate precautions as currently recommended by photographic conservators.

Protecting the surface of your prints

There are three primary components to a pigment ink print:

• 1. Support: often a high-grade cotton rag paper which provides the mechanical support for your image, but it can also be plastic, fabric, or metal.
• 2. Coating: often a micro-porous ceramic structure that looks like a sponge under high magnification. This receives the ink and bonds the ink and the paper together.
• 3. Pigment Ink image: sits on the surface of the paper bonded by the coating.

Since the pigment ink sits on the surface of the print it is susceptible to abrasion damage. There is great variance in the durability of print surfaces, but generally matte surfaces are more fragile than semi-gloss surfaces. Prints that have not been framed should be stored with archival interleaving between prints and the set should be kept in a polyethylene (PE) or similar protective bag.
Ideally your pigment ink prints should be framed, to protect the prints and so they can be enjoyed. When framing, use acid-free archival materials. If the materials are not acid-free they may leach out over time, be absorbed by the coating and stain the print.

Pollutants and oxidizers

The coating on pigment ink prints is absorbent so that it can receive the pigment and bind to it correctly. The coating remains absorbent after printing and can act as a blotter and absorb pollutants. Pollutants vary, thus the effect of this is not fully understood. To be cautious, pigment ink prints should be protected from any type of pollutants.

Protection from Ultraviolet Rays

Pigment ink prints are proving to be quite light-fast versus chromogenic photographic prints, but still pigment ink prints will fade under strong light. Ultraviolet light (UV) is the most damaging of the spectrum and therefore direct sunlight or other light sources rich in UV should be avoided.

Documenting provenance

We do not mark prints unless directly requested by the artist, but we recommend that you label each one or include the sheet that KAS provides of the print specifications with each print. This not only helps galleries, museums, and collectors handle the prints appropriately, but if the print needs conservation in the future, this information is critical to the photographic conservator.

Q: "How do I provide my data?"

If your digital file is under 20 MB, it can be emailed to us. Anything larger than 20 MB must be uploaded to our FTP site. Please call us at 917-853-0592 before sending any attachments or for information on how to upload files to our site.

Q: "What are test targets used for?"

Test targets are used for a few reasons:

• 1. To calibrate the input device. When a target is captured, the device looks at the results and makes adjustments to calibration files to get the device to perform-to-spec.
• 2. To create color profiles. This process is usually separate from the calibration of the input device (see above). In some cases the input device manufacturer will set up the calibration to use the same chart. Often the color profile (CMM file) is made by another independent software company (GretagMacbeth or X-Rite are two providers). This step is used to create a profile that will tell other applications how to deal with the information found in the color-managed digital file. Often the profile is only used until the image is converted to a more common/generic color space like AdobeRGB 1998 or ProPhotoRGB.
• 3. To evaluate and monitor the input device. Some charts have resolution targets, gray patches, and other devices that allow you to evaluate the actual resolution achieved and whether there are any tone or color problems. This can be used to determine if the device is in focus or the file is not interpolated, and to check tone and color balance.
• 4. As a visual reference. When used with a grayscale or color bars Q14 can be a tool to determine whether or not there have been modifications to the digital image. (A good grayscale is preferred for this as the Q14 is specific to a printing press workflow.) This can also be used to make adjustments to the image, but should not be considered the primary tool.

Q: Definitions

Digital Master: an uncompressed file intended to reduce the need to rescan an image for future applications. The file is in an open source format that ensures the file will be readable for years to come. All image adjustments (color correction tone adjustments, sharpening, and compositing) are saved in separate layers so that all adjustments are reversible. The file size is generally large, from 50MB to1GB.

Derivatives: copies from the Digital Master are generated, usually through automation, to serve today’s applications. These files are disposable, because they can easily be recreated. Derivatives are usually compressed and reduced in size to facilitate day-to-day use of the files, including use on slower equipment and networks.

Layers: a feature which allows for modifications and masking of the original image without permanent change to the original. A color correction that is made in a layer can be removed or adjusted in the future.

CCD (Charge-Coupled Device): an electronic memory that records the intensity of light as a variable charge. Widely used in still cameras, camcorders and scanners to capture images, CCDs are analog devices. Their charges equate to shades of light for monochrome images or shades of red, green and blue when used with color filters. Devices may use three CCDs, one for each of the red, green and blue colors.