What is an Image Resolution: Sizes, Types And More Explained

Print and image resolutions are two crucial elements in graphic design and advertisement printing. Most often, a badly printed hoarding or banner is caused by a wrong combination of image resolution, size, and type. Companies often try to print large-size branding panels and aluminium composite boards without realising the resolution and size specifications.

To establish clarity, in this article, we explore everything you need to know about resolutions, including what is an image resolution, what makes a photo high resolution, and more.

What is an Image Resolution?

An image resolution is essentially the amount of detail or specific information that is stored within its defined space. This is either measured in pixels or dots.

In simpler words, the resolution defines the amount of pixels used to make a photo or the number of dots it takes to print.

In that respect, PPI and DPI are two of the most common expressions of image quality. PPI or Pixels Per Inch and DPI or Dots Per Inch are directly proportional to the image quality, that is, the higher the PPI or DPI number, the better the quality of the image.

What does a High Resolution Photo Mean?

A high-resolution image or photo has a higher concentration of pixels or dots in its composition. In other words, it carries more detail within its space by using more pixels or dots. When considering what is a high-resolution photo, it typically refers to an image with at least 300 Pixels Per Inch (PPI), ensuring sharpness and clarity for professional printing and digital use.

An image that has 300 Pixels Per Inch (PPI) or more is considered to be a high-res photo. This level of detail ensures clarity and sharpness, making it suitable for professional printing and digital use. When asking, “What is considered a high-res image?” the answer typically revolves around the PPI count, with 300 PPI being the industry standard for high-quality visuals.

What is the DPI for high resolution photos?

In terms of DPI or print requirements, a high resolution image typically has 300 Dots Per Inch (DPI) or more. This translates to sharper and more detailed prints, perfect for advertising or printing on assets like aluminium composite boards and branding panels. These boards are commonly used for shopfront signs, construction site hoardings, and outdoor business signage, where durability and high-quality print clarity are essential.

What is a Good Resolution for a Photo?

For most print uses, a photo with a resolution of 300 PPI or 300 DPI is considered a good-quality photo. However, an optimal resolution depends on other factors as well, including the print size and viewing distance.

For digital images, 72 PPI is considered to be a standard resolution.

What is higher quality JPEG or PNG?

Among JPEG and PNG image file types, PNG is generally considered higher quality as it utilises a loss-free compression process. This means, there is no loss of data during compression.

JPEG, on the other hand, uses a loss-prone or lossy compression process, which can cause some level of quality degradation.

Images in Photoshop

Brands and printing companies often use Photoshop to optimise their image files before printing them out to create branding panels or other physical assets for advertising. The attributes we apply to the image in Photoshop directly affect the outcome.

Resolution in Photoshop refers to the amount of detail composing an image. When asking what is resolution in Photoshop, it specifically refers to the number of pixels per inch (PPI) in an image, determining its clarity and quality. A higher resolution ensures sharper prints, while a lower resolution may result in pixelation or blurriness.

How to Check Picture Resolution?

• To check the picture resolution on your system, right-click the image and select “Properties” from the menu options.
• This will open a window with the details of the image.
• Then, click on the “Details” tab to find information regarding the image’s resolution and dimensions.

How to Improve Image Quality in Photoshop?

To improve image quality, Photoshop provides a range of features, including an impressive AI-powered tool.

Here are some options:

• Super Resolution – Photoshop’s AI-powered tool intelligently improves image quality by upscaling a low-resolution image to a higher resolution while preserving the details.
• Sharpening – helps sharpen the edges and specific details of an image, making it appear more defined.
• Noise reduction – helps reduce ‘noise’ in an image that may otherwise make it appear unclear.
• Contrast and colour adjustments – Adjusting attributes like hue, saturation, and colour balance can also help improve image quality to an extent.

Pixels and Images: a Few Things to Know

A few common questions when it comes to pixels and images, such as what is 300 DPI, are addressed below.

What size in pixels is A4?

An A4 page, with a standard print resolution of 300DPI, is approximately 3508 pixels high and 2480 pixels wide.

What is 300 DPI in pixels?

To convert print size into pixels for a standard 300 DPI resolution image, you need to multiply the height and width by 300. Hence, a 10*10 image of 300 DPI in pixels would be (10*300) = 3000 pixels by 3000 pixels.

Wrapping Up

From the meaning of image resolutions to its measuring techniques and optimisation, this article covers everything you need to know about obtaining a high-quality print. Refer back to the details to generate perfect print assets such as hoardings and banners.

For high-quality print assets, contact Hoarding Printing Company.