Digital File Setup Guide
In order for us to provide consistent quality results from your digital image files, we need to create some guidelines by which files are created and organized prior to delivery to our lab. By following these standards, your order will not only be completed in a more timely manner, but in many cases at a lesser cost to you.
Digital Camera Media And Camera Phone Media:
We are able to print from Compact Flash, Micro Drives, Smart Media, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo and Pro, XD, SD, Mini-SD, MMC, RS-MMC, Trans Flash, Mini CD and Floppy.
- Acceptable file formats are JPEG and TIFF only.
- We cannot make prints from video clips
- Most people find prints made from files with a resolution of 640x480 unacceptable. We recommend a minimum file resolution of 1600x1200 for quality 4x6 prints. See our Resolution Explained information on our counter or website.
CD, DVD, USB Jump/Thumb Drives, ZIP Disks And Online File Delivery:
We accept CDs, DVDs , ZIP 100/250 (PC & Mac), USB drives, and files through our website Drop Box and FTP site. All media will be subjected to a virus scan before being accepted.
- Image files must be JPEG or TIFF (please indicate if your media is MAC format).
- All files must be saved in 8-Bit RGB color and cannot have any layers, channels, paths or LZW compression.
- File names must have only one period (.) followed by jpg or tif . There cannot be any apostrophes ( ' ), exclamation points (!), or other characters (#,~,%,$, etc).
- File names should not be longer than 20 characters.
- Files should be sized properly to the print size requested to avoid cropping (ie.4x6 sized file for a 4x6 print).
- For photographic quality results, resolution should be 300 ppi at print size.
Color Space:
If you are using a point and shoot digital camera, we suggest that you do not try to adjust the color or density of your images. We look at and correct each photo as we are printing them. If you are using a digital SLR camera, we ask that you shoot your images in the sRGB color space, as this is native to all digital cameras and is the color space that our digital printers are calibrated. If you shoot raw files and convert them in Photoshop, we advise leaving them in the sRGB color space instead of converting them to Adobe RGB.
IPhoto CDs:
Please do not use iPhoto CDs to deliver files to us. Apple's file organizing and sharing program called iPhoto creates multiple copies and thumbnail images in multiple folders and subfolders. Rather, select your image files and burn them to a CD with conventional CD writing software.
Professional Photographers - CDs and FTP with Organized File Folders (OFF System):
Digital Camera Images
| Mega Pixel Size | Image Resolution | Outstanding Print 300 ppi | Very Good Print 200 ppi | Fair Print 100 ppi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 480 x 640 | - | Wallets | Up to 4x6 |
| 1.2 | 768 x 1024 | Wallets | Up to 4x6 | Up to 8x10 |
| 1.5 | 1024 x 1280 | Up to 3x5 | Up to 5x7 | Up to 10x15 |
| 2 | 1200 x 1600 | Up to 4x6 | Up to 6x9 | Up to 11x14 |
| 2.5 | 1368 x 1712 | Up to 5x7 | Up to 8x10 | Up to 12x18 |
| 3 | 1536 x 2048 | Up to 5x7 | Up to 8x10 | Up to 16x20 |
| 4 | 1800 x 2400 | Up to 6x9 | Up to 11x14 | Up to 18x24 |
| 6 | 2016 x 3040 | Up to 8x10 | Up to 12x18 | Up to 20x30 |
* All files, sizes & print quality were determined by their camera's highest resolution setting using the standard 7:1 JPEG ratio
| ORIGINAL IMAGE | SCANNED IMAGE | OUTSTANDING PRINT SCAN | VERY GOOD PRINT SCAN | FAIR PRINT SCAN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4X6 OR 5X7 | 4X6, 5X7, 8X10, 11X14, 16X20, 18X24, 20X30 | 300 DPI | 600 DPI | 1200 DPI | 150 DPI | 300 DPI | 600 DPI | 72 DPI | 150 DPI | 300 DPI |
| 8X10 OR 11X14 | 4X6, 5X7, 8X10, 11X14, 16X20, 18X24, 20X30 | 150 DPI | 300 DPI | 600 DPI | 100 DPI | 150 DPI | 300 DPI | 72 DPI | 100 DPI | 150 DPI |
* All files, sizes & print quality were determined by their camera's highest resolution setting using the standard 7:1 JPEG ratio.
