Q: Do my photographs
have to be in any particular format to share
and print?
A: Yes, posterposter.biz
currently supports JPEG, tiffs, bitmaps, psd,(.jpg)
images.
Q:
Why did I receive a JPEG error when uploading
an image using the Browse Upload?
A: The image you
attempted to upload was either not a JPEG
or was a broken JPEG. A JPEG is considered
broken when there are inconsistencies in the
original image file. JPEGs created by older
image editors, like Photoshop 3 and earlier,
may not work correctly either. Please use
a current version of an image editor to save
your images out as a new JPEG file. Make sure
to choose the lowest compression setting in
doing so to maintain the best image quality
for printing your picture.
Q:
What are the minimum recommended resolutions
for JPEG images?
A: When you order pictures, you may get
a "not recommended" message.
This means that the resolution of your
picture is too low for the size of print
you want. We recommend comparing the resolution
of your pictures to our resolution guidelines.
Using these resolutions as a guide will
help you print the best pictures possible.
(Please note that our recommendations
are based ONLY on the overall resolution
of your picture, and not on the overall
quality or clarity of the original picture.
We are not and cannot be responsible for
the original picture being blurry or out-of-focus,
even if there is sufficient resolution
to be 'recommended'.)
Pictures that fall below our recommended
resolution guidelines may look okay when
viewed online, but will appear blurry
and pixelated — that is, the image
will appear blocky, with jagged rather
than straight edges — when enlarged
and printed.
To check the resolution of your pictures
once you have transferred them to posterposter.biz,
go to the View page and click on the thumbnail
image; you will then see a larger version
of the picture, with recommended print
sizes. Above these, hold your cursor over
the lowercase 'i'. Among the information
displayed you will find the resolution.
For large-format prints (11x14, 16x20,
and 20x30), our recommendations are similar
to those for an 8x10, although you may
wish to help ensure the best possible
print by using an image that is 3 megapixels
or larger.
Our resolution recommendations are as
follows:
Image
Resolution
Maximum
print size
less than 640 x 480
Only wallet-size prints recommended
640 x 480
Absolute minimum resolution for
4x6
(results will vary)
1024 x 768
Minimum recommended resolution
for 4x6
1152 x 864
Minimum recommended resolution
for 5x7
1600 x 1200
Minimum recommended resolution
for 8x10 or larger
For large-format prints (11x14, 16x20, and
20x30), our recommendations are similar to
those for an 8x10, although you may wish to
help ensure the best possible print by using
an image that is 3 megapixels or larger.
Q:
What if my image is a non-standard size?
A: If you don't apply
the crop tool to your picture yourself, Signco
will automatically crop your image to fit
the dimensions of the print size you chose.
If we have to crop from the sides of the image
to make it fit the paper, we crop an equal
amount from each side. If we have to crop
from the top or bottom of the image, we crop
an equal amount from both the top and bottom.
Q:
What does image resolution mean?
A: Resolution refers
to the number of pixels in an image. Resolution
is sometimes referred to by the width and
height of the image as well as the total number
of pixels in the image. For example, an image
that is 1600 pixels wide and 1200 pixels high
(1600x1200) contains 1,920,000 pixels (or
almost 2 Megapixels).
Q:
How are resolution and file size related?
A: In general, the
rule is: the higher the resolution of the
picture, the greater the file size. JPEG (.jpg)
compression can reduce the size of the file,
but it also affects the quality of the image.
Many digital cameras and photo editing programs
allow you to control the amount of JPEG compression.
Increasing the amount of compression reduces
the file size but also reduces image quality.
Q:
What does posterposter.biz mean by "not
recommended" when I am ordering my pictures?
A: When you order pictures, we may email
you a "not recommended" message.
This means that the resolution of your
picture is too low for the size of print
you want. We recommend comparing the resolution
of your pictures to our resolution guidelines.
Using these resolutions as a guide will
help you print the best pictures possible.
For large-format prints (11x14, 16x20,
and 20x30), our recommendations are similar
to those for an 8x10, although you may
wish to help ensure the best possible
print by using an image that is 3 megapixels
or larger.
Our resolution recommendations are as follows:
Image
Resolution
Maximum
print size
less than 640 x 480
Only wallet-size prints recommended
640 x 480
Absolute minimum resolution for
4x6
(results will vary)
1024 x 768
Minimum recommended resolution
for 4x6
1152 x 864
Minimum recommended resolution
for 5x7
1600 x 1200
Minimum recommended resolution
for 8x10 or larger
For large-format
prints (11x14, 16x20, and 20x30), our recommendations
are similar to those for an 8x10, although
you may wish to help ensure the best possible
print by using an image that is 3 megapixels
or larger.
We also recommend that you use the least
jpeg compression possible. While high
resolution and low compression will increase
image upload times, they will produce
the best results.
Q:
If I have a digital camera, can I take photographs
using any resolution setting?
A: Many digital cameras, especially those
that are rated at 2+ megapixels, allow
you to select from a choice of image resolutions.
Posterposter.biz recommends that you always
use the highest resolution setting that
your digital camera allows if you plan
to make prints. Similarly, many digital
cameras also allow you to choose the amount
of JPEG compression. The compression levels
are frequently listed as Normal or Basic,
Fine, and Superfine (or sometimes High
Quality). If the camera has 2+ Megapixels,
posterposter.biz recommends either the
Fine or Superfine setting (using the Fine
setting will reduce the file size at the
expense of slightly reduced image quality).
If the digital camera has less than 2
Megapixels, we recommend the setting with
the least amount of compression (Superfine).
The specifics of setting the digital camera
resolution and JPEG compression level
can be found in the user manual for your
digital camera.
For large-format prints (11x14, 16x20,
and 20x30), you may wish to help ensure
the best possible print by using an image
that is 3 megapixels or larger.
