render resolution for a 4m x 2.6m sign?

[Rich O]

What resolution would be a reasonable size to render to be printed as a sign measuring 4m x 2.6m?

 

I requested a the client/printers' give a resolution, but they've simply said "100% at 100dpi" whatever that is meant to mean.

 

Cheers

[Charley89]

Hello!

My calculation at 100dpi is 15748 x 10236 pixels.

[Rich O]

Hmm...out of interest, what calculation did you use to come to that figure?

I'm rendering at 5000 x 3751 and it's taking long enough, 15748 x 10236 would take forever : /

[Corey Beaulieu]

DPI = dots per inch. Take your 4m in inches = 157.48 and multiply by 100 (DPI) = 15748. But if you render it and save at 300 DPI like Vray default then you can divide that number by three; 15748/3 = 5248.33 x 3412 which is only slightly bigger than what I would look at as a standard Hi-Res deliverable.

 

In Photoshop under Image.Image Size you can play with the dpi and document size by un-ticking Resample Image

[salvador]

You can calculate render size in Max; Render menu - Print Size Assistant. I'd go for a 72 DPI and re-scale in PS. For a sign that long, seen at a convenient distance, there's really not a lot of difference; or, just do what Corey said.

[unrinoceronte]

In my NON-Scientific way, i can tell you that i always render an image for signs at 10,000 pixels WIDE, per whatever the Height.... This i do for any sign that is going to be used in the street (even bigger than 4 mts but seen from far)/ lot wall or sign /or printed on a Bus... etc...

 

I do not remember how i got to that 10,000 number, i think it was because of my computer limitations, but i have never got a complaint from the client or print place... and the ones i have seen printed look good.

 

Do not take my word, but i think 10,000 pixels is a good size for this... I will love to hear a good scientific way to do this, or by someone with lots of experience with SIGNS and RENDERS, since i will also love to learn how to calculate this and have a better criteria....

 

Karoly and Corey: are you sure about those numbers? not the math... but the real life experience, meaning is that much pixels necessary for 4mt sign? Can it be rendered with less pixels and still look good printed?

[Zdravko Barisic]

MAIN POINT:

What is THE EYE distance?

Some close up for galleries, or 10-15m?

...

For 10-15m you can freely go for 50DPI, or even lower! Sometimes...

[marcellopagnan]

MAIN POINT:

What is THE EYE distance?

Some close up for galleries, or 10-15m?

...

For 10-15m you can freely go for 50DPI, or even lower! Sometimes...

 

i agree!

i suggest 4092x2660 (26dpi)

this is equal to an A4 print@300dpi: best quality

going over would be only a waste of time

[Reitveld]

I don't think that billboards are printed at such a high resolution. They are seen from such a distance that any detail will be lost due to distance.

You could also just render at a resolution your computer can handle (2400px wide for example) and use a 'enlarging' program like AlienSkin's Blow Up to make the image larger. It does a very good job, and know one will know any pixel blurring problems because of distance.