, 1 min read
The right resolution for poster printing: is 300 dpi always necessary?
The larger the print, the lower the dpi it needs. Here is how to prepare your file for the viewing distance.
The most common rule you hear when sending files to a printer is "300 dpi". That rule is right for a brochure or a business card, because they are read from 30 cm away. A poster is a different story.
Viewing distance changes everything
From a given distance, the human eye can only tell apart a certain amount of detail. A 50 × 70 cm poster is viewed from about 1 meter, and at that distance 150–200 dpi is enough. A banner on a building facade is seen from 20 meters, where even 20–30 dpi looks flawless.
- A3 and A2: 200–300 dpi
- 50 × 70 and 70 × 100 cm: 150–200 dpi
- Billboards and facades: 20–50 dpi
Calculating the pixels
To find the pixels you need, convert the print size to inches and multiply by the dpi. A 50 × 70 cm poster is 19.7 × 27.6 inches; at 150 dpi it needs about 2950 × 4130 pixels.
If your file is too small
Enlarging a low-resolution image does not add detail, it only enlarges the blur. When you send us your file, we check for free the largest size it can be printed at without problems.