DPI and Resolution - what do they mean when scanning photos?
Are you looking to scan old photos? If so, it's important to understand the difference between pixels, DPI, and resolution.
What are Pixels, DPI, and Resolution?
Pixels are the tiny squares that make up an image. The more pixels there are in an image, the higher the quality of the image.
DPI stands for "dots per inch" and is a measure of how many pixels there are in an inch of an image. The higher the DPI, the higher the quality of the image.
Resolution is a measure of how many pixels there are in an image. The higher the resolution, the higher the quality of the image.
Why is DPI important for photo scans?
DPI stands for “dots per inch” and is a measure of resolution. The higher the DPI, the more detail can be captured in an image. When scanning old photos, it’s important to use a high DPI so that all the details in the photo are captured. Using a high DPI will also make it easier to enlarge or print the photo without losing any detail.
For example, the DPI for the color photo scans done here at PhotoPanda is set to 600. The DPI for the black and white photo scans are set to 1200, and then scaled down in post production. This is because black and white photos have more detail than color photos.
Our scanned images are saved as JPEG files, which is a common file format that can be read by most computer programs. If you want to save and upload your old family photos online then use a PNG or JPG file format. These file formats work best when uploading photos online and are also the most compatible image file types across popular computer programs like Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and Adobe Photoshop.
