Resolution refers to the amount of information contained in an image, or the number of pixels (dots) in a digital image.  The more "dots per inch" in a given image, the more information it contains.

No image can be "upsized" from its native resolution (meaning the size at which it was recorded), since no application can create any more information than is already present in an image at the time it is taken or scanned.

So, for instance, if you take a photo on a cell phone camera with only 2 megapixels, don't expect to be able to use that image on a large poster, without noticing lots of "dots."   Also, zooming in on a small element within a larger image (eg. a single person in a classroom portrait) will produce similarly bad results. There simply isn't enough information in the image to make it clear when resized.

Your computer screen, by design, only shows low-resolution versions of your image (eg. 72-100 dpi). When you send a project via the Share tab in FotoFusion, the project is by default displayed at a screen resolution. This makes the file size much smaller, which will guarantee that your recipient will receive your image successfully as it will not surpass the download or display limits of their email browser.  If you need your email recipient to print the project, then render it at a jpg and forward them the file (eg. through www.yousendit.com, if it is quite a large file).

Pro-printing labs will usually require a minimum of 200-250 dpi, and usually 300 dpi, to ensure good quality.

However, very large format prints (eg. banners, billboards) are printed at a much lower resolution, because larger "dots" are acceptable. You don't look at a billboard up close to notice the dots, and no printer would be able to handle the memory allocation required to print a 300 dpi wall-sized print.

Rendering projects over 300 dpi won't give you better results. First, most printer can't handle display more than 300 dpi, so the "extra" information will be wasted (and to be honest, you won't be able to see the difference). Second, the native resolution of your images will limit the amount of information available to make the rendered output.

Generally, we recommend rendering to 200-300 dpi, and not changing your image's native resolution from the size they were downloaded from your camera. This guarantees the best possible results

DPI Warnings

FotoFusion contains a warning system for using images on your canvas with too low a resolution.

Using a low resolution image (eg. cell phone camera) or zooming in too close on an image can produce either a mild or severe warning.

This is an example of warnings on the canvas -- red = below acceptable, and yellow = potential problems.

Resolution warnings will also appear when you attempt to output images below the predefined thresholds of acceptable dpi.

Some publishers will set a default value to warn and to block the use of images that do not meet their predefined limits, so if you are using a special build from a book publisher, you will have these limits preset for you. General FotoFusion user can change these warnings to suit their needs.

Click on the EDIT menu item, and choose User Preferences. You can change the DPI warning levels in this area if you would like to set them higher or lower.