How many megapixels do I need for a poster

One of the most common questions asked in photography is “how many megapixels do I need for large blow-ups?” The answer depends on the resolution you choose. Generally, the higher resolution you choose, the better the quality of the printed image. The general rule of thumb is:

• For output to the web use 72 dpi
• For printing high quality photographs use a value of 200 - 300 dpi.

If you wish to send your prints to a print shop, All about Digital Photos has written a fantastic guide explaining what you will need.

If you are printing the images yourself, use the table below as a guide to help you choose the best resolution for your needs.

Paper Size	in mm	Pixels at 300 ppi (dpi*)	Pixels at 150 ppi (dpi*)	Pixels at 72 ppi (dpi*)
A0	841 x 1189	9933 x 14043	4967 x 7022	2384 x 3370
A1	594 x 841	7016 x 9933	3508 x 4967	1684 x 2384
A2	420 x 594	4961 x 7016	2480 x 3508	1191 x 1684
A3	297 x 420	3508 x 4961	1754 x 2480	842 x 1191
A4	210 x 297	2480 x 3508	1240 x 1754	595 x 842
A5	148 x 210	1748 x 2480	874 x 1240	420 x 595
A6	105 x 148	1240 x 1748	620 x 874	298 x 420
A7	74 x 105	874 x 1240	437 x 620	210 x 298
A8	52 x 74	614 x 874	307 x 437	147 x 210
A9	37 x 52	437 x 614	219 x 307	105 x 147
A10	26 x 37	307 x 437	154 x 219	74 x 105

Source: DIN formate faq

* DPI is short for Dots Per Inch and refers to dots per inch used in a printer. PPI is a measure of how an image is printed to a medium such as paper.

For more information about the difference between DPI and PPI as well as a list of the most common mistakes, click on the link below.

The myth of DPI


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