There's something fun about ordering a really big canvas print. Especially if it's going on your own wall! But believe it or not, there is such a thing as too big when it comes to enlarging photos. Enlarge a photo too much, and you might just end up with a blurry, indiscernible mess.

You can usually get away with something as large as a 20x30 with today's phones and digital cameras. The higher end or semi-pro digital SLR cameras can often go as large as 40x60 without sacrificing too much in the way of image quality. But it ultimately depends on the resolution of the original photo.

What is image resolution?

Image resolution is best defined as the number of pixels contained within each square inch of your print. So if you have 200 pixels per every inch of your image, your image resolution is 200. Pixels come together to produce an image, similar to the way mosaics work. With less pixels per square inch, your image will lack continuity and print results will be blurry or pixelated. More pixels per square inch require a tighter squeeze, creating clearer, smoother results. 

How can I find my photo's resolution?

If you are not able to determine your image resolution with your photo viewing application, another way to check your image or photo's resolution is to view its properties. Resolution is often listed twice - vertically and horizontally.

The simplest way is to use software that measures the resolution of your photo. The EZ Canvas Print Size Checker will allow you to measure your image quality based on the specified print size. Simply select the size you wish and watch as the Print Size Checker measures the resolution for you. You can even select alternate sizes to see how your resolution increases as the print size becomes smaller and decreases as the print size is enlarged.

How do you know when you've enlarged a photo too much?  

In layman's terms, you will know when a photo has been enlarged too much because it will appear either fuzzy or pixelated - very similar to the low quality look of video produced with security cameras at convienience stores. Details such as facial features are lost and images appear overall grainy and blurry. A good rule of thumb is to avoid anything over 2 or 3 times the photo's original size.  

But technically speaking, your image resolution is what ultimately determines how your results will turn out. Professional quality prints will have a resolution somewhere somewhere between 200 and 300 pixels per inch.  A resolution between 125 and 200 will result in decent looking prints, definately suitable for display in homes, offices, and lobbies. A resolution of 100 pixels per inch or less, will likely not produce crisp print results and is not reccommended.