What this mode does
Pick a size, and the page works out which way round the paper should go from the picture’s shape, takes the border off the paper, and either crops the picture to fill what is left or fits it whole. The effective dpi is then simply the picture’s pixels divided by the inches they will cover, and the verdict follows from it.
The saved file is laid out at exactly that density: paper-white canvas, the picture’s own pixels copied in without resampling, and the density written into the file (pHYs in a PNG, JFIF density in a JPEG, resolution tags in a TIFF). A lab that reads density prints it at the size you chose; one that does not can be told the size.
When this is the wrong tool
- A small scan cannot be made into a large sharp print. Below 200 dpi the page recommends rescanning the print at 600 dpi.
- Screens and printers show colour differently. If colour matters, ask the lab for a test print.
- Sheets of several copies with cut marks are not offered yet.
Questions about print a restored photo
What resolution do I need to print a photo?
Labs usually print at 300 dots per inch. The page divides the picture's pixels by the print's inches and shows that effective figure: 300 or more prints sharp at that size, 200 to 299 prints well at arm's length, and under 200 will look soft. The answer to a low figure is a better scan, not enlarging the file.
Why will it not enlarge my photo to 300 dpi?
Enlarging invents pixels by spreading the ones that exist. It raises the number without adding any detail, and the print looks just as soft. The file here is always made of the picture's own pixels, with the density written in so the lab prints it at the size you chose.
What is the difference between Fill the paper and Whole picture?
Fill crops the picture's edges so it covers the paper exactly; the panel says how much is trimmed. Whole picture keeps everything and leaves paper on two sides. A white border, if you add one, goes round either.
Which sizes do labs print?
Common sizes are 4 × 6, 5 × 7, 8 × 10, 8 × 12 and 12 × 18 inches, and A4. Memorial and frame portraits are often 8 × 10 or 12 × 18. These are common practice rather than a standard, so check with your lab. Custom sizes in millimetres are there for anything else.
Can I use a restored photo for a passport or visa?
No. A repaired photograph is an altered photograph, and passport and visa offices ask for unaltered, recent photos. The page says so if you choose a size close to a passport photo.
Related
- Restore an old photographOpens on fade correction, for a print that has gone pale and warm.
- RepairImageDetection, an editable mask and the fill, on one column.
- Restore black and white photosLinked-channel tone so no colour is added; a sepia or selenium print keeps its tone unless you neutralise it.
- When to use a professional restorerWhat a human retoucher does that no automatic fill can, and how to tell which job you have.
