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Maximum print size from a Micro 4/3 sensor?

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 9:37 am
by DonS
I am interested in hearing about other photographers' experience with making high quality large prints from cameras with Micro 4/3 sensors.

I have full frame and APS-C sensor cameras and have made tack sharp prints from their images so I know what to expect from these sensors.

In recent years for travel, I have used a mirrorless APS-C camera and been able to make sharp prints up to 24x36. And ability to produce sharp 24x36 prints will meet my needs perfectly.

I have friends who have used the new Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and love it. I see that Panasonic is introducing the Lumix DC-G9 and it looks promising. The ergonomics of these bodies is similar to my DSLRs, which I really like.

Thank you for you responses!

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 9:53 am
by E.J. Peiker
That is almost impossible to answer because there are too many variables:
- sharpness of the capture (lens, sensor, AA filter are all variable just for that alone)
- noise level of the capture
- amount of destructive processing done on the capture
- quality of the uprez algorithm
- viewing distance
- printer
- skill of the person producing the print
- software used to produce the printer
- and probably most important, yours or the viewers perception of what a sharp print is.

Personally, to my standards and eyes, no 24 megapixel APS-C camera is capable of an exhibition quality 36x24 print - you didn't say how many megapixel your APS-C camera is. But many people don't require a print at that level. Since m43 is at most 20 megapixels and assuming all the other factors are equal, you would be able to do about 27x20 print of the same quality - note the aspect ratio change due to using a 4:3 rather than a 3:2 aspect ratio sensor and then scaling it for 20mp rather than 24mp.

Re: Maximum print size from a Micro 4/3 sensor?

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 10:33 am
by DonS
E.J.,
I agree and understand about the variables. My travel camera is a Fujifilm X-T2 with 24 MP APS-C sensor. With great lighting and excellent technique, I have made 24x36 sharp (to my eye) prints for home display.

Your point of 27x20 print makes sense.

One option is for me to rent one or both cameras for a few days. Shoot images and make some prints.

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 11:48 am
by prairiewing
I've never found an absolute definition for "Exhibition Quality" so I'm curious EJ, how do you define that?

Re:

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 12:59 pm
by E.J. Peiker
prairiewing wrote:I've never found an absolute definition for "Exhibition Quality" so I'm curious EJ, how do you define that?
I wouldn't be able to quantify it in any way but I can certainly tell you if I'm looking at a print.  Sorry I can't be more precise.  It is a print that has very well defined fine detail, blades of grass are blades of grass well into the print, not just the foreground.  There is a good level of fine detail and the print exhibits almost a 3D quality.

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 2:02 pm
by signgrap
From my own experience I'm always amazed when I look at a large print from my Sony a7R II. The print just calls out "look at the detail" and invites close inspection. There is so much more to see in a good print than you can see on a good monitor at full size. Sure you can zoom in to 100% but then you're looking a small crop of the image and its totality is lost. Zoom back out and the detail is lost but on a print the detail is still visible.

Re:

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 2:36 pm
by E.J. Peiker
signgrap wrote:From my own experience I'm always amazed when I look at a large print from my Sony a7R II. The print just calls out "look at the detail" and invites close inspection. There is so much more to see in a good print than you can see on a good monitor at full size. Sure you can zoom in to 100% but then you're looking a small crop of the image and its totality is lost. Zoom back out and the detail is lost but on a print the detail is still visible.
Totally agree with that and I would throw in the D810 and D850 into that mix as well but not as much the EOS 5DS(r) as the shadow details coming off of that camera are just plain last decade.

And then you take a whole other step of "realism" (for lack of a better term), when you look at large prints off of the Sony 100 megapixel sensor used in the Hasselblad H6D-100 and the Phase One IQ3-100.

Re: Maximum print size from a Micro 4/3 sensor?

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 4:59 pm
by DChan
Usually on imaging-resource.com their reviews include review of print quality.

Here's what they say about the EM1 Mk II ( 20 megapixels m4/3) :

ISO 64 prints look absolutely superb at 30 x 40 inches (except for reduced dynamic range), with super-sharp detail, excellent color renditioning and an amazing amount of three dimensional "pop" to them. These are simply superb prints in every regard.
Here's re Sony A7R (42.4 megapixels full-frame) for comparison:
ISOs 50 through 200 produce stunningly sharp prints at 30 x 40 inches and higher. And with 42MP resolution to play with you won't likely run out of resolution until the prints are substantially larger. Everything about prints at these lowest ISOs is simply amazing.

Fuji GFX (50 megapixels medium format):
ISO 50 through 1600 images are stunningly detailed with amazingly clean noise characteristics as ISO rises, making the medium-format GFX capable of producing crisp, clear prints all the way up to 30 x 40 inches. Up to ISO 400, images are pretty much identical, and we only start to see a hint of shadow noise -- that appears more like a fine grain -- at ISO 800, which doesn't negatively affect print quality size. Throughout this ISO range, prints are super crisp with tons of resolution, and colors are pleasing and nicely saturated. A stunning print quality performance from the GFX!

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 9:01 pm
by DonS
That's good info. Thanks!