Question on Resolution

In auto mode, I am getting pictures of only 72 resolution. I need a minimum of 300. How do I set that setting on a Sony DSC-HX100V?

Answer:

I believe you are confusing display and or print resolution with the image resolution your camera captures. The Sony DSC-HX100V captures images at a resolution of 16.2 megapixels at the default or normal setting. The numbers you are referring to would be either the numbers of Pixels Per Inch (PPI) or Dots Per Inch (DPI). These numbers have nothing to do with the image resolution your camera captures, but are settings that determine how the image is displayed on a computer monitor or printed using a photo printer. As such they are not set in the camera itself but are often controllable by the software you use to display or print your images.

The 72 PPI (pixels per inch) you reference is the typical or standard resolution for displaying an image on a computer display or a website. 72 PPI is pretty much the standard pixel per inch ratio for displaying a high-resolution image on a computer monitor. The pixel per inch settings you are referring to simply tell you how big you can print or display your image and are not indicative of the resolution your camera captures.

To illustrate this let's consider the 16.2-megapixel image captured by your Sony HX100V. That image would measure 4608 pixels by 3456 pixels. When displayed at 72 PPI the image from your Sony camera would by 64 inches x 48 inches at its full size. However, if the same image was displayed or printed at 300 PPI then it would measure 15.36 inches x 11.52 inches (4608/300 = 15.36 x 3456/300 = 11.52). It is exactly the same resolution image but would print at vastly different sizes depending on how many pixels per inch your program is set to print at.

As I already mentioned the normal resolution used when displaying an image on a computer monitor is 72 PPI however you need a much higher pixel per inch count to print the same picture out on a photo printer. This is why almost all programs allow you to set the pixel per inch setting when you select a photo to be printed. Most print drivers built into graphic or photo programs allow you to set the PPI (pixel per inch) setting you to want to use to have the photo printed. Typical settings range from 72 to 300 PPI or sometimes even higher such as 600 PPI.

Now back to your Sony Camera…when looking at the photo in a photo viewing program you will likely be viewing it a 72 PPI but when you go to print that same photo you would normally want to select a higher PPI setting such as 300 PPI to obtain a photo-quality print. Either way, the photo is still the same resolution (16.2 megapixels) however the size the image is printed or displayed will be vastly different depending on the number of pixels per inch you set in your software.

If you do need to change the pixel per inch setting of your photos from 72 PPI to 300 PPI then most photo editing programs allow you to change the pixels per inch setting on a photo when you save it. One thing you have to be careful of when saving the photo at a higher pixel per inch setting is that you avoid re-sizing or re-sampling the photo as doing so can result in a lower quality image.

If you need further assistance in saving a photo at a different pixel per inch settings you should consult the help section of your photo viewing or editing software program for additional information.

About papixelhub

Hi there, I’m Prem Amrit ! I’m an entrepreneur and digital marketing consultant from Patna, India. I founded my own digital agency, where I help SMBs leverage social media, SEO, and content marketing to grow their traffic and generate qualified leads for their business. I started Papixelhub in 2019 as a side project to document all the strategies, tools, and tactics that I was using to grow my small agency. The goal was simple: to arm other solopreneurs with all the right information they needed to launch a successful business.