What size file for a billboard?

[mjs1973]

I have been asked to take a group photo for a local business to post on a billboard. When asked what size image they would need to see if it was even possible to do with my gear, the only info I got was A digital picture should work at 300 dpi; basically the higher the
resolution the better it will look on the billboard. That doesn't really answer my question.

I'll be shooting with a 10mp 40D. That will give me a full frame image of 3888 x 2592 pixels, exported at 240dpi. Do you think that will work for a billboard?

Also, any idea what to charge?

[Old Timer]

Mike I have done a couple of billboard pictures and got about the same input from the bill board people when I ask. One of them I shot with the D70 the other with the D200 Nikon. I just did my regular PP and sent them the full file image. Both boards came out great. I'm not very much into the whole tech side I'm more about getting it right in the viewfinder and pushing the button so you can take what I say with a grain of salt.

[mjs1973]

Thanks Larry,

I was hoping you would reply to this since I know you have had a photo used on a billboard.

[mn shutterbug]

Remember, billboards are viewed from quite a distance. I'd think 10 megs would be sufficient. Charge plenty.

[freygr]

Bill broads due to the viewing distance all DPI rules for photo printing do not apply. It's the perceived DPI at the viewing distance that counts.

[Ron Kruger]

I've been a professional photographer for over 30 years, but I only went digital about six month ago, so I'm still on a learning curve with the technology.
I've never shot for a billboard, but I've done cover work for magazines. Most of them ask for "at least 300 dpi." I shoot at low-compression JPEG, which give me an image that is about 10 MP, which is too large to email. If I'm going to email the image, I crop it in PhotoShop at 400 dpi, which give me a file of four or five MP and email that. From what I understand, a good photo editor can expand that to the original size if needed.
I would think that if an image was being expanded to billboard size, however, I would want to start with as large a file as possible, shooting it RAW, then converting it to TIFF, which would give you a file of about 80 MP. I'd put that on a disk and give it to them.
Of course, you have to take into consideration that I'm shooting at 14.6 megapixels, so file size may vary with your equipment, but I believe the principle is sound that the larger the file, the more it will hold up when expanded to billboard size.

[mjs1973]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I will just give them the full res image, and let them do what they need to get it printed at the size they need.

Like others have said, the viewing distance is what's important with a billboard. Up close, I'm sure they image will look like crap, but from a distance, it should look fine.

[Grandpaw]

Mike, for years I was the only one in my area that worked on the phone systems in the jails and prisons for South Central Bell. I always heard the inmates say, "The Bigger the File the better". Didn't hear any mention about billboards though, Jeff

[Skyman]

Billboard printers often don't understand file sizes as they use rip software that interpolates the image to the required size. As everyone else has said though, 10mp should be ok given the viewing distances from a billboard.

[mjs1973]

Just wanted to say thanks again for everyone who chimed in here. The billboard with my photo is now up along. I drive past it everyday on my way home from work. The blue background was put in by someone else. The original image was shot against a tan colored wall in the bank.

[mn shutterbug]

Which one are you? Seriously, that's got to give you a good feeling. I suppose now, your bookmarks will be worth $4 each. Way to go. :thumbsup: