Image Resolution Explained in InDesign

Contrary to popular opinion, the Actual resolution of a file is absolutely meaningless when it comes to printing. Only the Effective resolution matters.

0:00 - Explaining demo assets
0:35 - PPI vs DPI
0:56 - The scenario
2:10 - Links panel
3:12 - Actual PPI vs Effective PPI
4:25 - Conclusion
5:24 - Closing example

The Actual resolution of an image is set when it is created, such as when it is exported out from Photoshop. When such an image is Placed into InDesign, the Actual resolution, which is embedded within the file, is honoured. Therefore, images with identical pixel dimensions may be initially placed at different sizes within InDesign if they have different Actual resolutions.

Images can easily be resized within InDesign. When they are their Effective resolution changes. When it comes to printing, the Actual resolution of images is irrelevant and only the Effective resolution needs to be monitored. It's common to ensure that Effective resolutions are above 300PPI (Pixels Per Inch). However, there are many printing situations, such as newspapers, when the required resolution may be considerably lower.

Both the Actual and Effective resolutions of an image can be seen in the Links panel within InDesign.

Видео Image Resolution Explained in InDesign канала Michael Bullo