Hi guys....I finally figured out how to print pictures off my digital camera...the problem is that they are not the greatest quality. They seem a bit grainy. I mean they are passable, but I am wondering why. I have a cheap (not laser) printer and bought store brand cheap photo paper. Does this make a difference? Any suggestions for how to make them look sharper and clearer? Thanks.

Hi LeeCe..
what I was told when i got my camera is the more mega pixels, the better the printed quality of the picture will be. I think mine is 3.5 pixels. I believe the quality of picture you print depends on your printer also. I have a good printer and my pictures turn out well but if I print them from my friends computer that has a cheaper printer, they go all blotchy and grainy like what you are saying.

Hi I am a photo lab supervisor feel free to e mail me at leahscomp@comcast.net and I will see what I can do to help you out.

Thanks girls!! I don't think my pp will complain, but it's embarrassing that the pictures he sends me are nicer than my own!

LeeCe,
Do you have a nearby Walmart? They have a photo service that will print out high quality photos for around 18 to 19¢ a picture. That is probably cheaper than printing them on your own printer. Just a suggestion.

If they are racy photos you can also have them developed at snapfish...

Thanks X-Ray--I know Walmart does print out photos. My camera does not have a memory stick and I am too broke to get one right now. I am still jammed up from Christmas and a million other things. I don't send anything too racy, but I have never heard of snapfish. What is that? Not that I would ever need to use their services, of course,(heehee)....I just like to know things...Ummmm, you know...to broaden my knowledge and all that (ahem). I would never consider doing anything like that...hmmmmm....LOL Tell me more about snapfish, Kari!!!

Ooops, sorry I mispronounced your name..Kiar1206!!! I got sidetracked for a second!!

It's a photo site. You can upload your photos, view them, and they mail them to you. My son in the service sends me photos and I can choose the ones I want and get prints of them. I haven't sent anything too explicit to my pal but even lingerie can be embarrassing at WalMart and Walgreens depending on who is developing the pictures. It's very easy to use. www.snapfish.com

Photo quality from a digital camera is based on a few thing.
1. The pixels the camera take the pics at. The higher the better. 3.1 and above you will get a better quality.
2. The printer used. I print mine at wal-mart, they come out incredible.
3. cropping the pic. the camera will take the pic at say 22 inches by 17. when viewed. in photo software your dots per inch will be 72. the pics are intended to be scaled down to 8x10,5x7 or 4x6, when you crop, you are taking away the needed * dots per inch* to scale the image down and print a high quality print, resulting in pixelation.

---sorry so long, only way I knew to explain it.