Yes photos print beautifully on PVC banners, provided the source image is high enough resolution. Here's what you need to know before sending photos to print.
The 150 DPI Rule
For photos to look sharp on a banner, the image should be 150 DPI at the final banner size. That's the key number. A photo that looks sharp on your phone screen (72 DPI) may look blurry when enlarged to 5ft.
Quick check: an iPhone photo at 12 megapixels (4032 x 3024 pixels) prints clean at approximately 4ft x 3ft. Anything larger and you'll start to see softness.
How Big a Photo Banner Can You Make?
| Source Photo Resolution | Max Banner Size (Sharp) |
|---|---|
| 1080p phone screen grab | Not suitable too low |
| 5 megapixel (2560 x 1920) | 17" x 13" |
| 12 megapixel (4032 x 3024) | 26" x 20" (~2ft x 1.7ft) |
| 24 megapixel DSLR (6000 x 4000) | 40" x 27" (~3ft x 2.3ft) |
| Original professional shoot | Up to 5ft x 5ft (our max) |
What if your photo isn't large enough? More detail here: what happens if your artwork is low resolution.
Photo Banner Best Practices
1. Shoot or source at highest available resolution
iPhone photos from recent years are fine. Facebook / Instagram downloads are NOT fine (heavily compressed).
2. Don't upscale in Photoshop
Photoshop "Enlarge" and AI upscalers can help a tiny bit, but they can't add detail that wasn't in the original. Start with the best source photo.
3. Save as high quality JPG or TIFF
Never resave as a low quality JPG (file size under 1MB for a 5ft banner = red flag).
4. Check colour mode
Photos are RGB by default (phone, camera). Banner printers print in CMYK. Convert before sending CMYK vs RGB explained.
5. Mind the bleed
Photo banners need 3mm bleed on all sides (same as any print). See full artwork spec guide.
Photo Banner Uses That Work Well
- Milestone birthday banners big photo of the birthday person + name + age
- Memorial / celebration of life banners portrait + dates
- Business "meet the team" banners staff photos for exhibitions
- Wedding welcome banners couple photo + names + date
- Sports team banners team line up photo + club crest
We Check Every File Free
Not sure if your photo is big enough? Send it to hello@bannerprintingsameday.co.uk we'll check it and tell you honestly whether it'll print sharp or blurry. Custom photo banner service here.
