Some labs only print certain file types. I haven't found a local lab in my area that does a good job yet.


I know everyone is talking DPI and file size to find out how big they can print. In my opinion that is secondary. If you do not have the quality detail in the pick to start with it is not going to look good when you blow it up.


I know everyone says that experience is more important than gear, and it is true that if you do not have the experience and take a good picture it isn't going to look good at any size. I like to print big, and I have both the Canon Pro 9500 Mark II and the 9000.


Equipment does matter. I had a 50D, which I gave to my brother a while back. I could never get a pic over 8x10 that I found acceptable to me, however when I owned it I never used a prime with it. The 5D II and 7D have always capable of producing to the 13 x 19 size.


But lenses matter to, primes in general give better quality and detail. You are more likely to be able to go large with a 35mm or 24mm L than you are a 16 x 35mm L II.


So to sum up in general Primes are better than Zooms for this. Better cameras increase your chance as well. If you do not have the skill it does not matter what you own.


Now determining if the pic can hold up I use a simple test. On my 24" monitor I look the pic over in adobe bridge, full screen. If the pic holds up looking at 300x it will for sure hold up printing 13 x 19, at 200x it may be ok, maybe not. If it can't go past 100x most of the time it isn't sharp enough for me. Most of my pics are landscape, wildlife or macro where the detail matters to me. Other types of photography may require less detail, where some softness is ok.


Of course it is all subjective, my opinion of what looks good may be different than other people.