What dpi values, for what application??

[The_Prodigy1982]

I'm kinda confused now... my local printshop says it's no use to use to go any higher than 300 dpi for printing work (business card for example).
They also told me that web/online applications normally use 72 dpi.

Now I'm wondering;

• Why do some graphics editing apps give me the option to create a new document in 400 dpi... what's the use of it?
• And would it be better to keep all my web/online graphics in 72 dpi for now on?

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In other words, when should I go for 72, 300 or even 400 dpi??

 

[Just_Me_D]

The higher the DPI the bigger the pic without seeing degradation. 300 dpi is plenty for the “typical” business need - printing/faxing documents, business cards, flyers, etcetera. With that in mind, if you the primary focus is on photography, especially using pics for magazines, posters, billboards, etc., then definitely go with a much higher DPI. In regard to using 72 DPI, that’s kinda low, in my opinion, but I’m not a web designer so I’ll digress.

 

[thejasonhowell]

The higher the DPI the bigger the pic without seeing degradation. 300 dpi is plenty for the “typical” business need - printing/faxing documents, business cards, flyers, etcetera. With that in mind, if you the primary focus is on photography, especially using pics for magazines, posters, billboards, etc., then definitely go with a much higher DPI. In regard to using 72 DPI, that’s kinda low, in my opinion, but I’m not a web designer so I’ll digress.

72 dpi is how the web is displayed

 

[Just_Me_D]

72 dpi is how the web is displayed

I never knew that. Thank you.

 

[The_Prodigy1982]

72 dpi is how the web is displayed

Ah ok... I take it I'm not one of few, who never knew this.
Anyway, wouldn't it be wiser to just create web-graphics in 300dpi as well, just to be future proof... or am I talking nonsense?
(72dpi might be safe for the time being, but what if the near-future becomes a 300dpi standard and we need to change everything all over again??)

 

[shutter]

I know this is old but, DPI is a printing term which stands for dots per inch. PPI is pixels per inch. Not the same thing.