Photo Printing – Different Aspect Ratios

Welcome back for another blog post! It’s been a full week since the last one and we’re hoping you haven’t missed us too much. Today, we’re gonna be delving into a more technical aspect of photo printing/ photography. We’re talking aspect ratio.

Today we’ll be covering the more common aspect ratios when it comes to photo printing/ photography, mainly these 4 – 3:2, 4:3, 1:1 & 16:9.

Now these numbers may not mean much to you now but we hope by the end of it you’ll be able to make sense out of them. It’s crucial that you understand the basics of aspect ratio as this gives you a better idea of which prints would best suit your shot. Let’s get started!

For today, we’ll be covering the aspect ratios of DSLR cameras as well as smartphones.

3:2 Aspect ratio

Let’s start with the cameras. For most DSLRs, the standard aspect ratio is set at 3:2. If you’re looking to print out smaller-sized print for photo printing, we’d recommend going for our 4R Classic Prints. It has the same exact ratio and you’ll be able to print it without cropping anything out. 

If you’re looking for something a little different, check out our Biggies. They’re perfect for 3:2 photos. The only difference is the white border all around. We’ve heard from some of you guys that this white border makes the prints stand out more when compiling photos in a scrapbook.

Of course when shooting with actual cameras, there are some shots that you would want to blow up and display it as your home’s wall decor. One of the prints that we offer include a custom-sized premium print. You can choose the exact dimensions and we’ll even quote you the price on the spot. Click here to find out more.

4:3 aspect ratio

Most smartphones today take photos in a default aspect ratio of 4:3. Why? Simple answer is, it captures the more of a shot than any other format.

Of course you can snap photos in 1:1 and so on but the default is usually 4:3. So, which prints would fit this ratio? If you’re looking for a relatively small print, go for the 6R.

However, we understand that the standard size is often a 4R and the 6R might just be too big. In that case, you might want to opt for our Smallies if you don’t mind a white border around your photo. They work great for this aspect ratio!

1:1 aspect ratio

A format that has risen to popularity thanks to Instagram, the square. Some of us are avid Instagrammers and may even snap photos in this format well, just because. It’s available on both iPhones as well as Android phones. 

To cater to the square format, we have a couple of standard square sizes that we offer. You can go for our 6S (15.2cm x 15.2cm) or 8S (20.3cm x20.3cm) under our Classic Prints. You can also check out our IKEA Photo Frame Sizes from as small as 10cm x 10cm and as big as 50cm x 50cm.

16:9 aspect ratio

Now this format is not commonly used in photography. However, we see it quite often as it is the standard aspect ratio for motion pictures.

The nature of this photos are often of well, nature. We don’t have a standard size for this ratio simply because they aren’t common. But you can look into our custom sizes. Do note that they have to be at least 20cm long on each side. 

Cropping

All these may seem a little confusing but not to worry, when placing your order on our website, we will automatically let you know if your photos require cropping. Below is an image of how it will look like if you photos need to be cropped.

 

Different aspect ratios comparison

Here’s a diagram that further illustrates the difference in the aspect ratios that we’ve mentioned.

And that’s all we have for you today! We hope we’ve clarified some of the doubts you had with regards to aspect ratio and 3:2, 4:3, 1:1 & 16:9 mean more than just numbers. Do check out our extensive range of prints at Print For Fun Photo Printing

We’ll be back for more soon. In the meantime check out our previous posts here.

Till the next one, cheers!

P.S – something great’s coming to you this weekend!