When preparing images for print, it’s important to understand aspect ratio. This describes the shape of your image and whether it’s more square or more rectangular. Your camera captures images in a fixed aspect ratio, and print products each have their own. When the two don’t match, your image will need to be cropped.
This help guide explains what aspect ratio is, how it relates to the images captured by your camera, common print sizes, and why parts of an image may be trimmed if it isn’t cropped correctly before ordering.
What is aspect ratio?
Aspect ratio is the shape of your image. It describes the relationship between its width and height, shown as two numbers such as 3:2 or 4:3.
A key point: aspect ratio is about shape, not orientation.
That means:
- A landscape image (wider than tall) and
- A portrait image (taller than wide)
Can still have the same aspect ratio.
For example, two images with pixel dimensions 6000×4000 (landscape) and 4000×6000 (portrait) are both 3:2. They have the same proportions and the same rectangular shape, just rotated.
You may also hear about a 1:1 aspect ratio, which is a perfect square. Square images are often used for profile pictures, contact sheets, and some social media crops. A rectangular image cannot fit into a square print without cropping because one side will always be longer. The shapes simply don’t match.
Common camera aspect ratios
Most digital cameras capture images in one of a few standard aspect ratios. The most common is 3:2, used by the majority of DSLRs and full-frame mirrorless cameras.
A slightly squarer 4:3 ratio is typical of Micro Four Thirds cameras and many compact cameras, while medium-format digital cameras often use 4:3 or 5:4 for a more squared look.
Smaller cameras and smartphones may offer 16:9 for widescreen images, and some phones also allow 1:1 square captures for social media formats.
Examples of camera models and their native sensor ratios:
- 3:2: Canon EOS R5, Nikon Z7 II, Sony A7 IV, Canon EOS 90D
- 4:3: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III, Panasonic Lumix GH6
- 5:4: Fujifilm GFX 100S (medium format)
- 16:9: Many smartphones in default wide mode (e.g., iPhone 15, Samsung Galaxy S23)
- 1:1: Smartphones with dedicated square capture modes, e.g., iPhone and Google Pixel series
These ratios determine the shape of your images and will affect how they fit into standard print sizes.
Standard print and frame ratios
Our print sizes match standard off-the-shelf frame sizes so that your client can easily display their prints without the need for custom framing. Each print size has a fixed aspect ratio, which determines its shape.
| Print Size | Aspect Ratio |
| 6×4″ | 3:2 |
| 7×5″ | 7:5 |
| 8×6″ | 4:3 |
| 10×8″ | 5:4 |
| A3 / A4 | 1.4:1 |
What happens when the ratios don’t match
When the shape of your image doesn’t match the shape of the print size, cropping occurs.
A printer can’t stretch or squeeze an image into a different shape without distortion, so something has to give. When a mismatch happens the image has to be cropped.
Example: The image below shows how a 3:2 image is cropped to fit a 7×5″ print. Notice what parts of the image are cropped to match the print size.
Example: This image below shows how a 3:2 image is cropped for an 8×6″ print. Notice what parts of the image are cropped to match the print size.
Example: Finally, this image shows how a 3:2 image is cropped for a 10×8″ print. Notice what parts of the image are cropped to match the print size.
What happens to uncropped images
If images are not cropped manually before ordering, our print system will crop them automatically. As our automatic crop tool uses AI, this can unintentionally remove parts of the composition you may consider important, such as:
- heads
- hands
- dress lengths
- feet
- edge details and guests in group photos
- off-centre subjects
Even a small mismatch between image shape and print shape can lead to unexpected trimming.
How to avoid unwanted cropping
To ensure complete control over the final print, you should:
1. Check the aspect ratio before ordering
Make sure the shape of your image matches the print size you want.
2. Crop your images manually
Use your editing software to crop intentionally, rather than leaving it to automatic cropping.
3. Leave space when shooting
Avoid composing too tightly around important elements, this gives you flexibility across different print sizes.
4. Be aware of different product ratios
Frames, prints and albums may all use different aspect ratios, so a little extra room in your composition goes a long way.
Summary
- Aspect ratio determines the shape of your image.
- Orientation doesn’t change aspect ratio, portrait and landscape can share the same ratio.
- Print sizes have fixed aspect ratios, and mismatches cause cropping.
- Cropping can remove key elements unless done intentionally.
- Pre-crop your images to make sure the print matches your creative vision.
