Choose the shape
Choose this family when a matching image should retain its full composition. Check the actual file dimensions first: an edited copy may no longer have the shape of the original, even if the camera initially produced a 3:2 image.
| Property | Example |
|---|---|
| Matching landscape pixels | 3000 × 2000 |
| Example print sizes | 4 × 6, 8 × 12, 16 × 24 inches |
| Equivalent orientation | 3:2 landscape |
Fill the frame
A landscape 4000 × 3000 source is 4:3, so it is taller than a 3:2 frame at the same width. Filling a 6 × 4 inch frame retains an ideal 4000 × 2666⅔ pixel region and removes one-ninth of the original area, about 11.11%. The retained region supplies about 666.67 PPI.
Keep the whole photo
Keeping that entire image in the same 6 × 4 frame makes it 5⅓ × 4 inches. Centred placement leaves a one-third-inch border on each side and gives 750 PPI. This preserves the top and bottom content that the fill crop would remove.
What the ratio cannot tell you
A 10 × 15 cm product and a 4 × 6 inch product share the 2:3 shape, but they are not the same physical size. The ratio can match while the outside dimensions differ. Use exact units when the print must fit an existing opening.