Standard photo sizes - different print sizes explained
Sunny holidays. Magical weddings. Funny selfies with the dog. You’re itching to print all the amazing moments you’ve caught on camera, but might feel a little baffled by all the different photo print sizes to choose from.
After all, you’ve probably taken photos in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Your phone, computer and social media are all jam-packed with a mix of great landscape, portrait and square images, and picking the perfect photo sizes will make sure they’re printed just the way you want them.
Before you start printing all your best snaps, you’ll need to understand more about standard photo sizes, aspect ratios and how to find the photo print sizes for you. Don’t panic, we’re about to make everything so much clearer.
How standard photo print sizes work
Photo sizes are typically measured in inches, and each measurement relates to the long and short sides of the print. That much is pretty clear,
However, it’s important to note that photo prints don’t have a set orientation. Take a 7x5” photo print as an example - this could either be 7 inches tall and 5 inches wide (for a portrait photo) or 7 inches wide and 5 inches tall (for a landscape photo).
So, if you’re looking at a list of photo sizes and feel confused over which measurement relates to which size, remember it doesn’t matter and you can print photos either way around. Most standard photo sizes can also be ordered in bulk, so choose these sizes to enjoy the best printing prices!
Why do photo sizes matter?
When it comes to your precious photos, size really does matter. They might look great on your phone and computer screen, but print photos in the wrong sizes and you’ll soon be looking at cropped, blurry or stretched images and wondering where on earth it all went wrong. Nobody wants that.
In an ideal world, you’d know exactly what size your photo will be before you even take it, so you can make sure you’re using the right aspect ratio and won’t have to crop anything out.
However, many of us simply pick up our phones and start snapping away - you just want to take some quick holiday snaps, not sit around worrying about aspect ratios. That’s why you’ll want to stick to the standard photo sizes we offer at Max Spielmann, since it’s really easy to find the perfect fit for normal everyday photos taken on iPhones and Android phones.
Even better, sticking to standard photo sizes means it’s always really easy to find photo frames and photo albums that fit your pictures - so you can get them on display without any fuss! Don’t worry if you’re experimenting with different photo sizes, though, you can always design custom made-to-measure frames in one of our stores.
What size is a standard photo?
By some distance, the most common photo print size is 6x4”. This is the normal, average photo size for anyone who just wants to quickly print photos from a phone and share them with friends, put them in a small frame, or stick them in an album without any fuss.
Yes, you can order 6x4” photo prints online and collect them in a Max Spielmann store just 20 minutes later. This is one of the quickest, easiest and most popular ways to print photos.
A list of the most common standard photo print sizes
When printing photos online, you’ll soon come across a dizzying list of photo sizes and prices. You’ve got absolutely no idea what you need, start scratching your head for a while, and inevitably end up with photo prints you’re not completely happy with you. And that simply won’t do.
While there’s no such thing as a “best” photo print size, we’re going to help you find out which standard photo sizes are right for you and your one-of-a-kind photos.
6x4” photo prints
Aspect ratio: 3:2
This is the most popular photo print size in the UK. Since 6x4” photo prints mirror the 3:2 aspect ratio of most digital camera viewfinders, they’re the perfect choice for anyone just looking for a normal photo size.
The smallest standard photo size, 6x4” prints are also the best choice if you’re printing lower quality photos, since larger sizes will make them appear grainy or blurry. This picture size is also perfect for creating framed photo prints, photo albums and personalised greeting cards.
7x5” photo prints
Aspect ratio: 3.5:2.5
A little larger and occasionally featuring a white border around the edges, 7x5” prints have a slightly higher aspect ratio than 6x4” prints. This means you may need to crop small parts of your photos to make sure they fit this print size, so this is something to bear in mind when you’re framing your photos.
8x6” photo prints
Aspect ratio: 4:3
This is the perfect standard photo size if you’re printing photos from your phone. The 4:3 aspect ratio is the same as the sensors used on most smartphone cameras, so it’s by far the most common aspect ratio used in photography today (since so many of us take most photos on our phones these days).
Due to the larger size (but without being too large), 8x6” photo prints are also a very popular choice if you’re planning to frame them.
10x8” photo prints
Aspect ratio: 5:4
A 10x8” picture size is even more impactful, with the larger size making it a fantastic choice for higher quality photos. The 5:4 aspect ratio has become much rarer in digital photography, so there’s a good chance you’ll need to crop your photos on the long side to fit them inside a 10x8” photo print.
12x8” photo prints
Aspect ratio: 3:2
Using the same aspect ratio as a standard 6x4” print, larger 12x8” photo prints are the perfect way to print your most vibrant, detailed and high-quality images. There should be no need to crop images taken with most standard digital cameras (including all 35mm cameras).
20x16” poster prints
Aspect ratio: 5:4
This much larger photo size is a very popular choice for photo poster prints and photo canvases. Due to the significantly bigger size, you should only print high-resolution images in 20x16” (a minimum of 1600x1200 pixels is usually recommended).
Just like a 10x8” print, the 5:4 aspect ratio means you’ll need to significantly crop images at the sides here - so try to capture photos with this inevitable cropping in mind.
30x20” poster prints
Aspect ratio: 3:2
The biggest standard print size is used for poster printing. Unlike 20x16” posters, however, 30x20” prints use the popular 3:2 aspect ratio, so you won’t need to worry as much about cropping images to fit. Again, we recommend printing images with a minimum resolution of 1600x1200 pixels.
Smaller print sizes you might want to try
Don’t want to stick to standard photo print sizes? Not to worry, you can print your photos in loads of other sizes too, so we’ve picked out the most popular small photo print sizes just for you!
- 3x4”
- 3.5x2.5” (wallet sized photos)
- 2x2” (locket prints)
- 1.5”x2”
Pixels vs inches - which photo sizes are right for you?
Your choice of photo sizes will usually depend on the quality of the image you’ve taken, since lower quality images wouldn’t be suitable for large 12x8”, 20x16” or 30x20” sizes.
All digital images are sized in pixels (not inches), which can make finding the perfect photo print sizes seem a little tricky. As a rule of thumb, it’s recommended that your photos have a resolution of at least 300 pixels per inch (known as PPI), as this ensures your images are always sharp and crisp
To make things even easier, here’s a complete guide to the minimum resolutions needed for all standard photo print sizes. Yep, we’ve also included the aspect ratios, so you’ve got all the info in one handy place.
| Print size | Aspect ratio | Minimum resolution |
| 6x4” | 3:2 | 1800x1200 pixels |
| 7x5” | 3.5:2.5 | 2100x1500 pixels |
| 8x6” | 4:3 | 2400x1800 pixels |
| 10x8” | 5:4 | 3000x2400 pixels |
| 12x8” | 3:2 | 3600x2400 pixels |
| 20x16” | 5:4 | 6000x4000 pixels |
| 30x20” | 3:2 | 6000x4000 pixels |
To check your photo resolution on a computer, simply right-click on the image to view its properties. To find this info on your phone, simply click on an image in your camera roll and select the little “i” near underneath your photo. Easy peasy.
How to print your photos in standard sizes
Right, now you’ve got a better grasp on all the different standard photo sizes, it’s time to start printing all the amazing photos you’ve got saved somewhere. While you might want to print photos directly in one of our shops, printing photos online is also really easy with Max Spielmann. Just follow these simple steps to get started:
1. Choose your print size
You’ve just read tons of info on how to find the best photo print sizes for you, so simply browse through our selection of 6x4”, 7x5”, 8x6”, 10x8” and 12x8” prints.
2. Upload your photos
Once you’ve chosen your print size, you can upload photos online directly from your phone, computer, social media or cloud storage accounts.
3. Edit your photos
Before placing an order, you might want to crop, reposition or edit your photos to make sure you get the best photo prints possible. You can then either get your photo prints home delivered or collect them from a store in just 20 minutes!
