Standard photographic print sizes are used in
photographic printing
Photographic printing is the process of producing a final image on paper for viewing, using photographic paper, chemically sensitized paper. The paper is exposed to a photographic Negative (photography), negative, a positive reversal film, transp ...
. Cut sheets of paper meant for printing photographs are commonly sold in these sizes.
Many nominal and effective sizes are specified in international standard ISO 1008 using millimeters only, although most are clearly derived from integer-inch lengths. They are highlighted in the table below.
United States
In the US, size names are often denoted with a code of the format ''n''R, where the number ''n'' represents the length of the shorter edge in inches. In the normal series, the long edge is the length of the short edge plus 2 inches (10 in or less) or 3 inches (11 in and above). The alternative Super series, denoted S''n''R, ''n''R Plus or ''n''R+, has an
aspect ratio
The aspect ratio of a geometry, geometric shape is the ratio of its sizes in different dimensions. For example, the aspect ratio of a rectangle is the ratio of its longer side to its shorter side—the ratio of width to height, when the rectangl ...
of (or as close as possible) and thus provides a better fit for standard
135 film
file:135film.jpg, 135 film. The film is wide. Each image is 24×36 mm in the most common "small film" format (sometimes called "double-frame" for its relationship to the "single-frame" 35 mm movie format or full frame after the introduc ...
(35 mm) at sizes of 8 inches or above.
5R is twice the size of a 2R print, 6R twice the size of a 4R print and S8R twice the size of 6R.
4D/6D is a newer size for most consumer level
digital cameras
A digital camera, also called a digicam, is a camera that captures photographs in digital memory. Most cameras produced today are digital, largely replacing those that capture images on photographic film or film stock. Digital cameras are now ...
and
Micro 4/3 cameras
American S8R or Japanese 6PW at is the closest approximation to
A4 at ().
The sizes with 7 × , () and × 12 inches () are used for black-and-white paper.
Japan
In Japan, the same print sizes (and several additional ones) are known by different designations. The Japanese L is equivalent to 3R, while 2L—twice the size—matches 5R. KG represents the size of a traditional in (4R) Japanese postcard (''hagaki'').
The ''n''P or series are defined in reference to a of mm, with smaller numbers (fewer cuts) indicating ''larger'' sizes.
A ''W'' suffix indicates sizes with an extended long edge, similar to the American ''S'' prefix.
Japanese ''Chou'' sizes are for envelopes and ''Hagaki'' for postcards. They do not match exactly the related sizes from ISO 216, like A6 for international standard postcards.
Overview
Unlike
ISO 216
ISO 216 is an international standard for paper sizes, used around the world except in North America and parts of Latin America. The standard defines the "A", "B" and "C" series of paper sizes, which includes the A4, the most commonly availabl ...
paper sizes, the aspect ratios of photographic prints vary, so exact scaling of prints is not always possible. However, there are some logical correspondences between the sizes, noted below where applicable.
Many of the standard sizes are the same as
sheet film
Sheet film is large format and Medium format (film), medium format photographic film supplied on individual sheets of acetate or polyester film base rather than rolls. Sheet film was initially supplied as an alternative to Photographic_plate, glas ...
formats, and are appropriate for making contact sheets from these films.
See also
*
Film format § Still photography film formats
*
International standard paper sizes
*
Paper size § Photography sizes
*
Standard ad size
Notes
References
{{Reflist
Photographic processes
Media formats