How to choose the right photo print size

Want to turn your digital pictures into stunning prints? Here are our tips to help you achieve spectacular results.

Just because your pictures look great on a screen doesn’t mean they’ll turn out as beautiful when printed. To avoid cutting off your photo subject’s feet or a corner of the sky when you print your photos, you need to think about the following three elements: the camera you used (reflex or compact), the framing and the photo size you want.

Want to turn your digital pictures into stunning prints

Analog or digital

Standard print sizes (e.g. 4 x 6 in.) are used for printing analog photos (35 mm), not digital ones. If you choose this print size for shots taken with a compact camera, your pictures will have the sides cut off. Shots with a reflex camera are similar in size to those taken with an analog camera, so there’s a lower chance your pictures will get cropped. To avoid having to re-frame your shots, here are some tips:

  • Choose a size that’s suited to digital photo printing, such as 4 x 5.33 in. (most compact cameras take pictures in this size).
  • Re-frame your photos using image editing software in order to save them in the right size.
  • Manually re-frame your photos on Jean Coutu’s website. This is by far the easiest way, plus you’ll be able to see the end result in just one click.

The right size

Your choice of print size also depends on how you framed your shots. A portrait will not require the same print size as a landscape for it to turn out well. Here are some popular print sizes:

  • Wallet size (2.5 x 3.5 in.) so you can take your photos everywhere with you;
  • Standard (or postcard) size (4 x 6 in.);
  • Square sizes (8 x 8, 10 x 10 and 12 x 12 in.) and rectangular sizes (8 x 12 and 11 x 14 in.), which are ideal for portraits;
  • Panoramic sizes (width of 4, 4.5 or 5 in.) to capture all the glory of your landscape shots.

A sufficiently high resolution

Wallet size, postcard, poster… uncertain about which kind of print you want? You can print in any format you want by making sure the lowest resolution you set your camera to is 5 MB—or else opt for the highest resolution available. If you want to re-frame your pictures, keep in mind that unless you’re working with RAW files, you will lose some of that resolution each time you re-frame a picture.

A sufficiently high resolution
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How to choose the right photo print size

Want to turn your digital pictures into stunning prints? Here are our tips to help you achieve spectacular results.
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