Equipment & Techniques > Beginner's Questions

Are there "Standard" photo paper sizes?

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samogitian:
I'm far from a beginner, but this seems like a beginner question so I'm going to ask it here (and yeah, I've kind of asked this before). I am going to make a gross oversimplification and say that there are two main aspect ratios in use today, 4:3 (the 4:3 format of course, but also the Pentax 645, Phase One XF, and Fuji GFX format) and 3:2 (the world of full frame 35mm sensors). Square formats are easy so I'm going to forget about those completely. 

How do we relate those to paper sizes? I come from 30 years of teaching in architecture schools so I am a strong believer in standards.
The largest prints I can print are easy because the short edge is 24', one of my favorite numbers. So I can print 24 x 36 (for my Leica gear) and 24 x 32 (for my Fuji GFX 100). Nice!
Other formats are harder, though. For 17" on the short edge, I can print on cut sheets in 17 x 22 and 17 x 25 (as far as I know only Red River makes the 17 x 25 sizes).

But what about if I upgraded from my 24" Epson 7570 to a 44" Epson 9570? I know some of you have those, what sizes do you print at? Again, 36 is a golden number that makes it easy... 36 x 27 and 36 x 24. But since (inexplicably), the 9570 is 4" short of 48" what are the bigger sizes you print at? And what about the smaller formats? 8 x 10, 8 x 11, and 8 x 11.5 don't work at all. 8 x 12 does, but who prints paper in that size?

Is it just crazycakes out there? Or are there some standards photographers or galleries adhere to that don't require mats, cropping images, or cutting paper? 

digitaldog:
What came first, the frame (and ratios) or the print papers?  ;D
It doesn't really matter; images have ratio's that best fit the image despite a frame or paper size. It is why we have crop tools <g>.
There is nothing right or correct about any such size without relating the image content and what you wish to convey to the audience.

Alan Klein:
I'm surprised no camera manufacturer provides formats in the camera that matches paper print sizes.  It seems like such an easy feature to add.  That way you can format to the paper size in the camera.

For example, most digital camera today have 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 (for TVs).  Why not add 5:7, 4:5 (which could be used for 8x10 and 16x20 papers as well), 8 1/2x11, 8 1/2 x 14, etc.  Did I miss any?

digitaldog:

--- Quote from: Alan Klein on March 28, 2022, 07:38:27 pm ---I'm surprised no camera manufacturer provides formats in the camera that matches paper print sizes. 

--- End quote ---
Some do. But as is often the case, you're unaware of this fact.  ;)
And again, the 'concept' (assumption, misunderstanding) that an image you (well some of us) create should fit some ratio of a print frame is rather silly.
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” – Ansel Adams

Jonathan Cross:
Come to Europe and A series paper sizes!  This is a series of sizes (A1 to A6 are usual) where the long side is 1.4141 x the shorter.  1.4141 is the square root of 2.  This means the next size up has a long side 2x that of the smaller size short side and the bigger short side is the smaller long side size. The next bigger size is 2 sheets of the smaller size.  OK?!

A4 is near US letter size and is 29.7cm x 21cm
A3 is 42cm x 29.7 cm
A2 is 59.4 cm x 42 cm
A1 is 84 cm x 59.4 cm
There is an A0 that is 2 A1 sheets side by side
A5 is 21cm x 14.85cm
A6 is 14.85cm 10.5cm, not far off 6" x 4"

The beauty of this is that you can print 4 A6 rectangles on an A4 borderless sheet.  Cut the sheet into two and fold them in half and you have 2 A6 greetings cards.   

Photopapers may come in A3+ as well which is 19" x 13".  A3 printers will often cope with A3+ paper.  I find A3+ borderless is nice as it then fits a frame 24" x 18" with the same 2.5" border all round, leaving room for a mount. 

In relation to sensor aspect ratio, I don't care.  I refuse to be ruled by the sensor aspect ratio.  Part of the joy of post processing is getting the image ratio right for the image.  I will often shoot a bit big so that I can do some selective cropping to get the result I want.  I don't do stills as 16x9 as that does not rock my boat.  For panoramas, the image will determine whether, for example it will be 2.5x1 or 3x1, or something else.

Best wishes,

Jonathan
 

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