Standard Photo Print Sizes | Best Uses

Standard photo Print sizes give you excellent options for printing your photos based on image resolution, whether you plan to use a border around it, intended frame size and where the photo will be displayed.

This guide to standard picture print sizes discusses standard sizes and best uses, maximum print size based on resolution, tips for choosing the right print size, and other details that will allow you to be happy with the finished product.

Most Popular Photo Print Sizes and Best Uses

Photo print sizes start at about 3.5x5.5 inches, commonly called postcard size, and range to 20x30 inches or larger for poster-size prints. Some of the most popular print sizes are 5x7, 8x10, 11x14 and 16x20 inches.

Here are popular photo print sizes and what they are used for.

Postcard Print Size

3.5x5.5 inches: Postcard size photo prints are ideal for small portraits, casual family photos, pets, travel pictures, event photos and candid shots. Pictures that are not shot in high resolution should also be printed in smaller sizes for maximum print quality.  

Medium Photo Print Sizes

4x6 inches, 5x7 inches and 8x10 inches: Medium prints are a good choice for family photos, single and group portraits including newborn and baby pictures, pets, wedding parties, events and nature shots. The larger the group of subjects or the broader the natural scene, the more common it is to print photos in 8x10 or larger.

Large Photo Print Sizes

11x14 inches and 16x20 inches: Big picture prints are selected for professional portraits of individuals and groups such as family portraits, wedding parties, events, nature images especially landscapes, travel and leisure photos of particularly interesting subjects and any high-impact photo that you want to be emphasized in your display.

Square 8x8 inches, 10x10, 12x12, 16x16, 20x20, 24x24 inches: Square prints in various sizes are best for some portraits, nature photography such as landscapes, cityscapes including architecture. The square format can appear static if the main subject is centered, so consider using the rule of thirds when shooting the photos when you plan to print square prints.  

Less Common Photo Print Sizes and Their Uses

Here are other, less common print sizes to consider based on the subjects and the purpose of the print.

Wallet size 2.5x3.5 Inches: While not as common as they used to be, wallet-sized prints are used for ID photos, student pictures and small candid shots.

Cabinet size 3.5x5 inches: Also less popular than they once were, this size is used for candid photos, travel, small portraits, pet pictures and to place in photo albums, also less common in the digital age.

Panorama 20x30 inches, 24x36 inches and 36x48 inches: These panoramic print sizes and poster-size prints are reserved for high-resolution, high-impact pictures which are often professionally taken or taken with cameras with image sensors of at least 20 megapixels (20 MP). High MP sensors allow you to print larger without significantly diminishing image quality. These dimensions allow photographers to take advantage of standard composition techniques like leading lines and the rule of thirds. These sizes are ideal for landscapes, large group portraits, wedding parties, and commercial photography like real estate and product photography.

Best Photo Resolution for Each Photo Print Size

Photo resolution is the level of detail the camera’s sensor captures in a picture. Cameras with a high-megapixel sensor, like 20 MP and above, take pictures that can be printed larger without losing image quality.

For example, a 12x16 print from a 24 MP camera would be crisp and detailed if printed at 300 pixels per inch (PPI). But a 12x16 print from an 8 MP camera would be significantly less clear, because the PPI would need to be reduced to approximately 200 PPI.

A 24 MP camera captures images with dimensions of 6000 x 4000 pixels, which is 24,000,000 total pixels. Divided by a million, that’s 24 megapixels.

This chart shows common print sizes with the necessary megapixels for printing at high-quality 300 PPI and average-quality 200 PPI.

Multiply the dimensions in pixels, and divide by 1,000,000 to determine the minimum number of megapixels the camera should have to print at that size. For example, consider 12x16 prints, or 3600x4800 pixels for 300 PPI printing and 2400x3200 pixels for 200 PPI printing. To print at 300 PPI, the camera sensor should be at least 17.2 MP. To print at 200 PPI, the camera sensor should be at least 7.7 MP.

Maximum Print Sizes at 200 PPI and 300 PPI

This chart uses the information from the chart above to provide the largest prints based on the camera’s megapixels and whether the photo will be viewed up close and need to be more detailed or will be viewed at a distance of several feet for small sizes to 5 feet or more for larger sizes.

Aspect Ratio and Print Size or Dimensions

Aspect ratio is the measurement of an image’s width compared to its height. The aspect ratio of a full frame DSLR camera sensor is 3:2, meaning that images it takes are naturally 1.5 times wider than it is high. This is ideal for printing a 12x8 print, which is also 1.5 times wider than it is high. Divide the width by the height to get the aspect ratio.

But if you want to print that image at a different size, such as 12x10 or 16x12, the image will have to be cropped, and you’d lose part of the composition.

Common camera sensor aspect ratios are 1:1, 3:2, 4:3 and 16:9. A few cameras have multiple aspect ratio settings. For example, if your camera’s ratio is 1:1, then square prints are best.

For 3:2 aspect ratio, then 12x8 inch and 15x10 inch prints are ideal. For cameras with a 4:3 aspect ratio, then 16x9 inch and 20x16 inch prints are the best. For a 16:9 sensor, prints 12x24 or 16x28 are good options.

Paper Size Guide

The aspect ratio of a picture is determined by the sensor of the camera. These ratios don’t naturally fit on most standard paper sizes. In other words, you can’t print them so that they totally fill the print paper or have an equal border width on all sides of the image.

As a result, it is necessary to convert image size to fit standard paper sizes, so that as much of the composition as possible is printed without having to crop the image.

Here are common photo sizes and the best paper sizes for printing them.

Viewing Distance and Print Size

The best viewing distance for a picture is determined by multiplying its diagonal length by 1.5. An 8x10 image has a diagonal length of 14.4 inches, so multiplied by 1.5, the best viewing distance is 22 inches or closer.

This chart gives the best viewing distance for common picture sizes.

Tips for Choosing the Right Photo Print Size for Your Photos

These important factors will help you select the right print size for all of your favorite photos.

Photo resolution is the most important factor in choosing a print size. The higher the resolution, the larger the print can be. So, if you intend to print the picture in a large size, use a high-megapixel camera and choose a high-resolution setting if you have options.

Consider the space where you plan to display the picture. Putting a small picture in a big space will make it seem insignificant, especially on a wall where the viewing distance will be greater than if it is on a desk or countertop. Any time viewing distance is more than a few feet, the picture should be printed larger, if its file resolution is sufficient.

Do you intend matting around the photo and/or a large frame? Take the frame’s dimensions into account when considering print size. In other words, if you’re using a thick frame with exterior dimensions of 16x20 or 18x24 with a matt border, then you might only be able to print the picture at about 12x16. Standard photo frame sizes are similar to standard print sizes, so you’ll have good choices for an exact fit or a proportional fit, if you choose a border for the print inside the frame.

Consider whether you intend to group two or more pictures together. If you plan to display two pictures together, they should be the same size. If you’re doing an odd number like 3, 5 or 7, you might want to make one larger than the others as a center shot with smaller ones around it. Using more than two frame sizes is also an option when displaying three or more photos together.

Image from Shutterstock

How to Order Prints Online

There are numerous online print services ranging from large stores like Walmart to specialty photography sites like Nations Photo Lab and Mpix specializing in printing photos. When the service has local stores, you can pick up your photos there. Otherwise, they can be shipped to you for a shipping fee.

Check out a few sites for pricing and features. You can even start working through the process to see which one has a user interface you’re comfortable with before you have to pay anything. Most, however, require you to open an account with a name, email and password. Having an account makes it easier to reorder or manage past orders.

All support JPEG files; file types like PNG may be supported too. Upload your files, and then you’ll have customizing options. Choose the photo print size and the finish you want such as matt or glossy. You might also have the option to crop the image and apply a border if desired. If you select a large print size for a low-resolution file, the site might warn you that the print quality at that size won’t be good. And a smaller print size will be recommended. Note: The specific order of the steps can slightly vary from site to site.

Review your order in terms of quantity, shipping or pickup, and applied coupons or discounts. Finally, enter your shipping information if needed, and make payment. Most services provide a tracking number on your shipment.