Best image size to print 8x10

[Douglas]

I was just curious what everyone sets their image size to to print 8x10's? It seems the image sizes in camera as best set for 11x16 prints (4288x2848 ). So when printed, I either have to set a weird crop that ruins the picture (at least in my opinion) or zoom out and get a widescreen effect with a white bar on the top and bottom.

Since I do scenics mostly, with some sports, I really cant crop the images and get the full scene I wanted.

So how do you all handle this? Even the camera's smaller image sizes are still ratio'd at 11x16. Even if I wanted to make supersized prints(without going into lifesized images 20x30 and 24x36), the ratio is still off as they all seem based on a 8x10*X scale where the smaller side should be around 3430.

[Bonner]

35mm film camera printers have the same problem…24x36 film will not print a full frame 8x10 print. I could make a nice 9x12 print in the darkroom…so, it is what it is.

My D300 captures at approximately 9x13 inches at 300ppi so I can print an 8x10 at 300 ppi. If I go to print a 16x20 I have to print at maybe 240 or build up the image in Photoshop, but again, you need to crop.

One of the reasons I shot my last 15 years of film with a 6x4.5 medium format camera was due to the fact that it prints out a 11x14 print size almost full frame. I now have A3 Ilford paper (pearl) that is 13x19 inches and is almost full frame for the D300.

[swampler]

If you leave enough room to crop to 8x10, that is ideal. I aim for 300 dpi, so an 8x10 at 300 dpi would be 2400 x 3000. Larger prints, such as 16 x 20, 20 x 30, etc are supposed to be viewed from further away, so the dpi can be lower on them.

If there is no room to crop, then there's the 8 x 12 option, which requires no cropping, or you can do the white border as you already mentioned, which would keep you in a standard size frame. you could also print at 8.5 x 11 and use a document frame. If printing yourself, then you don't waste any paper by having to trim the photo and you maximize the size of the photo.

[Joves]

I like bordering mine as it is for matting.

[ohenry]

I ignore standard frame sizes and print for what works best for the shot. Custom matting and frames are not difficult to find or build.

[Joves]

Originally Posted by ohenry

I ignore standard frame sizes and print for what works best for the shot. Custom matting and frames are not difficult to find or build.

I agree.

[KmH]

Originally Posted by Douglas

I
Even the camera's smaller image sizes are still ratio'd at 11x16. Even if I wanted to make supersized prints(without going into lifesized images 20x30 and 24x36), the ratio is still off as they all seem based on a 8x10*X scale where the smaller side should be around 3430.

What you are butting your head up against is called the aspect ratio. Most DSLRs have a native aspect ratio of 1:1.5, because that's the aspect ratio of the image sensor.

An 8x10 has an aspect ratio of 1:1.25. A 5x7 is 1:1.4.

When you make your images you want to do your composition in the viewfinder so that you would only have to crop the sides of an image in landscape orientation, or the top and bottom of an image in portrait.

It's one of those things that you want on your mind for every image you make.

[swampler]

Originally Posted by ohenry

I ignore standard frame sizes and print for what works best for the shot. Custom matting and frames are not difficult to find or build.

Custom frames are usually more expensive than standard frames, but if it is not an issue, then this is certainly the best way to go.

[ohenry]

Originally Posted by swampler

Custom frames are usually more expensive than standard frames, but if it is not an issue, then this is certainly the best way to go.

Actually, they're not .... they're just not available at the WalMart's of the world as readily.

4x6 aspect ratio frames are becoming more and more available. I find 8x12 and 13x19 frames readily available, as well as larger.

I suspect that as demand increases, the 2x3 format will become the standard.

[swampler]

That's good to know.

Have you found any 8x12 paper? I'm not sure whether my printer would be able to print on it or not anyway.

[riha]

Originally Posted by KmH

What you are butting your head up against is called the aspect ratio. Most DSLRs have a native aspect ratio of 1:1.5, because that's the aspect ratio of the image sensor.

An 8x10 has an aspect ratio of 1:1.25. A 5x7 is 1:1.4.

When you make your images you want to do your composition in the viewfinder so that you would only have to crop the sides of an image in landscape orientation, or the top and bottom of an image in portrait.

It's one of those things that you want on your mind for every image you make.

Your aspect ratios are harder to read than saying:

DSLR:s = 2:3
8x10 = 4:5
5x7 = 5:7

You never use "." in aspect ratios as it makes it more difficult to read and is not correct mathematically to write either.

[swampler]

Originally Posted by riha

is not correct mathematically to write either.

I would agree it's harder to read / say, but how is it mathematically incorrect? I don't recall any rule that ratios have to be integers, though I can see why you would want it in relation to the #1, which is what 1:1.5 does.

[KmH]

Originally Posted by riha

Your aspect ratios are harder to read than saying:

DSLR:s = 2:3
8x10 = 4:5
5x7 = 5:7

You never use "." in aspect ratios as it makes it more difficult to read and is not correct mathematically to write either.

Jeez, I've been busted practicing mathematics without a license.


I bet you work at the Ratio Institute, or have buddies that work there.

"Ratio is the research institute of the Swedish enterprise. The institute's infrastructure is financed by the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, but the various research projects have financiers like the Wallenberg foundation and the Swedish Free Enterprise Foundation. Ratio is Latin for reason."

[Douglas]

Originally Posted by KmH

What you are butting your head up against is called the aspect ratio. Most DSLRs have a native aspect ratio of 1:1.5, because that's the aspect ratio of the image sensor.

An 8x10 has an aspect ratio of 1:1.25. A 5x7 is 1:1.4.

When you make your images you want to do your composition in the viewfinder so that you would only have to crop the sides of an image in landscape orientation, or the top and bottom of an image in portrait.

It's one of those things that you want on your mind for every image you make.

First prints ive made since I went digital, so now Ill start keeping this in mind, or just keep printing in letterbox format