Traditional Photograph Sizes

 

This may seem an odd subject for this blog, but trust me it will all make sense.

The sizes of traditional (or film based) photographs are based on the size of the 35mm negative (24mm x 36mm) which is based on ISO 1007 which was introduced by Kodak in 1937.

The most common sizes are:

Print	Size			Ratio
	MM	Inches	Pixels *
3R	89 x 127	3½ x 5	1051 x 1500	10:7
4R	102 × 152	4 x 6	1205 x 1795	3:2
5R	127 x 178	5 x 7	1500 x 2102	7:5
6R	152 x 203	6 x 8	1795 x 2398	4:3
8R	203 × 254	8 x 10	2398 x 3000	3:2
S8R	203 × 305	8 x 12	2398 × 3602	3:2
10R	254 x 305	10 x 12	3000 x 3602	6:5
12R	305 x 381	12 x 15	3602 x 4500	5:4
S12R	305 x 465	12 x 18	3602 x 5492	3:2

* Based on a DPI of 300

These sizes, some of which are based on a ratio of 3:2, however, do not match the (ISO) sizes of paper which are available for printing photographs at home !

This means that although you might frame your subject as you want to see it in the viewfinder, you will have to crop it later for the printing stage.