# 4x6 or 5x7 for prints.



## Grandpa Ron (Jan 28, 2019)

I know this is a matter of personal taste but I am curious how many frame their photos 4x6 vs. 5x7?

Since I can download 4x6 black and white prints or color to the local cameras store for 39 cents and that is the size photo my digital camera takes; that is my default size when I want a print.

However, I much prefer a 5x7 but they need to be cropped and they cost 99 cents each, plus the postage. An inch larger does not sound like much but to my eye it makes for a far better print.  

After lots of trial and error I have finally wrangled my printer into giving me a passable black and white print. So now I can print my own.

I was curious, of those folks who have their digital photos printed, what was their favorite size?

In my case film is another matter, because I tinker with a 4x5 view camera or and old 2x2 twin lens reflex. So all my photos need some degree of cropping.


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## Dean_Gretsch (Jan 28, 2019)

If I am printing for a frame, it's always 5x7. If I am printing for an album, it is 4x6. That inch goes a long way!


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## Designer (Jan 28, 2019)

My crop aspect ratios vary some, depending on the composition.  Additionally, I like to purchase frames at a thrift shop, and although I attempt to find 4x5 frames, I have found very few so far.  Most of the smaller frames are 4x6 or 5x7.  I say if you like 5x7, then that is what you should get. 

When you say the 5x7 prints "need to be cropped", what sizes (ratios) are you sending to them?  What size are you getting back?  It seems to me that if you want a 5x7 print, and crop it as such in editing, then you should get back a 5x7 print that doesn't need any further crop. 

Are you sending them an 8x10 (4x5) aspect ratio file which you then must cut down to 5x7?


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## webestang64 (Jan 28, 2019)

I print 4x6 with a white border (35mm), 5x5 with white border (6x6 negs) from my color print film. BW I print in the darkroom, 8x10 test prints then 11x14 final prints.


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## ac12 (Jan 28, 2019)

Album vs frame are 2 different things.  
Unless you matt mount, with frames you are stuck with the standard sizes that you can buy.

Generally, I print and crop to whatever the image calls for.  I've done squares out of 2x3 ratio digital images, because the image called for a square composition, and the rectangle would just be distraction.

For your image, I would print a 4x6, then CUT the print on a paper cutter, to get the 5x7 ratio that you want.  That would work in an album, but not so well in a frame.


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## Grandpa Ron (Jan 28, 2019)

I agree for an album I use 4x6 they fit better. My digital shoots 4x6 and the photo lab will print 4x6 for 39 cent.  

If I want 5x7 then I have to crop the 4x6 image to fit the 5x7 format, or since the lab does not know what you want cropped, they will send a roughly 5 x 6 1/2 fit to the 5 inch dimension. They are 99 cents each.

At the risk of babbling on, I have just started my return to film, I was given an enlarger that that will handle 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 or smaller formats but most of my effort has been directed to the restoration of a 1910 view camera and a 1930' Kodak auto-focus enlarger to handle the 4x5 format. Cropping to the 5x7 format I like is a bit down the road.


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## petrochemist (Jan 28, 2019)

In the last 10 years I've hardly ever printed anything smaller than A4 (very roughly 12x8).
Printed on-line by Aldi (or archive quality paper) they can be as little as 39p, surly there are similar options in the states!


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## smoke665 (Jan 28, 2019)

If you can stand to wait a few days. Shutterfly is pretty reasonable (especially during their sales), and not that bad on delivery.





Some of the discount stores like Costco and Sams have equally low prices, but I've found their color inconsistent.

After spending a fortune on frames, building a few, buying some from thrift stores, etc., I switched over to book mode last year. I did a yearbook on granddaughter that included about 50 images in a 12x12 book that was about $80 with shipping from Shutterfly. Makes life a lot easier.


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## vintagesnaps (Jan 28, 2019)

I do 5x7s for small prints and 4x6s for photo albums. I print my own digital and get prints from the lab when I get color film developed (if I want prints of everything on a roll, it depends). If I get B&W film developed, again it depends; I might get contact sheets (and ask then to Not Adjust so I can see what I got in a positive print) - I also have a small light box to look at the negatives. 

I'm not understanding needing to crop everything either?? I might be rethinking the lab, I don't get why they can't print a 5x7" and give you some oddball 5x6 1/2 or whatever.


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## Grandpa Ron (Jan 29, 2019)

Vintage, 

Yes that is what the local lab does. If you send then a photo they will expand it to the fit within the 5x7 border. 

My old 127 film camera shot 2"x 2" negatives. If you asked them to print them on 5x7 paper, you would get a 5"x 5" print with 1" white borders on each side.


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## Grandpa Ron (Jan 29, 2019)

How is shutter fly on black and white prints? 

The two labs I tried came back with a color cast, one blueish the other brownish, even though I asked for their true b&w service.   

Our local lab does much better, even though they do not advertise B&W specifically.


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## Strodav (Jan 30, 2019)

Buy a wide format photo printer (Epson or Canon), different sizes and types of paper and some easy mount frames of various sizes and go for it.  My printer goes up to 13" x 19" and I bought a bunch of frames of various sizes at Michel's.  I hang a lot of them in my home gallery and give them as gifts.  There is something magic about a great image at 13" x 19" on metallic paper in a nice frame.


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## smoke665 (Jan 30, 2019)

Grandpa Ron said:


> How is shutter fly on black and white prints



I've never tried them on B&W.


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## Grandpa Ron (Jan 31, 2019)

Yes I would love to go with a larger format but it is just a hobby. In my case one of several that tug at my pocket book.

So as a compromise I selected 5x7. If a really great photo comes I will pop for an 8x10 or larger.


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## smoke665 (Jan 31, 2019)

Grandpa Ron said:


> Yes I would love to go with a larger format but it is just a hobby. In my case one of several that tug at my pocket book.



Have you looked at photo books? For me the frames were the most costly part of the equation, and I'm not sure that anyone but me paid much attention to them once they were on the wall. The photo books on the other hand, get picked up by everyone that visits, the cost is very reasonable, and they lend themselves well to organization.


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## govindvkumar (Jan 23, 2021)

There are many factors that decide whether to go for a 4x6 print or a 5x7 print.

It includes:

1. Photo Frame Size
2. Size supported by Photo Album
3. Aspect ratio used for Image composition
4. Whether you want to add a border to the image while printing.
5. If you are printing at home, which photo paper size you have stocked.
6.Cost Factor: 5x7 tends to be more costly than the 4x6 size.
7. Personal choice between 4x6 vs 5x7


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