# Print Issue...



## bridgettebakerphotos (Feb 3, 2012)

I have been on and off the phone with Nikon all day today.  I have a D3100 and whenever I take pictures and I try to print them, I can only print up to a 5x7 without them being cropped and not fitting on the page.  I need these pictures as 8x10 and 8 1/2x11.  I have changed the image size on the camera and tried it again and it didnt work.  I was then told by Nikon that if I open the pictures in ViewNX2 or any Nikon software, I would be able to print them the size that I need them and they would turn out fine.  This was wrong.  I have tried this more than one time with more than one picture.  Any help/advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!


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## 480sparky (Feb 3, 2012)

Without knowing things like your printer make/model, the margins you have set for it, what settings you have set up for NX2, it's gonna be a toughie.


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## KmH (Feb 3, 2012)

Your D3100 makes pictures that have a 3:2 aspect ratio. Print size is determined by the image pixel dimensions *and* the PPI (pixels-per-inch) value you assign the image.

At full resolution your D3100 make photos that have pixel dimensions of 4608 x 3072 pixels.
4608 x 3072 pixels assigned at *100 PPI* will print *46.08 inches* by *30.72* inches. At *300 PPI* the same 4608 x 3072 pixels will print *15.36 inches* by *10.24 imches*.

Prints that have a 3:2 aspect ratio are 4x6, 6x9, 8x12, 10x15, etc. In each the long side of the print is *1.5* times longer than the short side of the print.

A 5x7 has a different aspect ratio and the _*only*_ way you can make an 7:5 aspect ratio print from a 3:2 original is to crop part of the 3:2 original away. The long side of the print is *1.4* times longer than the short side of the print.

8x10 is a 5:4 aspect ratio and the _*only*_ way you can make an 5:4 aspect ratio print from a 3:2 original is to crop part of the 3:2 original away. The long side of the print is *1.25* times longer than the short side of the print.

8 1/2 x 11 is yet another (and oddball for photography) aspect ratio. If you notice 5:4 is closer to being a square than 3:2 is. A square has an aspect ratio of 1:1.


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## bridgettebakerphotos (Feb 3, 2012)

I'm new to this, is there any way you could tell me what exactly I need/can do in order to get the sizes that I need?


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## The_Traveler (Feb 3, 2012)

KMJ is right BUT if you don't want to crop the image you can have one that is 10 inches long (or 11) but there will be white space on either side (which you may have to add, depending on your printer)


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## The_Traveler (Feb 3, 2012)

You need to add enough space to the image on either side so that the sides are in a 4 x 5 aspect ratio.

If you don't know how to do this, I suggest you take it to a photo store or shop that makes prints and have them do it.


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## bridgettebakerphotos (Feb 3, 2012)

@ The_Traveler  - I would really like to learn how to do this so I can fix this problem when I face it later. Thanks!


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## enzodm (Feb 3, 2012)

..or  crop your images to the requested size ratio. 
Anyway, if your image is rectangular 3:2 and composed to be that ratio, why print it on a different ratio? It's like having made a round cake and pressing/cutting it because you want it into a square tray.
EDIT: reading again, perhaps I'm starting to understand your difficulty. I'm sure also on Windows the printer driver allows to tell "resize to fit page" or something similar.


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## KmH (Feb 3, 2012)

bridgettebakerphotos said:


> I'm new to this, is there any way you could tell me what exactly I need/can do in order to get the sizes that I need?


I bet it's a lot more involved than you expected it was.

As The_Traveler demonstrated you can put your image on a larger canvas in image editing software.


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## The_Traveler (Feb 3, 2012)

I don't think we could talk you through adding the space because it seems you are a complete novice at this and, while the task may be simple, the process may be difficult, depending on the software you have available.

It is like trying to talk someone through moving a steamshovel into the yard, not a difficult problem for someone who knows how to drive a steamshovel.

I suggest you get it done for you this time and then look on the web for tutorials on resizing using the software you have.


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## bridgettebakerphotos (Feb 3, 2012)

@ KmH - Yes it is! But I'm sure once I get going with it and learn a little more, it will be well worth it.  If I put the image on a larger canvas will it turn out alright? or how does that work?  I really need these images as 8x10s and 8 1/2x11.


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## bridgettebakerphotos (Feb 3, 2012)

The problem I'm seeming to have is that my image is too big to make an 8x10.  Is there any way I can fix this?


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## bridgettebakerphotos (Feb 3, 2012)

@ The_Traveler I have Photoshop CS5


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## redessa (Feb 3, 2012)

If you have CS5, go to your crop tool.  Enter the dimensions you want.  Crop.

If there's nothing you want to crop out, the crop tool will allow you to leave extra room on the sides (or top and bottom).


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## redessa (Feb 3, 2012)

And keep in mind, that with a 3:2 ratio, you cannot make your print on an 8x10 piece of paper and have it look exactly the same. It's just basic math, the ratios are not equal. Either you will have blank space on the sides or you will have to crop some out.


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## KmH (Feb 3, 2012)

bridgettebakerphotos said:


> The problem I'm seeming to have is that my image is too big to make an 8x10.  Is there any way I can fix this?


Change the PPI of the image. A larger PPI makes the print smaller.



> At full resolution your D3100 make photos that have pixel dimensions of 4608 x 3072 pixels.
> 4608 x 3072 pixels assigned at *100 PPI* will print *46.08 inches* by *30.72* inches. At *300 PPI* the same 4608 x 3072 pixels will print *15.36 inches* by *10.24 imches*.



If you need the long side to be 11 inches - *4608 pixels divided by 11 inches = 419 PPI*. The short side will then be *3072 pixels divided by 419 PPI = 7.33 inches*.

Then you can put the image on an 8.5 x 11 inch canvas using CS5.

To get an 8x10 out of the original there is no avoiding the need to crop, but you can put an uncropped orignal onto an 8x10 canvas but there will be some white border.

Here are the 3 equations you need to use:

Pixels .. divided by .. inches = pixel per inch (PPI)

Pixels .. divided by .. PPI = inches

Inches .. times .. PPI = pixels


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## bridgettebakerphotos (Feb 3, 2012)

How do I put it on a 8 1/2x11 canvas?  The original canvas size is 12.8x19.2


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## bridgettebakerphotos (Feb 3, 2012)

Is there a setting on my camera that I can change to from now on to prevent this?  Nikon told me that if I opened the file in one of their softwares that it would print the exact way I need it to and it wont.  Its doing the same exact thing.


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## The_Traveler (Feb 3, 2012)

bridgettebakerphotos said:


> How do I put it on a 8 1/2x11 canvas?  The original canvas size is 12.8x19.2


 


bridgettebakerphotos said:


> Is there a setting on my camera that I can change to from now on to prevent this?  Nikon told me that if I opened the file in one of their softwares that it would print the exact way I need it to and it wont.  Its doing the same exact thing.



No, your camera shoots at 4x6 ratio and you can't change it - unless you have a D3 series.

To make it print on 8 x 10, you need to add enough pixels to one edge to make the ratio 8 x 10.
How big is the image in pixels?

If you can't find this out - or don't know it, you just don't know enough to do it yourself.


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## Rephargotohp (Feb 3, 2012)

In PS to to Image> Image size and put 11 where the 19.2 is. You will now have a 11 x 7.33 image you can print on 11 x 8 1/2 paper with a little over 1/2 whire border on the long sides. 
If you don't like that, grab the crop tool, in the tool options put in 11 for the long side and 8.5 for the short side and crop the image. You will loose part of the long side of the image, no way around that other than above.

3rd option is have a print lab make an 8 x 12. you won't loose anything from the image. and they now make 8 x 12 frames or mats


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## bridgettebakerphotos (Feb 3, 2012)

The_Traveler said:


> bridgettebakerphotos said:
> 
> 
> > How do I put it on a 8 1/2x11 canvas? The original canvas size is 12.8x19.2
> ...





the image in pixels is 3072x4608


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## Bitter Jeweler (Feb 3, 2012)

How to Crop Images
How to Crop and Resize a Photo
All About Digital Photos - Changing the size of a digital photo
Aspect Ratio and Cropping to the Proper Print Proportions
Changing aspect ratios in Photoshop Elements
CreativeCOW


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## bridgettebakerphotos (Feb 3, 2012)

@ The_Traveler - You mentioned the D3 series..can you change the ratio with it to make it print exactly what you want?


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## The_Traveler (Feb 3, 2012)

You can change it to capture 4 x 5 aspect ratio
Do you have a D3, D3S or D3X?


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## bridgettebakerphotos (Feb 3, 2012)

The_Traveler said:


> You can change it to capture 4 x 5 aspect ratio
> Do you have a D3, D3S or D3X?



No, I have a D3100 so that wont work.


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## bridgettebakerphotos (Feb 3, 2012)

Thank you for the links Bitter Jeweler!


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## KmH (Feb 4, 2012)

bridgettebakerphotos said:


> Is there a setting on my camera that I can change to from now on to prevent this?


No. Photographers have been dealing with this since the 35 mm format (26x34 mm frame) was introduced by Ernst Leitz back in 1913 or so.

The Nikon D3x is their top-of-the-line camera. Thought it doesn't come with a lens, it costs $8000 -  Nikon D3X 24.5MP FX CMOS Digital SLR with 3.0-Inch LCD (Body Only)

There really is no avoiding doing what is necessary to understand aspect ratios and how to publish of your photographs.


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