Why is a 3x5 actually 3.5" x 5"? What is the best size and ratio?

Modified on Thu, 20 Apr, 2023 at 12:01 PM

AS OF APRIL 25, 2023, DOTPHOTO NO LONGER PRINTS 3X5 PRINTS.

For about 50 years, people have said "3x5" to refer to a print that is actually 3.5" x 5", but a few dotphoto customers are confused when they received their prints.

Here is how to create the best 3.5" x 5" print:

The best resolution (300 dots per inch) is 1050 x 1500.
The aspect ratio of a 3x5 print is 1.43 The following image sizes would also have the same ratio, and would print without cropping on a 3x5 prints: 1000 x 699, 2250 x 1573, and 3500 x 2447. The longest side divided by the shortest side = 1.43.

To see the size of any image, enter the album in question, tap Organize in the left menu, and then tap Edit Titles, which shows the size of each image. Edit Titles will not appear on the album page.

Note that the 3x5 ratio is different from the popular 4x6, which is 1.5, so crop 3x5s and 4x6s differently.

The aspect ratio that is closest to most cameras is the "4xD" print, which is actually 4"x5.33". The aspect ratio is the same as the 4:3 ratio of most capture devices, so printing to the 4xD often requires no cropping to get the whole photo -- depending, of course, on the aspect ratio of your camera's sensor.