File Sizes, Resolutions and Print DimensionsUpdated 7 days ago
File Sizes, Resolutions and Print Dimensions
This guide explains how image resolution affects print quality, how large you can print from each of our scan services, and how to choose the right scan for what you plan to do with it.
Worth knowing before you start: our print portal now checks resolution for you. Upload a scan, choose a size, and it tells you whether that file has the detail for it. Nothing below is something you have to calculate in advance.
Understanding DPI and Print Quality
What is DPI?
DPI stands for "dots per inch" and describes how many pixels are packed into each inch of a print. More pixels per inch means a sharper, more detailed print. Crucially it is a relationship between the file and the print size, not a property of the file on its own. The same scan is 300 DPI at 8x12" and 150 DPI at 16x24".
What to aim for
300 DPI is the gold standard and will look sharp with your nose against the print.
200 to 300 DPI is genuinely good, and for anything hanging on a wall it is usually indistinguishable. Viewing distance does most of the work: nobody inspects a 20x30" print from 30cm away.
Below 200 DPI starts to soften. Our portal flags fine art prints below 180 DPI, and C-Type prints below 100 DPI. A flag is a warning, not a block, so if you know the image and you are happy with it you can go ahead.
Working out your maximum print size
Divide your pixel dimensions by the DPI you want.
Example: a 2400 x 3600 pixel scan
At 300 DPI: 2400 ÷ 300 = 8" and 3600 ÷ 300 = 12" gives a maximum of 8x12"
At 240 DPI: 2400 ÷ 240 = 10" and 3600 ÷ 240 = 15" gives a maximum of 10x15"
How Big Can I Print?
How large a 35mm frame prints at 300 DPI, drawn to scale.
Each step roughly doubles the print you can make from the same negative.
Our Scan Resolutions and Print Sizes
Standard Resolution Scans
| Resolution: | 2400px on the short side @ 300dpi |
| File Type: | JPEG |
| File Size: | Approximately 9MB per image |
Maximum print sizes from Standard Resolution scans:
| Film Format | Approximate Scan Dimensions | Max Print @ 300 DPI | Max Print @ 240 DPI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35mm (3:2) | 3600 x 2400 px | 8x12" | 10x15" |
| 6x4.5 (4:3) | 3200 x 2400 px | 8x10.6" | 10x13.3" |
| 6x6 (1:1) | 2400 x 2400 px | 8x8" | 10x10" |
| 6x7 (7:6) | 2800 x 2400 px | 8x9.3" | 10x11.6" |
| 6x9 (3:2) | 3600 x 2400 px | 8x12" | 10x15" |
Standard resolution scans are ideal for:
- Sharing online (Instagram, Facebook, websites)
- Small to medium prints up to approximately 8x12"
- Proof scans to review your images
- General everyday use
High Resolution Scans
| Resolution: | 4800px on the short side @ 300dpi |
| File Type: | JPEG |
| File Size: | Approximately 30MB per image |
Maximum print sizes from High Resolution scans:
| Film Format | Approximate Scan Dimensions | Max Print @ 300 DPI | Max Print @ 240 DPI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35mm (3:2) | 7200 x 4800 px | 16x24" | 20x30" |
| 6x4.5 (4:3) | 6400 x 4800 px | 16x21.3" | 20x26.6" |
| 6x6 (1:1) | 4800 x 4800 px | 16x16" | 20x20" |
| 6x7 (7:6) | 5600 x 4800 px | 16x18.6" | 20x23.3" |
| 6x9 (3:2) | 7200 x 4800 px | 16x24" | 20x30" |
High resolution scans are ideal for:
- Large format prints up to 24x36"
- Exhibition and gallery prints
- Heavy cropping while retaining detail
- Professional and commercial use
16-bit TIFF Add-On
| Resolution: | Matches your chosen scan tier (Standard or High Resolution) |
| File Type: | TIFF (16-bit, uncompressed) |
| File Size: | Approximately 50MB per image on Standard, 200MB on High Resolution |
The 16-bit TIFF add-on can be added to either scan tier for a small per-roll fee. It delivers uncompressed 16-bit files with the widest latitude for editing, colour grading, shadow and highlight recovery, and archival keeping. TIFF files upload to our print portal directly. You do not need to convert them to JPEG first.
All scans are output to print specification: 300dpi at the stated print size (8" short side for Standard, 16" for High Resolution). If you would prefer files at the scanner's native default resolution instead, we can do this as a special request at no charge. Just mention it at drop-off or on the mail-in order form.
Hasselblad Flextight X5 Scanning
For the highest quality film scanning available, we offer single frame scanning on our Hasselblad Flextight X5. This is a virtual drum scanner producing exceptional detail and tonal range, ideal for exhibition prints and professional work.
X5 Scanner Output and Print Sizes
Output resolution varies by film format, as the scanner runs at different DPI for different film sizes.
| Film Format | Aspect Ratio | Scanner DPI | Approx. Dimensions | Max Print @ 300 DPI | Max Print @ 240 DPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35mm | 3:2 | 8,000 | 11,336 x 7,560 px | 25x38" | 31x47" |
| XPAN | 65:24 | 8,000 | 20,472 x 7,560 px | 25x68" | 31x85" |
| 6x4.5 | 4:3 | 3,200 | 7,056 x 5,229 px | 17x24" | 22x29" |
| 6x6 | 1:1 | 3,200 | 7,056 x 7,056 px | 24x24" | 29x29" |
| 6x7 | 7:6 | 3,200 | 8,819 x 7,056 px | 24x29" | 29x37" |
| 6x9 | 3:2 | 3,200 | 10,582 x 7,056 px | 24x35" | 29x44" |
| 4x5 | 5:4 | 2,040 | 10,200 x 8,160 px | 27x34" | 34x43" |
Our in-house printing goes up to 40 x 60". Every X5 output above fits inside that except a full-length XPAN frame at 300 DPI, which would be 68" long. We can still print it, either slightly smaller or on a roll, so get in touch and we will quote it.
X5 scanning is ideal for:
- Exhibition and gallery quality prints
- Very large format printing
- Maximum detail extraction from your negatives
- Archival and museum quality reproduction
- Commercial and advertising use
- Images requiring heavy cropping
- Dense negatives or slides requiring maximum shadow detail (Dmax 4.9)
Film Format Aspect Ratios
Different film formats produce different shaped images. Matching your film's shape to a print shape means nothing gets cropped.
| Film Format | Aspect Ratio | Print Sizes That Match Exactly |
|---|---|---|
| 35mm / 135 | 3:2 | 4x6", 5x7.5", 6x9", 8x12", 12x18", 16x24", 20x30", 24x36", 40x60" |
| 6x4.5 (645) | 4:3 | 6x8", 12x16", 30x40", 36x48" |
| 6x6 | 1:1 (Square) | 5x5", 6x6", 8x8", 16x16", 20x20", 24x24", 40x40" |
| 6x7 | 7:6 | No exact match. 20x24" is closest at about 3%, or use a custom size |
| 6x9 | 3:2 | 4x6", 8x12", 12x18", 16x24", 20x30", 24x36", 40x60" |
| 6x12 | 2:1 | Custom size recommended |
| 6x17 | 17:6 | 8x24" with about 6% crop, or a custom size |
| 4x5 Large Format | 5:4 | 8x10", 11x14", 16x20" |
| XPAN | 65:24 | 8x24" with about 11% crop, or a custom size |
| 110 | 4:3 | 6x8", 12x16", 30x40", 36x48" |
| APS | 3:2 | 4x6", 8x12", 12x18", 16x24", 20x30" |
For what happens when the shapes do not match, see Understanding Aspect Ratios in Photo Printing.
Awkward Formats: Use a Custom Size
6x7, 6x12, 6x17 and XPAN do not match any standard paper shape, and cropping a panoramic frame to fit a standard size rather defeats the point of shooting it.
You can enter any custom size in our print portal, from 4" on the short edge up to 40 x 60", with the price updating as you type. Enter the exact proportions of your frame and nothing is trimmed.
We also stock two panoramic C-Type sizes off the shelf: 6x24" and 8x24".
Quick Reference: Which Scan Do I Need?
| Your Intended Use | Recommended Scan |
|---|---|
| Social media and web sharing | Standard Resolution |
| Prints up to 8x12" | Standard Resolution |
| Prints up to 12x18" | Standard Resolution (around 240 DPI, still very good) |
| Prints up to 24x36" | High Resolution |
| Editing, colour grading or an archival master | Add 16-bit TIFF to either scan |
| Exhibition prints larger than 24x36" | X5 Scanner |
| Heavy cropping required | High Resolution or X5 Scanner |
| Archival and maximum quality | X5 Scanner |
| Dense slides or negatives | X5 Scanner (Dmax 4.9) |
Not sure? Order the standard scan, upload it to the print portal and choose the size you want. If the file will not carry it, the portal says so before you pay, and we can rescan at higher resolution from your negatives.
Need Help?
If you are unsure which scanning option suits your project, or have questions about print sizes and file preparation, please get in touch. We are happy to advise on the best approach.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 02 8041 7049