How to get standard sizes when processing images from an SD card

[sheryl_bury_michals]

I hope somebody can help me on this.

 

I'm processing shots my brother took on a recent trip to Italy. He has a Sony

5MP camera, a point-and-shoot type (with a Zeiss lens), that uses an SD memory

card. When I process the photos in Photoshop CS, I notice I can resize the

shots to a standard format (4x6, 5x7.5, 8.5x12, etc.). When I put in 4 inces

for the height, the width is 5.333 instead of 6. If I change the width to 6,

then the height is 4.333.

 

The problem is that he wants to take the images (once I burn them to a CD), and

go to Walgreens/CVS type place where he can have the whole lot (about 300

shots) printed up. I know that when I did that once (several years ago), there

were white borders on the width areas. If I did change his image width on each

photo to 6 in, and the height becomes 4.333, then parts of the images would get

cut off if they were printed up. I know he wants full-frame images with no

borders.

 

I do not have this issue with my cameras, as I use CF cards with my Canon 30D.

I can size the images to fit standard print sizes, so it's never a problem.

 

Would unchecking the "Constrain Proportion" box help this problem without

compromising the image and get it to fit a standard size?

 

Thanks,

Sheryl

[sean_mcgroty]

It has nothing to do with the SD card. The images are not 3:2 aspect ratio, which is a 4x6.

They are closer to 4:3. They cannot be printed full-frame onto a 4x6 without distortion. That

is what will happen if you uncheck "Constrain proportions". The image will be stretched or

squashed to fit.

 

Your DSLRs images fit full-frame onto 4x6 prints because it produces images in the 3:2

aspect ratio.

[mark_sirota1]

Or you can to to Ritz (or ritzpix.com) and get 4.5x6" prints instead of 4x6, which match the aspect ratio of that camera (and most point & shoots). Other places may also offer prints in 4:3 aspect ratio as well, but Ritz is the one I happen to know about.

[sheryl_bury_michals]

Sean - thanks for the info - I figure there was a ratio differential. Now as I know I don't have this problem, so I'm assuming that those who buy a P&S camera like my brother who decide they want an 8x10 print, may end up getting something a bit smaller and not exact in size. If that was me, and I wanted to have 4x6 prints made, only to have white borders on the width sides, and not have a borderless print, I'd be a tad peeved. What does the average person do in that case?

 

There's something to be said for the DSLR's..

 

Thus, if i check the "constrain proportion" box (which is what was done with most of the prints), the hxw is then 4 x 5.333, which is in proportion - so that means if my brother wants 4x6 prints, the pics will always have white borders on the width ends? If he's paying for this, then he may be a tad peeved they're not full borderless prints.

 

that being said....

 

Mark - i may check around to see if there's a Ritz in Chicago (I think Wolf Camera may have bought them out) - trouble is with these places, as well as the drugstores, they aren't always the most astute in terms of knowing photography - I know if I tried to explain what ratio I need for photos, the concept may be lost on some of them....

 

I do know my brother wants to go to a drugstore near his place and have them printed up, so I'm not sure what to tell him. Even if I printed them all up on my printer in a borderless format, I'd have the same problem with white borders....

[vrankin]

Your brother could simply write a print order including the necessary slight crop from the

two long sides to make standard 4 X 6 borderless prints from any photofinisher. This would

only exclude important information from the most extremely tight shots.

[michael_preston]

I've experienced the same situation. My solution was to crop the image myself in Photoshop.

 

With your document open, grab the crop tool. In the options bar above, enter the dimensions you want (4in x 6in, or 6in x 4in), enter the resolution (I use any resolution between 150ppi-300ppi) and hit Enter.

 

The crop tool will be constrained to the dimensions you have entered and the result will yield your exact specifications.

 

Hope this helps you...

[sheryl_bury_michals]

that's one possibility - but the images are good and my brother doesn't want to crop anything out information-wise that he shot.

 

Michael, when I tried to do your suggestion - while the dimensions are right, some of the info gets cut out from the original shot.

[mjay_shivers]

There's probably an easier method than this, but what I do is:

Resize the shot down to 5.7" on the long side. Then go back and add a .3" boarder. When

the printer does it's thing it will crop from the boarder and leave your entire image intact.

You might experiment with a few shots to determine the minimum shrink factor you need.

Also, you could make a couple actions to automate the process, one for portrait orientation

and one for portrait.

Your choice, make it smaller or get cropped. I wish there was a better way.

[michael_preston]

Sheryl, I forgot to mention....resize your image in Photoshop to get your 6 x 4.333 dimensions before cropping.

 

Then use the crop tool you've set to 4in x 6in. Yes, it will cut .333in off but that's the least amount I've been able to arrive at.

 

Good luck, hope things work out for you!