Photos get Cropped off when Developed at Photo Studio


Ilovetotakephotos

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Nov 11, 2010
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From time to time I send digital soft copies of my photos (Canon Digital IXUS 80IS) to the photo studio (Kodak Express) to get them developed into hard copies. However there is one major problem which lies in the cropping off of the edges (or borders) of every photo, esp. if there is someone's face near the edge of the photo, then some features get cropped off :( However if I'd take a more zoomed-out shot of the subject, then the surrounding scenery gets cropped, and the subject appears more zoomed-in than what is taken on my camera (but at least the subject remains intact).

I spoke with the photo studio staff and they said sth like "what you see on your camera is slightly different the photos after they're developed"...and the staff will, to develop your photos, zoom in to ensure that your photos look presentable after cropping, and that no one's features get cut off. But the inevitable question is, why are the photos still getting cropped somehow, i.e. why can't I get a 100% duplicate of what I took on the camera...it's always top side get cut off, left side, right side and so forth; somehow something gets cropped :(

I do not edit my photos using any photo-editing software; all my photos are taken as it is. My camera is an 8.0 mega pixels camera, and all my photos are taken at 8M 3264x2448 dimensions (i.e. to fully ultilised the 8.0 mega pixel feature, though photos can still be taken at lower mega pixels on this camera).

Doing a qualitative side-by-side comparison with the developed photos from the studio and the soft copy ones, I noted the dimensions for the photo studio ones are at most ~~ 3264x2196 (an approximate, using a photo-editing software to measure the pixel dimensions). But recall that all my photos are taken in 3264x2448, thus does this explains the cropping issue? But why is this so? Is it because of the limitations of the studio printing equipment that there must be a mandatory margin surrounding each photo? Or is there a "fixed box of max 3264x2196" which the staff can position around your photos (think Facebook where you have a white box of limited dimensions to position and then crop your profile pic)?

Doesn't make much sense...may somebody enlighten me with a possible workaround to this problem? I can't be taking all my shots with an "imaginary boundary" at the back of my head such that after being developed, no important features get cropped. Or should I go lower mega pixels, for e.g. 5M 2592x1944 which is within 3264x2196 at the expense of sharpness? Or find another photo studio?

Thank you for your assistance! :)
 

I think you need to understand ratios and basic maths first. The standard ratio for printed photographs is 3:2 (assuming 4R); in other words, your camera is producing images that are not in this ratio. Therefor the studio either has to chop off a portion, or leave a white border. Most cameras have no problems here; yours is shooting at a 4:3 ratio, which is a 4D or 6R or S8R size.

So ask your lab to print in 4D, or crop your pictures yourself before printing, or choose an image size that is 3:2 ration compliant if you are printing 4R.
 

4D, 6R yes, but not S8R. S8R is 3:2 ratio.

Whoops! Yes, you're right, thanks. I think I had my signals crossed; wanted to mention S8R as another example of 4R ratio
 

I think you need to understand ratios and basic maths first. The standard ratio for printed photographs is 3:2 (assuming 4R); in other words, your camera is producing images that are not in this ratio. Therefor the studio either has to chop off a portion, or leave a white border. Most cameras have no problems here; yours is shooting at a 4:3 ratio, which is a 4D or 6R or S8R size.

So ask your lab to print in 4D, or crop your pictures yourself before printing, or choose an image size that is 3:2 ration compliant if you are printing 4R.

I see I see...thanks for the reply! :) But the photo studio only prints in 2R, 3R, 4R, 6R, and 8R. Is there a way to set my camera to shoot in 3:2 aspect ratio? I can only see dimensions of 4:3 ratio...is there any way to set this via the camera or is the settings fix already? If can set the settings it would save a lot of time than resorting to cropping later on. Thank you once again :)
 

I see I see...thanks for the reply! :) But the photo studio only prints in 2R, 3R, 4R, 6R, and 8R. Is there a way to set my camera to shoot in 3:2 aspect ratio? I can only see dimensions of 4:3 ratio...is there any way to set this via the camera or is the settings fix already? If can set the settings it would save a lot of time than resorting to cropping later on. Thank you once again :)

Not that I can see. Try a different lab.
 

Hi Rashkae, I've managed to solve the problem...found the setting in my camera to take in 3:2 aspect ratio instead of 4:3 :) Actually involves displaying the 3:2 grid lines on the 4:3 LCD...then focus the subject in the designated region and shoot! ;p

But really thanks for highlighting the incorrect aspect ratio issue...wondered why the photo studio staff didn't even tell me about this considering the amount of photos they developed, this kind of problems should be 2nd-nature to them to inform their customers or sth...anyway thanks for your help! :D
 

Hi Rashkae, I've managed to solve the problem...found the setting in my camera to take in 3:2 aspect ratio instead of 4:3 :) Actually involves displaying the 3:2 grid lines on the 4:3 LCD...then focus the subject in the designated region and shoot! ;p

But really thanks for highlighting the incorrect aspect ratio issue...wondered why the photo studio staff didn't even tell me about this considering the amount of photos they developed, this kind of problems should be 2nd-nature to them to inform their customers or sth...anyway thanks for your help! :D
you can blame the lab staffs, some are more knowledgeable some are not, some are more helpful some are not.
just like the photographers here. ;)

anyway, glad that you able to have found a solution.
 

you can blame the lab staffs, some are more knowledgeable some are not, some are more helpful some are not.
just like the photographers here. ;)

anyway, glad that you able to have found a solution.

Yup, nvm it's ok..just have to be more proactive on my part...was determined to get to the bottom of this cropping thing...didn't realise it was an aspect ratio issue, thus I was wondering how come it's a recurring problem...and they kept mum about it...kept having that cropping issue...somemore I developed 200+ photos from them on a regular basis, considering nowadays not many people develop photos too. But at least the staff took initiative to call and say someone's head got cut off and asked my consent on what action to take LOL! :confused:

Anyway thanks to everybody here who have helped me! :D
 

Yup, nvm it's ok..just have to be more proactive on my part...was determined to get to the bottom of this cropping thing...didn't realise it was an aspect ratio issue, thus I was wondering how come it's a recurring problem...and they kept mum about it...kept having that cropping issue...somemore I developed 200+ photos from them on a regular basis, considering nowadays not many people develop photos too. But at least the staff took initiative to call and say someone's head got cut off and asked my consent on what action to take LOL! :confused:

Anyway thanks to everybody here who have helped me! :D
you can find some labs in this thread which many members very familiar with.

Useful addresses of common photographic equipment/services shops