Print sizes?

TA-2D

Ive just returned from my local shop where i have my photos developed and was told that images from a digital camera cant be printed out at 10x8 inch size, does anyone know if this is true or just with this particular retailers?

I was told that 10x8 size prints were only available for 35mm cameras, and digital prints are only done in set sizes of 6x4, 7x5, 9x6, 10x7 and a larger poster size of i think 15x10? I was wanting a 10x8 print of the pic below and unfortunatley could only get a 10x7 so the pic had to be cropped to this size and i had to chose between losing my sons shoes and the bottom of the pic or the water hitting the window at the top of the pic, i opted to keep the shoes in the photo but lose the water hitting the window, this is i was told had to be done to because of the photo ratio?

Im confused and sorry if ive bored you but id love to have printed "the whole picture" and not have had to chose to lose part of the photo. Heres the photo below.

ziggy53

The short answer is that anything "you" can crop to 8" x 10" proportions, they can print at 8" x 10". (Quality at that size is a separate consideration.)

If you use Windows you can get Picasa for free and it has a great cropping tool:

http://picasa.google.com/

The longer answer is that the shop person you talked to has it rather backwards. Most digital P&S cameras record to a size that translates rather easily to 8" x 10" proportions. Most dSLRs and 35mm film cameras require much more cropping to get to 8" x 10" proportions.

Cato

That's a cute photo!

The ratio for most digicams is 4:3; for most DSLR's (except Olympus) its 3:2.

So, without cropping the photo, or adding additional white space, it's true that printing an 8x10 presents problems. The funny thing is, in the case of the photo you posted, you shouldn't need to crop his shoes or the water hitting the window; for 8x10 you would need to crop from the side. With DSLR's it would require even more cropping.

There are kiosks at some large drug stores and Walmart-type stores that allow you to view and crop your photos before submitting them for printing. Even better, you can crop them at home.

I've found with my modest HP inkjet printer, I get higher quality prints than Walmart, drug stores etc.

It sounds to me like your camera shop is not being flexible. Perhaps its time to go someplace else.

EDIT: Sorry, Ziggy, I didn't see your post while composing my own...

TA-2D

thanks again, i ment 10 inch wide by 7 inch high, when i saw my image on the pc screen instore there was a 10x7 size box showing what area of the photo would be printed out, i could move the box but couldnt get it to cover the whole image, ill try another store, im sure there was a print all option but that included a white border top and bottom.

Kalrog

TA-2D wrote:

thanks again, i ment 10 inch wide by 7 inch high, when i saw my image on the pc screen instore there was a 10x7 size box showing what area of the photo would be printed out, i could move the box but couldnt get it to cover the whole image, ill try another store, im sure there was a print all option but that included a white border top and bottom.

Find a new retailer. It sounds like they are the limiting factor in this situation.

sherijohnson

I have never been told that. I have printed many 8 x 10's from digital over the years regardless of the camera.

Cato

sherijohnson wrote:

I have never been told that. I have printed many 8 x 10's from digital over the years regardless of the camera.

In that case, they've been either cropped or stretched. Apparently, the OP's retailer has not been very helpful with this.