The native format of DSLR cameras and 35mm film. Calculate dimensions, find print sizes, and understand photo resolutions.
Enter width to calculate height, or enter height to calculate width. For 3:2, the width is always 1.5× the height.
| Megapixels | Width | Height | Example Cameras | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 MP | 3000 | 2000 | Older entry-level DSLRs | |
| 13.5 MP | 4500 | 3000 | Mid-range DSLRs | |
| 24 MP Common | 6000 | 4000 | Canon 90D, Nikon Z6, Sony A7 III | |
| 34.5 MP | 7200 | 4800 | High-res mirrorless, medium format |
These print sizes match the 3:2 ratio exactly — no cropping needed when printing directly from a DSLR or 35mm camera image.
| Print Size | Pixels at 300 DPI | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 4 × 6 inches | 1200 × 1800 px | Standard photo print |
| 6 × 9 inches | 1800 × 2700 px | Postcards, wall prints |
| 8 × 12 inches | 2400 × 3600 px | Framed prints |
| 10 × 15 inches | 3000 × 4500 px | Large wall art |
| 12 × 18 inches | 3600 × 5400 px | Poster-size prints |
The 3:2 aspect ratio traces directly to 35mm film, developed by Thomas Edison and William Dickson around 1892. The film frame measured 36×24mm — a perfect 3:2 ratio (1.5:1). When Leica introduced the 35mm still camera format in 1924, and when SLR cameras became popular in the 1950s and 60s, this ratio became standard for photography. Canon, Nikon, Sony, and virtually every major camera manufacturer continues to use 3:2 as the native sensor ratio for their APS-C and full-frame cameras.
Full-frame sensors (36×24mm) and APS-C sensors (approximately 23.5×15.6mm) both maintain the 3:2 ratio. When you shoot with a Canon EOS, Nikon Z, Sony Alpha, or Fujifilm X-series camera at maximum resolution, the output is a 3:2 image. A 24-megapixel full-frame camera produces a 6000×4000 px image; a 36-megapixel camera produces 7360×4912 px — both 3:2.
3:2 (1.5:1) sits between the near-square 4:3 (1.333:1) and the wide 16:9 (1.778:1). For landscape photography, 3:2 provides a natural wide view without the extreme width of 16:9. For portrait orientation, it produces a pleasing tall rectangle. When displaying 3:2 photos on a 16:9 monitor, small black bars appear on the sides; when printing to non-3:2 paper sizes (like A4 at approximately 1.41:1), slight cropping occurs.
If you shoot 3:2 but need to deliver in other ratios — for Instagram (1:1 or 4:5), for video (16:9), or for standard paper (A4) — you'll need to crop. Plan your composition with this in mind: leave space around subjects for different crop ratios. A 6000×4000 px (3:2) image can be cropped to 4000×4000 (1:1), 3555×2000 (16:9), or 3200×4000 (4:5) without significant quality loss.