1.6 MP
Needed at 300 DPI
0.7 MP
Needed at 200 DPI
12.7×8.9 cm
Size in cm
1.43:1
Aspect ratio
9 in
Typical viewing distance
Pixels needed for a 3.5×5 in print#
At normal viewing distance (≈1.5× the diagonal, 0.2 m) about 200 DPI is indistinguishable from 300 DPI for most viewers.
| Resolution | Quality | Pixel dimensions | Megapixels |
|---|---|---|---|
| 360 DPI | Exceptional (close inspection) | 1,800 × 1,260 px | 2.3 MP |
| 300 DPI | Photo-lab standard | 1,500 × 1,050 px | 1.6 MP |
| 240 DPI | Fine-art inkjet | 1,200 × 840 px | 1.0 MP |
| 200 DPI | Large wall print | 1,000 × 700 px | 0.7 MP |
| 150 DPI | Poster, viewed from 1 m+ | 750 × 525 px | 0.4 MP |
| 100 DPI | Billboard / banner | 500 × 350 px | 0.2 MP |
Cropping from your camera#
| Camera aspect ratio | What happens | Image kept |
|---|---|---|
| 3:2 (full frame, APS-C) | Crop the long side | 95% |
| 4:3 (MFT, phones) | Crop the short side | 93% |
| 16:9 | Crop the long side | 80% |
| 1:1 | Crop the short side | 70% |
Print size calculator#
Maximum print size—
In centimetres—
Megapixels · aspect ratio—
Will my camera be enough?#
A 24 MP camera (6000 × 4000 px) prints 1200 DPI on the long side at 3.5×5 in — more than enough. A 12 MP phone (4032 × 3024) gives 806 DPI. See the 2 megapixel guide.
Small snapshot print.
Other print sizes#
Wallet (2.5×3.5 in)4×6 in5×5 in5×7 in6×8 in8×8 in8×10 in8.5×11 in (US Letter)8×12 in10×10 in11×14 in12×12 in11×17 in (Tabloid)12×16 in12×18 in13×19 in (Super B / A3+)16×20 in16×24 in18×24 in20×24 in20×30 in24×30 in24×36 in30×40 in40×60 inA6 (105×148 mm)A5 (148×210 mm)A4 (210×297 mm)A3 (297×420 mm)A3+ (329×483 mm)A2 (420×594 mm)A1 (594×841 mm)A0 (841×1189 mm)10×15 cm13×18 cm20×30 cm30×40 cm30×45 cm40×60 cm50×70 cm60×90 cm
Frequently asked questions#
How many megapixels do I need for a 3.5×5 in print?
1.6 MP for 300 DPI photo-lab quality, 0.7 MP at 200 DPI, and 0.4 MP at 150 DPI.
What resolution is 3.5×5 in at 300 DPI?
1,500 × 1,050 pixels.
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources