printing a 4x6 picute

[Guest]

I'm trying to print a true 4x6 picture. I'm using paper thats 4x6 1/2 on a hp
psc 2210 all in one printer. I have windows xp service pack 2. The pictures
are coming out 4x5 1/4????? How can I print a 4x6?

 

[Yves Alarie]

The first thing to check is matching the aspect ratio (width/height) of the
print size you want in inches (6 x 4) with the aspect ratio of the picture
you have in pixels.
For 6 x 4, the aspect ratio is 6/4 = 1.5
To check the aspect ratio of the picture, place your mouse pointer over the
file name or thumbnail. A textbox will open giving you the dimensions in
pixels, something like 2550 x 1920. The aspect ratio is:
2550/1920 = 1.33
This will not work because the aspect ratios d not match.
The printer driver has two options:
Crop to fit: crop the picture (remove pixels) a little from the top and a
little from the bottom so the aspect ratio becomes 1.5 and it fills the 6 x
4 space but a little of the top and bottom of the picture will be missing.
Size to fit: reduces slightly the size of the picture to get an aspect ratio
size of the picture so it will fit on the paper size you selected, but now
you will have a white border.
I suspect this is what is happening, your print size on your paper 6.25 x 4
paper is 5.25 x 4:
5.25/4 = 1.32.
So I think you are trying to print an image taken from a digital camera
(most shoot at 4:3, aspect ratio is 1.33) and it does not fit your 1.5 paper
aspect ratio.
I don't know your printer or what software you print with, but you may be
able to change the option of "size to fit" to "crop to size". Obviously this
last option, automatic crop, may cut the feet or head of somebody.
The best solution if automatic crop is not satisfactory is to crop manually
with a photo editing software. With this you can crop at any aspect ratio
you want and place the crop over the area of the picture where you want it
and then print.

 

[Guest]

You are correct; the aspect ratio; 2048 x 1536 is 1.33 and it is a digital
camera photo. I dont think i can get around the printing wizard, but I think
i can use my HP Photo & Image software to fool it into printing a true 4x6
though the HP photo printing software. I got it to print a actual 4x6 by
itself on a full page, by deleting out two of the three 4x6's. Why it does
just print a 4x6 is crazy. I'll keep at it until I figure out a way. I
chatted with the HP "people" and they said I couldn't, that the hp printer
prints it at 4x5 1/4. Which is what I kept getting using the Wizard and
selecting Borderless 4x6 prints. I buy full sheets and 4x6 print sheets, but
didn't realize I would have so many problems with the 4x6's. Thanks for your
help. If you have any other thoughts let me know. Or let me know if you keep
other specific information. Thanks

 

[Yves Alarie]

Ok.This is a slightly different problem.
If the printer specifications are 4 x 5.25 when you use 4 x 6 paper, there
is not much you can do.
But yes, you can print at full 4 x 6 on 8.5 x 11 paper.
In fact you can print two 4 x 6 on 8.5 x 11 paper.

But you still have the same problem using the Wizard, yes you will get one
(or two) 4 x 6 print on the larger size paper, but the wizard will crop a
little from the top and a little from the bottom of the photo to make it
fit. And this may be just fine. In general, people "overframe" when they
take a picture, so a little cropping will not hurt.
The only instances when you will be able to print exactly the entire picture
is when you select a size (of print ) that is an exact multiple of the
aspect ratio of the photo file. In your case it would be 4 x 3, 8 x 6, etc.

Hope this helps, this aspect ratio can drive people crazy!