Image aspect ratios reference
Last reviewed 2026-09-17. Every competitor figure links to the vendor's own page.
Aspect ratio is the proportion between an image's width and height, independent of its pixel dimensions. Changing an image from one ratio to another always means either discarding pixels by cropping or adding empty space by padding. There is no third option.
Common ratios
| Ratio | Shape | Example size | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:1 | Square | 2048 x 2048 | Product listings, profile images, feed posts |
| 4:5 | Tall portrait | 1080 x 1350 | Portrait social posts |
| 3:4 | Portrait | 1536 x 2048 | Portrait photography, some catalogues |
| 2:3 | Tall | 1600 x 2400 | 35mm photography, print enlargements |
| 4:3 | Landscape | 2048 x 1536 | Standard camera output, presentations |
| 3:2 | Landscape | 3000 x 2000 | DSLR and mirrorless default |
| 16:9 | Wide | 1920 x 1080 | Video, hero banners, screens |
| 9:16 | Vertical | 1080 x 1920 | Full-screen vertical video |
What a crop actually costs
Re-cropping to a different ratio discards pixels along one axis. Starting from a 3:2 capture at 6000 by 4000, here is what survives each conversion.
| Target ratio | Resulting pixels | Share of original area |
|---|---|---|
| 3:2 (no crop) | 6000 x 4000 | 100% |
| 4:3 | 5333 x 4000 | 89% |
| 16:9 | 6000 x 3375 | 84% |
| 1:1 | 4000 x 4000 | 67% |
| 4:5 | 3200 x 4000 | 53% |
| 9:16 | 2250 x 4000 | 38% |
A vertical crop from a landscape capture keeps barely a third of the frame. If vertical output matters, shooting for it directly is far better than cropping down to it later.
The safe zone method
When one photograph must serve several ratios, frame so the subject sits inside the area common to all of them. For square, 4:5 and 16:9 from a single 3:2 capture, that common region is roughly the central 60 percent of the frame.
A transparent cutout removes the constraint entirely. Once the subject is separated from its background, you can place it on any canvas at any ratio without cropping the subject at all, which is why catalogue workflows usually cut out once and compose many times.
Frequently asked questions
What is an aspect ratio?
The ratio of width to height, written as two numbers such as 4:3 or 16:9. It describes shape only. A 4:3 image can be 800 by 600 or 4000 by 3000 pixels; both have the same ratio and very different detail.
How do I calculate an aspect ratio?
Divide width and height by their greatest common divisor. An image 1920 by 1080 divides by 120 to give 16:9. To find a missing dimension, multiply the known one by the ratio: for 16:9 at 1600 wide, height is 1600 x 9 / 16, or 900.
Does cropping reduce image quality?
It reduces pixel count, not per-pixel quality. Cropping a 4000 by 3000 image to 1:1 leaves 3000 by 3000, which is still sharp but smaller. That matters when the result must clear a platform's minimum dimensions.
Should I crop or pad to change ratio?
Crop when the subject allows it, since padding wastes canvas and often looks unintentional. Pad when the subject cannot be cut, for instance a wide product that would lose its ends in a square crop. A transparent cutout makes padding trivial, because you can place it on any background at any ratio.
How do I shoot once for several ratios?
Frame for the widest ratio you need, then keep the subject inside the area that survives the tightest crop. That overlap region is your safe zone, and leaving margin around it lets one capture serve square, portrait and landscape outputs.