5×7 Photo Dimensions: Ratio, Centimeters and Print Pixels

How big is a 5 x 7 photo?

A nominal 5 x 7 print measures 5 inches by 7 inches, equal to 12.7 x 17.78 centimeters or 127 x 177.8 millimeters. Rotate it to 7 x 5 for landscape. The portrait ratio is 5:7 and the landscape ratio is 7:5.

This format is larger than 4 x 6 but smaller than 8 x 10, making it common for desk frames, albums and small portraits. Actual borderless output may be enlarged and trimmed slightly, so a lab's crop preview and finished-size tolerance take priority.

5 x 7 dimensions in pixels

Multiply inches by the target pixels per inch. At 300 PPI, a portrait 5 x 7 requires 1500 x 2100 pixels. At 240 PPI it requires 1200 x 1680, and at 150 PPI it requires 750 x 1050. Reverse width and height for landscape.

These values are preparation targets, not guarantees of sharpness. A correctly sized but blurred or heavily compressed file can still print poorly. Conversely, a clean file somewhat below 300 PPI may work well at this size depending on the print process and viewing distance.

Why 5 x 7 crops a 3:2 or 4:3 photo

A 5:7 portrait has a decimal width-to-height ratio of about 0.714. A 2:3 camera portrait is about 0.667, while 3:4 is 0.75. Because neither matches exactly, filling the paper removes a small amount from one pair of edges.

Preview and reposition the crop before ordering. Protect heads, hands, captions and signatures, and leave extra margin around frame edges. If every source pixel matters, fit the image inside the 5 x 7 canvas and accept a border rather than stretching the subject.

Compared with 4 x 6, a 5 x 7 print is physically larger and slightly squarer. Do not enlarge a finished 4 x 6 crop and assume it will fit: return to the uncropped original, choose the 5:7 frame and make a fresh composition.

Prepare a 5 x 7 file and frame

A frame labeled 5 x 7 normally accepts that print size, but its lip or mat opening may hide part of the edge. Keep essential details inside a conservative safe area. Check whether the frame expects a mat and whether its opening is centered.

Export once from the original at the print provider's requested file format and color profile. High-quality JPEG and sRGB are common consumer-lab choices, but not universal. Avoid repeatedly opening and saving JPEG files because each lossy save can reduce quality.