3:2 aspect ratio, in short: a landscape shape 3 units wide for every 2 tall (1.5:1), the native shape of most DSLR and mirrorless camera photos and of 35 mm film. Common 3:2 sizes are 1080×720, 1500×1000, 1800×1200 (a 4×6 inch print at 300 dpi), 3000×2000 and 6000×4000 (24 megapixels). Height = width ÷ 1.5. Upright, it's 2:3.
More on this topic: Photo editing how-tos, every guide in one place.
If you shoot product photos on a camera rather than a phone, they come out 3:2. That's a little wider than a phone's 4:3 and much wider than the square most marketplaces want, so 3:2 photos almost always need cropping or extending before they're used. This guide lists the common 3:2 sizes, the formula, where 3:2 is used, how it compares with 4:3 and 16:9, and how to convert camera photos for listings, social posts and prints. The free aspect ratio calculator works out any 3:2 size.
- The ratio: width ÷ height = 1.5. Height = width × 2 ÷ 3.
- Camera photos: 6000×4000 (24 MP) and other DSLR and mirrorless sizes are 3:2.
- Prints: 4×6, 8×12, 12×18 and 20×30 inch are all 3:2.
- Upright 2:3: the same shape as a standard 1000×1500 Pinterest pin.
- For marketplaces: crop to 1:1, losing a third of the width, or extend the background.
What are the 3:2 sizes in pixels?
Any size whose width is one and a half times its height is 3:2. These are the common ones:
| 3:2 size | Megapixels | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 1080×720 | 0.78 | Web images, blog photos |
| 1200×800 | 0.96 | Blog headers, email |
| 1500×1000 | 1.5 | Website images, galleries |
| 1800×1200 | 2.16 | 4×6 inch print at 300 dpi |
| 2400×1600 | 3.84 | Large web images |
| 3000×2000 | 6 | Downsized camera photos |
| 3600×2400 | 8.64 | 8×12 inch print at 300 dpi |
| 6000×4000 | 24 | 24 MP camera photo |
Some cameras' sizes are close to, not exactly, 3:2 (for example 8192×5464 is 1.499), because sensor dimensions are rounded to whole pixels. Treat anything within a few pixels as 3:2.
How do you calculate 3:2 dimensions?
Divide the width by 1.5 to get the height, or multiply the height by 1.5 to get the width.
| You have | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Width | Height = width × 2 ÷ 3 | 1500 wide → 1000 tall |
| Height | Width = height × 3 ÷ 2 | 1200 tall → 1800 wide |
| Any size | Is width ÷ height = 1.5? | 2400×1600 = 1.5, so it's 3:2 |
Where is the 3:2 aspect ratio used?
| Where | How 3:2 is used | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DSLR and mirrorless cameras | Native sensor shape for most models | Micro Four Thirds cameras shoot 4:3 |
| 35 mm film | 36×24 mm frame | Where the 3:2 standard comes from |
| Photo prints | 4×6, 8×12, 12×18, 20×30 inch | 8×10 and 5×7 are different shapes |
| Some laptop and tablet screens | 3:2 displays such as 2256×1504 | Taller than 16:9 for documents |
| Pinterest (upright 2:3) | 1000×1500 pins | A camera photo turned upright is already 2:3 |
| Websites and blogs | Hero and article images | A common default in themes |
For Pinterest specifically, see Pinterest product pin size; for prints, photo print sizes in pixels.
What is the difference between 3:2, 4:3 and 16:9?
They're three landscape shapes of increasing width. 4:3 (1.33) is the phone camera shape, 3:2 (1.5) the camera and print shape, and 16:9 (1.78) the video and screen shape. At 1080 pixels tall they are 1440, 1620 and 1920 pixels wide.
| Ratio | Decimal | At 1080 px tall | Mostly used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4:3 | 1.33 | 1440×1080 | Phone photos, classic screens |
| 3:2 | 1.50 | 1620×1080 | Camera photos, 4×6 prints |
| 16:9 | 1.78 | 1920×1080 | Video, YouTube, banners |
More on the neighbours: 4:3 aspect ratio and 16:9 aspect ratio. All common shapes are in our aspect ratio guide.
How do you convert a 3:2 camera photo for marketplaces and social media?
Crop when there's empty background beside the product; extend the background when the product fills the frame. A 6000×4000 photo cropped to a square keeps 4000×4000, which is still plenty for a 2000×2000 listing image.
| From 6000×4000 (3:2) | Crop to | Or extend to |
|---|---|---|
| Square 1:1 (marketplaces) | 4000×4000, loses a third of the width | 6000×6000 |
| Portrait 4:5 (Instagram) | 3200×4000 | Turn the camera upright when you shoot |
| Vertical 9:16 (Stories) | 2250×4000, loses 62% of the width | 6000×10667 |
| Widescreen 16:9 (banners) | 6000×3375, trims top and bottom | 7111×4000 |
- Decide where the image is going and pick the shape.
- If the product has space around it, crop with the free image cropper or the square image maker.
- If cropping would cut the product, extend the background instead.
- Resize to the platform's size (2000×2000 for most marketplaces).
- Check the product still fills most of the frame.
AiArter's AI image extender converts a 3:2 photo to a Shopify square, Instagram 4:5, Story 9:16, Pinterest 2:3 or Etsy 5:4 for 8 credits per size, adding matching background instead of cropping.
Turn a 3:2 camera photo into a square or vertical image without cropping the product.
Change the shape7 days free · 50 credits · No credit cardWhen you know a 3:2 photo will become a square, frame the product in the middle two thirds of the viewfinder. Then the square crop keeps the whole product with a little space around it.
How do you crop a photo to 3:2?
Use your editor's 3:2 crop preset, or set exact pixel dimensions. Most phone and desktop editors include it, because 3:2 is the 4×6 print shape.
| Where | How |
|---|---|
| iPhone Photos | Edit → Crop → aspect ratio button → 3:2 (or 2:3 for portrait) |
| Google Photos | Edit → Crop → aspect ratio → 3:2 |
| Windows Photos | Edit → Crop → aspect ratio → 3:2 |
| Photoshop and Lightroom | Crop tool → ratio 3:2 or 2×3 in |
| Any browser | The free image cropper, ratio 3:2 |
- Crop before you resize. Get the shape right, then scale to the final pixel size so nothing is stretched.
- Never stretch to fit. Changing width and height independently distorts the product; buyers notice squashed bottles and boxes straight away.
- Keep the original. Save the cropped copy as a new file so you can still make a square or vertical version later.
- Check the edges. A 3:2 crop from a 4:3 phone photo trims the top and bottom; make sure the product's top isn't cut.
What size is a 4x6 print in pixels?
1800×1200 pixels at 300 dpi, which is exactly 3:2. A 6000×4000 camera photo can print up to 20×13.3 inches at 300 dpi, and a 20×30 inch print at 300 dpi needs 9000×6000.
| Print size (inches) | Pixels at 300 dpi | Pixels at 200 dpi |
|---|---|---|
| 4×6 | 1800×1200 | 1200×800 |
| 8×12 | 3600×2400 | 2400×1600 |
| 12×18 | 5400×3600 | 3600×2400 |
| 20×30 | 9000×6000 | 6000×4000 |
The free change image DPI tool sets the dpi value a print shop asks for without resampling the pixels; see what DPI for printing for when it matters.
Should product photos be 3:2?
Shoot in 3:2 if that's your camera's native shape, because it uses the whole sensor, but don't publish in 3:2 for marketplaces. Most of them show square tiles, so export 1:1 for listings and keep the 3:2 original for banners, blog images and prints.
- Listings: 1:1 at 2000×2000.
- Instagram and Threads: 4:5 or 3:4 portrait.
- Pinterest: 2:3, which is a 3:2 photo turned upright.
- Website banners and blog posts: 3:2 or 16:9.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a 3:2 image?
Common 3:2 sizes are 1080×720, 1500×1000, 1800×1200, 3000×2000 and 6000×4000.
How do I calculate 3:2?
Height = width ÷ 1.5. A 1500 px wide image needs 1000 px of height.
Is 6000x4000 3:2?
Yes. 6000 ÷ 4000 = 1.5.
What is 3:2 used for?
Camera photos, 35 mm film, 4×6 and 8×12 prints, some laptop screens and website images.
Is 4x6 a 3:2 ratio?
Yes. 6 ÷ 4 = 1.5, so a 4×6 print is 3:2; at 300 dpi it's 1800×1200 pixels.
Is 3:2 the same as 2:3?
Same shape, turned 90 degrees. 3:2 is landscape and 2:3 is portrait, like a Pinterest pin.
What is the difference between 3:2 and 16:9?
16:9 is wider: at 1080 px tall, 3:2 is 1620 px wide and 16:9 is 1920 px wide.
Is 3:2 good for Instagram?
Landscape 3:2 shows small in the feed. Crop or extend to 4:5 (1080×1350) instead.
Turn 3:2 camera shots into square listings, portrait posts and vertical Stories, with AI filling the extra space.
Start free trialSee pricing7 days free · 50 credits · No credit card. Trial images carry a small “Made with aiarter” mark; paid plans export clean files you can use commercially.
