Cameras: my photos are going to be 5.3x4", should I change my settings for the next lot?

[gemma4d]

Hello, I hope this isn't a daft question. For ages my photos have been the wrong dimensions to print 6x4 / 7x5 etc. I've just ordered a load at 5.3x4".

Should I change a setting in my camera so it takes photos at the 3:2 aspect? After all, if I buy a photo frame it comes in these sizes! Or would this be a bad thing to do for some reason? (eg picture quality / viewfinder no longer showing the whole picture etc)

I have a new camera with loads of settings so I'm guessing I can do this although I haven't looked! Its a micro-four-thirds, a Lumix GF3.

Oooh, nice camera!

You might want to wait for a photography geek to come along but, fwiw, I can't for the life of me see why not. 12mp is a humungous amount of data; more than enough to accurately render any details. I've got a Nikon smart camera (not as smart as yours, though!) and the LCD shows the picture as it's going to appear. What with your touch-screen, pinpoint-focus, magic-zoom facilities, I hardly imagine it'll show you a wrong view :)

I didn't check that precise fact as I got jealous bored reading about the GF3. But I say - the setting's there for a reason. Use it!

Lol, thanks garlic!

Its clicked! In case anyone saw this and happened to be interested...

to print a 6x4 image you want to shoot at 3:2 aspect
BUT
to print at any bigger "normal" size like 5x7, 8x10 you ideally want to shoot at 4:3 aspect - you will still loose a bit of the image, but less than if you shoot in 3:2.

Oh, and its a micro four-thirds camera because it shoots at 4:3 (four thirds) aspect, so I won't change it: poor camera would be confused!

Oooh! Thanks! :)