Practical guide · dimensions explained
Fit versus fill: borders or a crop?
See why a photo can have two different effective PPI values at the same finished print size.
Reviewed September 28, 2026 · Worked examples calculated for this guide
Illustration of the related tool’s example; proportions only.
Fit preserves the entire image
Fit places the whole image inside the chosen print rectangle while preserving its shape. When the ratios differ, unused space remains on two edges. With centered placement, the space is split evenly between those edges. Stretching the image to remove the borders is a different operation and would distort its proportions; these tools do not stretch.
Fill covers the rectangle
Fill enlarges the placed image enough to cover the print. Any image area outside the finished rectangle is cropped. The same source photo therefore has a lower effective PPI in fill mode than in fit mode when the ratios differ. Neither choice is automatically better: one prioritizes the full image and the other prioritizes full coverage.
One photo, two outcomes
Take a 3000 × 2000 landscape photo and an 8 × 10-inch portrait print. Fit produces an 8 × 5⅓-inch image at 375 PPI, with 2⅓-inch borders at the top and bottom. Fill places the image at 15 × 10 inches and 200 PPI. Only a centered 1600 × 2000-pixel area remains visible, retaining 53.33% of the source area.
Review composition after the calculation
Area retained is a geometric measure, not a score for the composition. A small crop can remove a face near the edge, while a large crop may remove only background. Our preview uses centered placement; a print service might allow a different crop position. Review the actual ordering preview and a proof when placement matters.
Reference notes
References checked September 28, 2026. Calculations and worked examples are our own.