What is 4:3?
4:3 means the picture is 4 units wide for every 3 units high, a decimal ratio of 1.33:1. It was the shape of older televisions and computer monitors, and it is still the shape of many tablets and compact cameras. Turned on its side, it is 3:4, the shape of a portrait picture.
How to calculate a 4:3 size
height = width x 3 / 4
width = height x 4 / 3A width that divides by 4 gives a whole-number height. 1600 x 3 / 4 = 1200. Type either side above and the other updates.
Common 4:3 resolutions
| Resolution | Name |
|---|---|
| 640 x 480 | VGA |
| 800 x 600 | SVGA |
| 1024 x 768 | XGA |
| 1280 x 960 | Quad VGA |
| 1600 x 1200 | UXGA |
| 2048 x 1536 | QXGA |
| 3200 x 2400 | QUXGA |
Print sizes in 4:3
Prints of 4 x 3, 8 x 6, 12 x 9 and 16 x 12 inches are all 4:3. A photo in the 3:2 shape of most DSLR cameras does not fit them without a crop, or without white borders.
Where 4:3 is used
- Older TVs, monitors and projectors, and older slide decks.
- Many tablets, including iPads, which have a 4:3 screen.
- Many compact cameras and Micro Four Thirds cameras.
Make your own picture 4:3
Enter the size of your picture in Make my picture 4:3. The calculator gives the largest centred 4:3 crop and the amount removed, and the 4:3 frame that holds the whole picture with bars. A 3:2 picture loses about 11% of its width in a crop. A 16:9 picture loses 25%. Use the 4:3 image cropper to do it.
Related calculators
See the aspect ratio calculator, 16:9 and 1:1, the width and height calculator and the aspect ratio guide.