Image sizes, file sizes

The following tables give a rough overview about the resulting image and file sizes for digitalisation. All specifications are approximate values which differ slightly from scan to scan. The exact amount of pixels results from the scan area - it is larger if the image is not automatically cropped. The size of JPG files depends on the image content. An image with large consistently coloured areas, for example blue sky or white snow, can be compressed much smaller than an image with a large colourful crowd and lots of details.

35mm films

35mm films have an image format of 24 x 36 mm. Thus a film area of 8,64 cm² results. We offer digitalisation of 35mm slides or negatives with 2000 dpi, 2800 dpi and 4000 dpi resolution. The lowest resolution of 2000dpi is not suitable for archival storage because the resulting image file only contains 5 Megapixel. The medium resolution of 2800dpi contains 10 Megapixel and corresponds very good digital camera format. We recommend the highest resolution of 4000dpi for film material exposed with a top quality SLR/lens.

35mm slides or negatives 24x36 Dimensions Amount of pixels File size
2000 dpi, JPG format2800 x 18505 Mio1 MB
2000 dpi, TIF format15 MB
2000 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth30 MB
2800 dpi, JPG format3900 x 260010 Mio2,5 MB
2800 dpi, TIF format29 MB
2800 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth58 MB
4000 dpi, JPG format5600 x 370020 Mio5 MB
4000 dpi, TIF format59 MB
4000 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth118 MB

APS films

APS films have an image format of 16,7 x 30,2 mm. Thus a film area of 5,04 cm² results, which is about 40% smaller than the 35mm format. Accordingly the dimensions, pixel amounts and file sizes of the APS format are smaller compared to the 35mm format. For APS films we recommend a resolution of 2800dpi or 4000dpi. The lowest resolution of 2000dpi provides only 2,7 Megapixel, thus much less than current beginner's digital cameras. In order to make A4 sized print outs a resolution of 4000 dpi is necessary.

APS films Dimensions Amount of pixels File size
2000 dpi, JPG format2300 x 12002,7 Mio1 MB
2000 dpi, TIF format8 MB
2000 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth16 MB
2800 dpi, JPG format3200 x 16505 Mio1,5 MB
2800 dpi, TIF format15 MB
2800 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth30 MB
4000 dpi, JPG format4600 x 240011 Mio3 MB
4000 dpi, TIF format31 MB
4000 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth62 MB

Medium format films

Medium format roll films have a fixed side length of 6cm with a usable film heigth of 56mm. For the long side of the film (in rolling direction) there are different formats: 6x4.5, 6x6, 6x7, 6x8 and 6x9. The smallest medium format 6x4.5 provides an image format of 56 x 42 mm, which comes up 23,5 cm² film area, thus almost 3 times the size of an 35mm frame. The square medium format 6x6 provides an image format sized 56 x 56 mm which corresponds a film area sized 31,4 cm². The image format of an 6x7 frame is sized 56 x 69 mm which is 38,6 cm². With the medium format 6x8 the image has a format of 56 x 75 mm, so the image area is sized 42 cm². The image format of the largest medium format 6x9 is sized 56 x 85 mm - resulting in an image area of 47,6 cm², thus almost 8 times bigger than the image area of a 35mm film format.

Since medium format films are usually being exposed with very high-grade camera-lens-combinations the film material provides a resolution of 4000 dpi. So for archival storage of medium format images the highest resolution of 4000dpi in TIF format is recommended. However those image files are very large and thus can only be processed with fast computers. For several print appplications of medium formats (not for archival storage) a lower resolution of 2800 dpi may be enough. A medium format image scanned with only 2000 dpi provides about the same amount of pixels as a 35mm frame with 4000 dpi. In this case you would give away the medium format advantage of the bigger film format.

Medium format slides and negatives 6x4.5 Dimensions Amount of pixels File size
2000 dpi, JPG format4300 x 320014 Mio4 MB
2000 dpi, TIF format40 MB
2000 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth80 MB
2800 dpi, JPG format6100 x 450028 Mio7 MB
2800 dpi, TIF format78 MB
2800 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth156 MB
4000 dpi, JPG format8600 x 640056 Mio14 MB
4000 dpi, TIF format160 MB
4000 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth320 MB
Medium format slides or negatives 6x6 Dimensions Amount of pixels File size
2000 dpi, JPG format4300 x 430019 Mio5 MB
2000 dpi, TIF format53 MB
2000 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth106 MB
2800 dpi, JPG format6100 x 610037 Mio9 MB
2800 dpi, TIF format105 MB
2800 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth210 MB
4000 dpi, JPG format8600 x 860075 Mio19 MB
4000 dpi, TIF format214 MB
4000 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth428 MB
Medium format slides or negatives 6x7 Dimensions Amount of pixels File size
2000 dpi, JPG format4300 x 540023 Mio6 MB
2000 dpi, TIF format66 MB
2000 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth132 MB
2800 dpi, JPG format6100 x 750045 Mio11 MB
2800 dpi, TIF format130 MB
2800 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth260 MB
4000 dpi, JPG format8600 x 1070092 Mio23 MB
4000 dpi, TIF format265 MB
4000 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth530 MB
Medium format slides or negatives 6x9 Dimensions Amount of pixels File size
2000 dpi, JPG format4300 x 670029 Mio7 MB
2000 dpi, TIF format82 MB
2000 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth164 MB
2800 dpi, JPG format6100 x 940057 Mio14 MB
2800 dpi, TIF format163 MB
2800 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth326 MB
4000 dpi, JPG format8600 x 13400116 Mio29 MB
4000 dpi, TIF format332 MB
4000 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth664 MB

Large format films

Large format or sheet films are available in different sizes. Popular sizes are 4x5" (10 x 12,5 cm), 5x7" (12,5 x 17,5 cm) and 8x10" (20 x 25 cm), but there are also numerous in-between sizes and smaller formats. The file sizes of large format scans get extremely large if you choose a too high resolution. In normal case a resolution of 2000 dpi easily suffices. But even with this resolution image files can be generated which do not fit on a CD when saved in TIF format. High resolution large format scans can only be processed with powerful computers equipped with several Gigabyte RAM.

Large format slides 4x5" (10x12,5 cm) Dimensions Amount of pixels File size
1000 dpi, JPG format3700 x 470018 Mio5 MB
1000 dpi, TIF format51 MB
1000 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth102 MB
2000 dpi, JPG format7500 x 940071 Mio18 MB
2000 dpi, TIF format202 MB
2000 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth404 MB
2800 dpi, JPG format10500 x 13200139 Mio35 MB
2800 dpi, TIF format396 MB
2800 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth792 MB
Large format slides 8x10" (20x25 cm) Dimensions Amount of pixels File size
1000 dpi, JPG format8000 x 1000079 Mio20 MB
1000 dpi, TIF format226 MB
1000 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth452 MB
2000 dpi, JPG format16000 x 20000317 Mio80 MB
2000 dpi, TIF format906 MB
2000 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth1812 MB
2800 dpi, JPG format22000 x 28000621 Mio155 MB
2800 dpi, TIF format1777 MB
2800 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth3556 MB

Paper photos

We offer two resolutions for scanning reflective originals / paper photos: 600 dpi and 1200 dpi. When scanned with the lower resolution of 600 dpi a 10x15cm standard print already provides a file with 8 Megapixel - good digital camera level. The higher resolution of 1200 dpi is only needed if you want to produce extremely large prints from your original.

Paper photos (10 x 15 cm) Dimensions Amount of pixels File size
600 dpi, JPG format2300 x 35008 Mio2 MB
600 dpi, TIF format23 MB
600 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth46 MB
1200 dpi, JPG format4600 x 700032 Mio8 MB
1200 dpi, TIF format92 MB
1200 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth184 MB
Paper photos (13 x 18 cm) Dimensions Amount of pixels File size
600 dpi, JPG format3000 x 420013Mio3 MB
600 dpi, TIF format36 MB
600 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth72 MB
1200 dpi, JPG format6000 x 840051 Mio13 MB
1200 dpi, TIF format145 MB
1200 dpi, TIF format, 48 Bit colour depth290 MB
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