The Half-Frame Format, 3:4 Image Aspect Ratio

A quick look at the comeback of the half-frame format as the image aspect ratio to go by for sharing and publishing images on the Net.

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The half-frame format, with images framed in the 3:4 image aspect ratio, is a unique photographic style that has re-emerged with the introduction of the Pentax 17 35mm Half-Frame film camera, launched by Ricoh in June 2024, and the Fujifilm X Half, a JPEG-only digital compact camera with a fixed focal length and a vertically oriented sensor, designed for the fun and experience of shooting with a pseudo half-frame film camera. The X Half was launched in 2025.

Olympus Pen 35mm Half-Frame film cameras, as they were launched in the 1960s

The format, which measures 3 units in width against 4 units in height, also known as the portrait format, gained popularity with the introduction of the Olympus PEN 35mm Half-frame film cameras in the early 1960s. On film, the image frame is 18x24mm, half the size of the standard 35mm film frame, which is 24x36mm. When loaded to a half-frame camera, the film roll is also a cost-saving feature, as it allows for 24 images from a standard 12-frame film roll, 48 images from a 24-frame film roll, and 72 images from a 36-frame film roll.

Analog images as shot on the 35mm Half-Frame Olympus Pen EF

For practical purposes, the 3:4 aspect ratio is clearly distinct from the ubiquitous 3:2 image aspect ratio as found in traditional 35mm film photography images and on modern digital cameras that are fitted with either APS-C or Full-Frame image sensors. While viewing 3:2 aspect images makes your eyes move from left to right of the picture frame, 3:4 images concentrate the eye in a circular movement within the central area of the image frame.

Olympus VR-370 - Images shot with camera held vertically

The difference between the image aspect ratios, with the 3:4 ratio having twice the height of the 3:2 aspect ratio, does call for a totally different outlook on how images are composed, captured, and displayed. When it comes to composition, techniques such as the rule of thirds and leading lines can also be particularly effective in maximizing the visual impact of each shot.

Olympus VR-370 - Images shot with camera held vertically

The 3:4 image aspect ratio has also become increasingly important for social media content, with Instagram, for example, moving away from its historical focus on square (1:1) images and adding native support for 3:4 images. The advice is for content creators to use 3:4 for static Instagram posts as the format provides a larger image display and better engagement potential.

Olympus Pen E-PM2, M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm 1:3.5~5.6

The format allows photos to appear exactly as shot without cropping, particularly valuable as the format enhances more vertical space than, say, the traditionally recommended 4:5 ratio. Images provide a more balanced vertical composition that works well for both photography and video content, which, of course, acknowledges that most phone camera defaults to the 3:4 as the standard.

Olympus E-500, Zuiko Digital 40-150mm 1:3.5~4.5

In professional photography, the 3:4 ratio is particularly valuable for portraits. The format provides excellent proportions for capturing subjects from head to mid-torso, including hand gestures and upper body positioning, while maintaining focus on facial features. The ratio is also an excellent choice for architectural photography, especially of tall buildings, interior spaces with high ceilings, and subjects with vertical structures, which will benefit from the additional height of the 3:4 image aspect ratio.

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