What is the best image size for my report?

Introduction

There are 3 factors that affects the look of your final PDF report:

• the resolution of the images
• the aspect ratio of the images
• the orientation of the images (Portrait or Landscape)

Size

Report and Run can output images at their highest resolution at the expense of large file sizes. However, in the PDF generation screen under "Customize > PDF File Size", you can adjust the image resolution so that the PDF file sizes are more manageable.

The size of the image affects the clarity of the image. The higher the resolution, the easier it is to pan and zoom into your PDF document on your computer or phone.

Lastly, if you plan on printing a PDF report, it will be advantageous to have higher resolution images (>200dpi) as you won't be able to zoom into them once they are printed.

Aspect Ratio

Aspect ratio can be a bit daunting. The short answer is the larger the ratio the more Report and Run has to squeeze the image.

The 3 basic sizes are:

• Square (1:1) in this case, portrait and landscape photos are treated the same.
• Slightly rectangular (4:3) in this case, taking landscape photos makes the report look consistent and professional (Recommended)
• Rectangular (16:9) in this case, landscape photos will show the most of any aspect ratio. Portrait photos will be squashed

 

Taking a Shot

• If you set the aspect ratio to 1:1, it make no difference how you take the shot. Your report will appear consistent.
• If you set the aspect ratio to 4:3, take landscape photos so that you can get the greatest number images on each page. This will also produce a very consistent and professional looking report. That being said, portrait photos will still work well, just don't mix the two orientations as your report will appear inconsistent.
• If you set the aspect ratio to 16:9, you should only use the landscape orientation. This will fit the most number of images on the page. Avoid portrait photos as they will appear long and skinny which will make the report hard to read.