borderless printing - size imprecise

[RachieY]

I am having trouble printing precise photo sizes with borderless printing

It happens in different applications, but today for example I created a 5x7 canvas in Photoshop.  But when I print to a borderless 5x7 HP photo paper in landscape the top and bottom of the photo as shown in Photoshop are cut off by just a tad under a 1/4", the sides by about 1/8".

I have followed Adobe instructions, i.e. I have selected "Scale to print media" but it doesn't make any difference.

My steps (300PPI):

Print from Photoshop app

In Photoshop Print Settings, select Paper Size: 5x7 borderless, Scale to Fit Media  

Printing the same photo as NOT borderless setting seems ok, though the photo is not perfectly centered.

[Bob_Headrick]

When printing "borderless" prints the driver slightly oversized the print so that there will not be white spaces on the edges due to paper misalignment.  

[RachieY]

Hi Bob,

Thanks for your reply but I just can't think of  1/4" or even 1/8" as slight when it comes to printing.  

And more importantly - what is the solution = what should my settings be in Photoshop in order to get a borderless print which looks like the one I have created on the screen?

Cheers.

[Bob_Headrick · Accepted solution]

I wish I had better news for you, but it seems there are few options:

• Trial and error.  The size is not really imprecise, it is just a fixed oversize amount, with an added uncertainty due to paper feed skew issues.  You may find a virtual frame size that would allow you to size the prints appropriately.
• Print on larger paper and then cut to size.  For example, you could print two 5x7 prints on a letter size paper and then cut them to size.

Long ago the drivers (at least for Windows) had an Advanced option tab that allowed changing the amount of oversizing, as well as many other features.  More recent versions have simplified things, and greatly reduced the options available to the user.

I am a bit surprised the overage is on the order of 1/4", back when I used to print borderless prints it seems things were more in the 1/16" range for overage per side (on 4x6 prints).