Yep I think it might even fail that if you are one pixel out.

FYI The nzpost image was 4200w x 5600h and has no metadata.

throbb:

 

Had the same issue a couple of months back, with a Nikon d7200. Seems the 4:3 ratio on some cameras are not the exact ratio the passport photo checker is looking for. I had to crop it with Photoshop to get it accept.

 

Are you sure you're not getting mixed up between 3:4 and 4:3? The photo must also be taken in portrait.

There have been a few posts on here about this very same issue. I know I had no trouble doing mine last year after getting the aspect ratio correct - the photo I used was taken for a Chinese visa so was a different aspect ratio so I merely cropped it.

Thanks for all the replies. Good to know it wasn't just me. @sbiddle, yes it definitely was in portrait mode.

Given that my wife has now successfully submitted the original photo from the pharmacy, I've stopped experimenting, but it sounds as if cropping it to precise dimensions may have worked. Hopefully this thread will help someone else in the future.

I've just had a nosey in a Post Shop. The camera was a Canon EOS1100D which is an entry level replaceable lens 3:2 sensor. Their system must crop to get 4:3. 

I've looked at some sample SX30 pics and the pixel dimensions seem right. Maybe the checking program is looking at the ratio of background to subject and if that isn't right deciding that cropping or aspect ratio is wrong.

They probably have an application (in cahoots with DIA perhaps) that arranges and crops the image.

I had a cellphone app that was designed to do the same but it still didn't pass - can't remember if it was NZ specific though.

[update:] This one claims to be NZ compliant:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=np.com.njs.autophotos&hl=en

kryptonjohn:

 

They probably have an application (in cahoots with DIA perhaps) that arranges and crops the image.

 

I had a cellphone app that was designed to do the same but it still didn't pass - can't remember if it was NZ specific though.

 

 

 

There are many different sized passport photos in use around the world so an app would need to specifically support the size and frame requirements for NZ. The NZ Post setup can do lots of different countries so does have the exact requirements for each.

Yep, as above - the some of the app designers have catered to published national passport standards - allegedly.

Correct, the application app you specify the country image being done (china and netherlands use different sizes and blank areas for instance). It attaches to the camera and takes an image. Centres and applies 4:3 crop (or country specifc) before doing the same ratio checks the online checker performs.

However the staff are also aware of where the best background area to chop is to help it, so will get you to move forward/back (its a fixed nifty 50mm)

Word of warning using a PnS or smart device. Use appropriate distance/zoom. For a PnS (or slr) you want to hover about the 40-70mm mark and move yourself back/forth the same as at the stores to fit frame

Parentals used a PnS in wide angle (like a smart device would do at close proximity) and warped the face so much the ears all but vanished around the edges - rejected

The worst thing you want these days is a photo that's not 100%

If you start getting failures at Smart gate due to the facial recognition not working due to a poor photo I can guarantee DIA aren't going to replace your passport for free!

Yep. My 16 year old's passport is several years old now so the photo's hopelessly out of date - so departing out of LAX recently we got diverted into a manual queue. Didn't seem much of a problem other than having to walk another 20 yards.

But given how fuzzy our appearance is and how variable and uncontrolled the smart gate photo is going to be, I doubt it is anywhere near as ultra sensitive as the DIA web process is.

Last time I did this, I took a photo and then ran it through an online service that then fixed the image so that it would be accepted by the photo checker.

I also sent myself an email so that I could find it again in future, which is now successfully lost in all of my other emails. It would have been a service like

http://www.idphoto4you.com/

Which you select NZ passport and it fixes the photo to be accepted.

Oblivian:

 

 

 

Word of warning using a PnS or smart device. Use appropriate distance/zoom. For a PnS (or slr) you want to hover about the 40-70mm mark and move yourself back/forth the same as at the stores to fit frame

 

I tried doing the photo on my iPhone 6S which I think is a 28mm equivalent lens and the perspective looked totally wrong so I'm going to try again on my SLR.

Actually, the iPhone would probably be okay if you shoot from further back and then crop it - the quality is seems good enough that you could get away with a pretty aggressive crop.

alasta:

 

Oblivian:

 

 

 

Word of warning using a PnS or smart device. Use appropriate distance/zoom. For a PnS (or slr) you want to hover about the 40-70mm mark and move yourself back/forth the same as at the stores to fit frame

 

 

I tried doing the photo on my iPhone 6S which I think is a 28mm equivalent lens and the perspective looked totally wrong so I'm going to try again on my SLR.

 

Actually, the iPhone would probably be okay if you shoot from further back and then crop it - the quality is seems good enough that you could get away with a pretty aggressive crop.

 

Yep, centered perspective (with crop) on Ithing 6-8 seem to be OK, have heard of people having success. Just not in-yer-face

Pretty sure as long as your ears are in line with your eyes and right distance between other features the gates are happy. But if it can't see them to work those out it has issues

It seems that this is a common problem! Meanwhile I took my own photo and it was accepted the first time, and worked with the Smart Gate when I came back home. What are you lot all doing wrong? 

Clearly the camera loves you, Behodar! Work it, work it!