Documentation

Scale Print Camera – PDF & Exact Scale

Overview

Scale Print Camera is a professional Blender add-on for creating scale-accurate, print-ready drawings.
It configures an orthographic camera and render resolution to exactly match paper size, drawing scale, and DPI, and allows exporting the result to true-size PDF.

The add-on is designed for workflows where printed scale matters, not just visual output.

Core Functionality

Scale Print Camera automates the setup required for accurate printing:

• Configures the selected camera to orthographic projection

• Calculates camera visible area from paper size and drawing scale

• Automatically computes render resolution from DPI

• Ensures rendered output matches paper dimensions exactly

• Exports rendered images to PDF with true physical size

This eliminates manual calculations, trial-and-error prints, and scale inconsistencies.

Camera Setup

• Works with any existing camera object

• Automatically switches camera to orthographic mode

• Calculates and sets correct ortho_scale

• Sets the camera as the active render camera

• Displays current camera information (resolution, visible size)

A quick View Camera toggle allows instant verification of the result.

Scale & Resolution

• Supports any drawing scale (e.g. 1:50, 1:100, 1:200)

• DPI-based resolution calculation

• Preview of calculated resolution and visible area before applying

• Display units available in meters or feet & inches

All calculations are performed consistently to ensure print accuracy.

Paper Configuration

Supported paper formats:

• ISO A-series (A5 – A0)

• US Letter / Legal / Ledger

• ANSI and ARCH formats

• Fully custom paper sizes

Orientation:

• Portrait and landscape support for standard formats

Custom sizes:

• Enter dimensions in millimeters or inches

• Automatic unit conversion while preserving physical size

PDF Export

Scale Print Camera includes built-in PDF export for reliable printing:

• Exports rendered images directly to PDF

• PDF page size matches selected paper dimensions exactly

• Designed for printing at 100% (Actual Size)

• No external libraries or dependencies

• Lossless compression and white background compositing

PDF export is the recommended way to preserve scale accuracy across different printers and systems.

Margins can be added during PDF export to create printer-safe areas.

Margins are applied by cropping with white space, not by scaling, so the drawing scale remains accurate.

Each margin (top, right, bottom, left) can be configured individually.

An optional inner outline can be drawn to visually indicate the margin boundary.

Typical Use Cases

• Technical and construction drawings

• Survey and geodetic documentation

• Architectural plans and sections

• Print-ready visuals for reports

• Any workflow requiring precise scale on paper

The add-on is fully usable on its own and fits naturally into technical and survey-oriented pipelines.

Requirements

• Blender 5.0 or later

• Windows, macOS, Linux

Notes on Performence and Printing

PDF export may take a few seconds to complete, especially for large paper sizes or high DPI values.

Existing PDF files with the same name are automatically overwritten during export.

For accurate scale:

• Always print at 100% / Actual Size

• Do not use “Fit to Page” or automatic scaling

• PDF export is strongly recommended for consistent results

Incorrect printer scaling will affect output accuracy regardless of camera setup.