How to Create and Print Lenticular Photos in FMX for iPadOS

FMX for iPadOS can combine two or three photos into a 4×6 lenticular image. With a correctly calibrated lens attached to the print, tilting the finished card reveals a different photo at each viewing angle.

This guide explains the current availability of physical lenticular printing, how to build and preview the workflow, how to configure a supported DNP Direct USB printer when the option is available, and how to calibrate and attach the lens.

Current availability warning: FMX may show Direct USB — DNP (Unavailable) or omit that printer service while the required Apple DriverKit entitlement is pending. If the option is unavailable, you can still run the workflow and use the on-screen Lenticular Preview, but that build cannot produce a calibrated physical lenticular print.

PrintPal, AirPrint, and FMPrint do not send the exact lenticular raster. If a Lenticular print job uses one of those services, FMX prints the regular Final Photo instead. Do not offer physical lenticular printing at an event until Direct USB — DNP is selectable and the complete calibration test has passed.

What a Lenticular Print Looks Like

A lenticular image contains very fine interlaced lines. Before the lens is attached, the print may look striped, blurred, or distorted. This is normal.

The lens must have the correct LPI, direction, pitch, and alignment for the print. The animated preview on the iPad confirms image order, but only a physical print under the real lens can confirm calibration.

Before You Start

Physical printing requires all of the following:

Requirement	What you need
FMX build	A build in which Direct USB — DNP is enabled
iPad	A physical M-series iPad running iPadOS 16 or later
Driver	The FMX DNP driver extension enabled in iPadOS settings
Printer	A compatible DNP printer recognized by FMX with supported 4×6 media loaded
Source photos	Two or three different Raw Photos or AI Photos from the same session
Lenticular lens	A 4×6 lens marked 40, 50, 60, 75, or 100 LPI
Measuring tool	A millimeter ruler for the size-correction test
Lens mounting	Adhesive-backed lens stock, clear tape, or another stable mounting method

Use the same printer, 4×6 media, glossy or matte finish, and lens stock during calibration that you will use at the event.

1. Build the Lenticular Workflow in Foto Master Cloud

Use this sequence:

Take Photo or AI Photo sources → Photos to Lenticular → Lenticular Preview (optional) → Print Copies

Add the source photos

1. Add the required Take Photo steps.
2. Add any AI Photo processing after its source photo.
3. Keep the source steps in the order in which the finished card should change.

Every source must be unique. Select exactly two sources for a two-photo effect or exactly three for a three-photo effect.

Add Photos to Lenticular

1. Add Photos to Lenticular after all selected source photos.
2. Choose 2 or 3 photos.
3. Select each Raw Photo or AI Photo in its required viewing order.

On iPadOS, the first selected photo determines whether the 4×6 output is portrait or landscape. Keep all selected photos in the same intended orientation and test that orientation before the event.

FMX center-crops each selected photo to fill the card without stretching. Keep important faces, text, and details away from the extreme edges.

Add an optional Lenticular Preview

Add a Preview step and choose Lenticular as the Preview Type.

The preview animates the original source frames, not the striped print raster. Configure the Retake option and loop count needed for the guest flow. A loop count of zero continues until the guest acts.

If FMX cannot find a ready lenticular image for the session, the Preview step shows the Final Photo instead.

Add Print Copies

1. Add Print Copies after Photos to Lenticular.
2. Set Media to Print to Lenticular.
3. Select 4×6 paper.
4. Choose direct printing or guest copy selection.
5. Configure the minimum, maximum, and Skip behavior required for the event.

Save the experience and sync it to FMX. See FMX for iPad: Printer and Printing Settings for the other printer services and general copy settings.

2. Check Whether DNP Direct USB Is Available

Open Global Settings → Printer and inspect Printer Service.

• If Direct USB — DNP is selectable, continue with the physical printer setup.
• If it reads Direct USB — DNP (Unavailable) or does not appear, physical lenticular printing is not enabled in that build.

Changing the Cloud workflow, AirPrint settings, or PrintPal connection cannot enable the missing Direct USB service. Use the on-screen preview only, or contact Foto Master Support for current release availability.

3. Connect the DNP Printer

When Direct USB — DNP is enabled:

1. Connect the compatible DNP printer to the iPad by USB using the appropriate cable or powered adapter for the booth setup.
2. Power on the printer and load supported 4×6 media.
3. In Global Settings → Printer, set Printer Service to Direct USB — DNP.
4. If FMX prompts you to enable the driver, select Open FMX Settings and enable the driver extension.
5. Return to FMX and select Refresh beside DNP Printers.
6. Tap the connected printer.
7. Confirm its Status, Serial Number, Loaded Media, and Prints Remaining.
8. Select Glossy or Matte to match production.
9. Send a regular Test Page before starting lenticular calibration.

The Lenticular Calibration section appears only when FMX recognizes the physical printer, reads its serial number, and confirms that the loaded media can produce the required 4×6 output.

4. Calibrate the Printer and Lens

Open the connected printer, then select Lenticular Calibration → Calibrate 4×6 Lens.

Calibration sheets use the same exact print path as production and do not consume the event's guest print quota.

Step 1: Choose Your Lens

1. Confirm the selected printer.
2. Set Lens LPI (from package) to 40, 50, 60, 75, or 100.
3. Enter an optional Profile Name, or leave it blank and let FMX create one.

The package LPI selects the lens family. The later printed tests determine the effective pitch used by this printer and lens.

Step 2: Check Size and Ridges

1. Select Print Sheet.
2. Measure from the center of one horizontal red marker to the opposite marker and enter the result in millimeters.
3. Repeat for the vertical markers.
4. Set Ridge Direction:
   • Vertical — top to bottom when the lens ridges run vertically while the card is upright.
   • Horizontal — left to right when the ridges run horizontally.

Enter the measurements that actually printed. Do not assume they are exactly 80 × 120 mm.

Step 3: Find the Best Pitch

1. Print the coarse pitch sheet.
2. Place the smooth side of the lens on the print, with the ridges facing you.
3. Tilt left and right for vertical ridges, or up and down for horizontal ridges.
4. Inspect each numbered band or column.
5. Set Best Approximate Pitch to the printed value that changes from solid red to solid blue as one complete area.

Reject candidates that remain mixed or show a moving wave. If no candidate is clean, return to Step 2 and recheck the measurements and ridge direction.

Step 4: Fine-Tune the Pitch

Print the refined pitch sheet and repeat the same test. Set Best Fine Pitch to the exact printed number whose full sample changes together with the least wave or mixed color.

Step 5: Reduce Ghost Images

Print the comparison sheet and inspect both sides through the lens.

• Choose A — Blended when it hides the opposite image more cleanly.
• Choose B — Hard Edge when that side separates the views more cleanly.
• If the two results are tied, choose A — Blended.

Step 6: Align the Two Views

1. Print the phase sheet.
2. Tilt the lens over every numbered patch.
3. Find the patch that shows only red at one angle and only blue at the other.
4. Set Cleanest Patch to that patch number.

The red/blue order does not matter. Choose the patch with the least mixed color at both viewing angles.

Step 7: Balance Both Images

Print the optional balance sheet and compare the blue Image 1 view with the red Image 2 view.

• Select 45/55 if Image 1 is too strong.
• Select 50/50 when both images are equally clear.
• Select 55/45 if Image 2 is too strong.

Three-photo jobs always use equal thirds.

Step 8: Final Lens Check

1. Print the final verification sheet.
2. Keep the adhesive backing on the lens.
3. Keep the ridges parallel to the interlaced lines.
4. Slide the lens side to side for vertical ridges, or up and down for horizontal ridges, until the black-and-white area appears as one solid view.
5. Tilt the card through both views.

The card passes when the whole image changes together from red to blue, with little opposite color showing and no moving wave.

• A moving wave means the pitch needs more fine-tuning.
• Persistent ghosting means the edge mode or view alignment should be checked.
• Uneven image strength means the balance should be adjusted.

Attach the lens only after this test passes. Secure one edge first, then peel and press the adhesive gradually so the lens does not shift.

Step 9: Save Calibration

Review the printer, lens profile, package LPI, best printed pitch, ridge direction, ghosting mode, view alignment, image balance, and print correction.

Select Save Calibration. FMX saves the profile and activates it for that physical printer and lens LPI.

5. Manage Saved Lens Profiles

Return to the connected printer's Lenticular Calibration section. The checkmark identifies the active profile.

Open the profile menu to:

• Activate a previously saved profile.
• Recalibrate the lens and replace its measurements.
• Rename the profile without changing calibration values.
• Delete Profile and remove its saved measurements.

If more than one compatible DNP printer can receive 4×6 jobs, calibrate each printer separately. FMX resolves the physical printer before it creates the final calibrated raster.

6. Test the Complete Guest Experience

Before the event:

1. Run a complete session with the same event and printer settings that guests will use.
2. Confirm that all two or three source photos are available.
3. Confirm that the Lenticular Preview changes through the photos in the correct order.
4. Print from the workflow's Print Copies step.
5. Confirm that the job is routed to the connected 4×6 DNP printer.
6. Align the production lens and inspect every intended viewing angle.
7. Attach the lens only after the complete card passes.

When Direct USB printing is enabled, a busy or temporarily disconnected printer keeps the job pending for retry. Check the queue and printer status before allowing another guest to assume the print is lost.

Troubleshooting

Direct USB — DNP is unavailable

The current build does not have physical Direct USB printing enabled. The workflow can still generate the source-frame preview, but PrintPal, AirPrint, and FMPrint cannot produce the calibrated lenticular print. Contact Foto Master Support for release availability.

The DNP printer does not appear

• Confirm that you are using a physical M-series iPad with iPadOS 16 or later.
• Check the USB cable, adapter, and printer power.
• Open iPadOS Settings for FMX and enable the driver extension if the option is shown.
• Return to DNP Printers and select Refresh.
• Restart FMX after enabling the driver.

Lenticular Calibration does not appear for the printer

• Confirm that FMX can read the printer's serial number.
• Load compatible 4×6 media.
• Confirm that the printer reports a ready or idle state.
• Send a regular Test Page and refresh the printer details.

Print Copies produces the regular Final Photo

• Confirm that Media to Print is set to Lenticular.
• Confirm that Photos to Lenticular runs before Print Copies.
• Confirm that Printer Service is Direct USB — DNP.
• PrintPal, AirPrint, and FMPrint intentionally use the Final Photo instead of the exact lenticular raster.

The Lenticular Preview shows the Final Photo

• Confirm that all configured source photos were successfully captured or generated.
• Confirm that the number of selected sources matches the configured photo count.
• Confirm that Photos to Lenticular appears before the Preview step.
• Confirm that the Preview Type is Lenticular.

The print has a moving wave

Return to Fine-Tune the Pitch. Recheck the size measurements and choose the pitch whose complete band or column changes together.

Both photos remain visible at the same angle

• Confirm the lens is facing the correct way: smooth side toward the print, ridges toward the viewer.
• Confirm that the selected Ridge Direction matches the physical lens.
• Recheck Reduce Ghost Images and Align the Two Views.
• Slide the lens perpendicular to its ridges before attaching it.

A lenticular job remains pending

• Check whether the printer is busy or cooling.
• Confirm that 4×6 media is loaded and the printer has free print capacity.
• Check the USB connection and refresh the printer status.
• Leave the queued item in place while correcting a temporary printer or media problem; FMX retries Direct USB jobs.

When to Recalibrate

Run the calibration again after changing the physical printer, lens stock, nominal LPI, 4×6 media path, ridge direction, finish, or mounting process. Always complete a physical verification print before using the effect with guests.