diff --git a/src/_h5ai/private/conf/options.json b/src/_h5ai/private/conf/options.json
index bccde678..191cdf7b 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/private/conf/options.json
+++ b/src/_h5ai/private/conf/options.json
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@
     - mov: array of strings
     - doc: array of strings
     - delay: number, delay in milliseconds after "dom-ready" before thumb-requesting starts
-    - size: number, size in pixel of the generated thumbnails
+    - size: number, height in pixel of the generated thumbnails
     - seek: number, percentage of total video duration to seek into
     - exif: boolean, use included EXIF thumbs if possible
     - chunksize: int, number of thumbs per request
diff --git a/src/_h5ai/private/php/core/class-context.php b/src/_h5ai/private/php/core/class-context.php
index 0a72cea5..64c9b72c 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/private/php/core/class-context.php
+++ b/src/_h5ai/private/php/core/class-context.php
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ class Context {
 
         $this->options = Json::load($this->setup->get('CONF_PATH') . '/options.json');
 
+        $this->thumbnail_height = $this->options['thumbnails']['size'] ?? 240;
+        $this->thumbnail_width = floor($this->thumbnail_height * (4 / 3));
+
         $this->passhash = $this->query_option('passhash', '');
         $this->options['hasCustomPasshash'] = strcasecmp($this->passhash, Context::$DEFAULT_PASSHASH) !== 0;
         unset($this->options['passhash']);
@@ -250,7 +253,7 @@ class Context {
 
         foreach ($requests as $req) {
             $thumb = new Thumb($this);
-            $hrefs[] = $thumb->thumb($req['type'], $req['href'], $req['width'], $req['height']);
+            $hrefs[] = $thumb->thumb($req['type'], $req['href']);
         }
 
         return $hrefs;
diff --git a/src/_h5ai/private/php/ext/class-thumb.php b/src/_h5ai/private/php/ext/class-thumb.php
index 0174a607..224d05ab 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/private/php/ext/class-thumb.php
+++ b/src/_h5ai/private/php/ext/class-thumb.php
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class Thumb {
         }
     }
 
-    public function thumb($type, $source_href, $width, $height) {
+    public function thumb($type, $source_href) {
         $source_path = $this->context->to_path($source_href);
         if (!file_exists($source_path) || Util::starts_with($source_path, $this->setup->get('CACHE_PUB_PATH'))) {
             return null;
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class Thumb {
             $capture_path = $source_path;
         }
 
-        return $this->thumb_href($capture_path, $width, $height);
+        return $this->thumb_href($capture_path, $this->context->thumbnail_width, $this->context->thumbnail_height);
     }
 
     private function thumb_href($source_path, $width, $height) {
diff --git a/src/_h5ai/public/css/lib/view/view.less b/src/_h5ai/public/css/lib/view/view.less
index aef93ecb..1be5170d 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/public/css/lib/view/view.less
+++ b/src/_h5ai/public/css/lib/view/view.less
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@
         .thumb {
             max-width: none;
             max-height: none;
+            object-fit: cover;
+            object-position: 50% 50%;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/_h5ai/public/js/lib/ext/thumbnails.js b/src/_h5ai/public/js/lib/ext/thumbnails.js
index d71898cc..d92c1455 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/public/js/lib/ext/thumbnails.js
+++ b/src/_h5ai/public/js/lib/ext/thumbnails.js
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ const settings = Object.assign({
     exif: false,
     chunksize: 20
 }, allsettings.thumbnails);
-const landscapeRatio = 4 / 3;
 
 
 const queueItem = (queue, item) => {
@@ -35,7 +34,6 @@ const queueItem = (queue, item) => {
         queue.push({
             type,
             href: item.absHref,
-            ratio: 1,
             callback: src => {
                 if (src && item.$view) {
                     item.thumbSquare = src;
@@ -51,7 +49,6 @@ const queueItem = (queue, item) => {
         queue.push({
             type,
             href: item.absHref,
-            ratio: landscapeRatio,
             callback: src => {
                 if (src && item.$view) {
                     item.thumbRational = src;
@@ -67,8 +64,6 @@ const requestQueue = queue => {
         return {
             type: req.type,
             href: req.href,
-            width: Math.round(settings.size * req.ratio),
-            height: settings.size
         };
     });