Center image inside div with overflow hidden without knowing the width

Question

I have an image which is e.g. the width 450px, and a container which is only 300. Is it possible to center the image inside the container with CSS, when the width of the image isn't constant (Some images might be 450 wide, other 600 etc.). Or do I need to center it with JavaScript?

Answer 1

This any good? http://jsfiddle.net/LSKRy/

<div class="outer">
    <div class="inner">
    <img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zvTnqSbUAk8/Tm49IrDAVCI/AAAAAAAACv8/05Ood5LcjkE/s1600/Ferrari-458-Italia-Nighthawk-6.jpg" alt="" />
    </div>
</div>

.outer {
    width: 300px;
    overflow: hidden;
}

.inner {
    display: inline-block;
    position: relative;
    right: -50%;
}

img {
    position: relative;
    left: -50%;
}

Answer 2

Proposition 1 :

.crop {
    float:left;
    margin:.5em 10px .5em 0;
    overflow:hidden; /* this is important */
    border:1px solid #ccc;
}
/* input values to crop the image: top, right, bottom, left */
.crop img {
    margin:-20px -15px -40px -55px;
}

Proposition 2 :

.crop{
    float:left;
    margin:.5em 10px .5em 0;
    overflow:hidden; /* this is important */
    position:relative; /* this is important too */
    border:1px solid #ccc;
    width:150px;
    height:90px;
}
.crop img{
    position:absolute;
    top:-20px;
    left:-55px;
}

proposition 3:

.crop{
    float:left;
    position:relative;
    width:150px;
    height:90px;
    border:1px solid #ccc;
    margin:.5em 10px .5em 0;
}
.crop p{
    margin:0;
    position:absolute;
    top:-20px;
    left:-55px;
    clip:rect(20px 205px 110px 55px);
}

Proposition 4 (hold-school efficiency):

.container {
    width:400px;
    height:400px;
    margin:auto;
    overflow:hidden;
    background:transparent url(your-image-file­.img) no-repeat scroll 50% 50%;
}

Of course you will need to ajust the .css to suit your own needs

Carry on.