Once the most widely used film size, medium format now occupies a niche in the photography world, adored by professionals and amateurs alike for its distinctive, true-to-life quality. For the comparisons in this article, I’ll be using Kodak Portra 400 for my Pentax K1000 (35mm) and Mamiya 645 (Medium Format), and my Sony a7sII mirrorless camera. One of the defining characteristics of medium format cameras is the large size of the film or digital sensor, which can be anywhere from two to six times larger than in 35mm cameras. Medium format gives far better technical quality than 35mm and is just as easy to use, since the film comes in rolls you can load in daylight like 35mm. Film vs. Digital: Comparing Medium Format, 35mm, and Mirrorless | Photography Tips. The experience of shooting medium format is a good one. For example, a 6×6 camera has a crop factor of .55. However when I travel however I only take my DSLM because of size and weight with a small P&S as backup. 35mm VS Medium format film photography, which one is better? There is something called a crop factor. In the video, Logan puts the cameras to different tests. I was curious as to what the visual difference between shooting 35mm & medium format film while shooting the same stock of film. https://shutr.bz/2JRbiDn — For a more on comparing film versus digital and other photography tips, head on over to the blog! Below, we’ve outlined some of the major differences when comparing medium format vs. 35mm. Indeed, the 35mm format is convenient and easy to use, but many amateur photographers never consider other formats that may be more appropriate for their work. Below, we’ve outlined some of the major differences when comparing medium format vs. 35mm. Large format film is much larger than both medium format and 35mm format, found in sizes such as 4 x 5in to 8 x 10in. Within each of those categories are more sizes, but they all relate to the original three. The 200mm focal length of the 645 lens is effectively the same as a 125mm lens on a 35mm camera, and when we crop the image by using the 200mm 645 lens on a 35mm camera, it effectively becomes exa… Unfortunately, we can’t side-step the science here. This page will help you figure that out and explain the differences. Unlike 35mm film, the edges are not perforated. This is because medium format has a lack of perspective distortion, which warps and transforms an object significantly from how it looks with a normal focal length. This allows for better tonality (smoother gradations), finer detail, and less apparent grain. Medium format has traditionally referred to a film format in still photography and the related cameras and equipment that use film. Developed in my basement and then scanned with an Epson V600.For lenses, I used a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM and a Mamiya Sekor 127mm f/3.8 Lens for the RB67. The chief advantage of 35mm is its portability; larger format cameras are heavier and are tend to be more difficult to set up. “Medium format refers to the active image area, be it film or digital, with anything larger than the 24x36mm dimensions of 35mm film, also known as 35mm format… 35mm vs Medium Format vs Large Format Film Sizes, Black and White Film Types for Film Photography, Color Reversal Film and Slide Film Types for Film Photography, Slide Film vs Color Print Film and Negative Film, 35mm, Medium Format, and Large Format Film Photography, Color Print Film for 35mm and Medium Format Film Photography. Need images for your project? The film is also called sheet film, meaning there is a single sheet of film loaded into a special film holder. The CanoScan 9000F Mark II by Canon is a flatbed scanner that includes a versatile transparency adapter which greatly… Here’s a good representation of the size differences between 35mm and 120: 35mm … Information on additional film formats can be found here. It is the same with smaller-sized digital sensors. There is no doubt that digital has surpassed the quality of 35mm film, but medium format film still offers tremendous quality and is significantly cheaper than digital medium format. So, if you multiply an 80mm lens by .55, you’ll get 44mm. Since there are many film formats we cannot explain all types, but will cover the more common ones; 110 (sub-miniature format), APS, 35mm (standard format), 120 (medium format), and 4"x5" (large format). Compared to 35mm, medium format uses 3~4 times as much film surface. So standing in the same position, a photo shot with an 80mm lens on 35mm film will have less depth of field than one shot with an 80mm lens on medium format for any given aperture, because you are enlarging the film more to reach a given print size. My general rule is color digital, B&W film. Guide to Film Photography © 2020. The downside is that medium format cameras are bigger, heavier, more expensive, darker lenses (f/2.8 or f/4 is usually the largest aperture), and film-developing costs more. Pentax 67II. I also own a Mamiya RB67 very similar to the RB67 on picture and a Mamiya C330 which is another medium-format classic. I currently use 35mm but I am looking into a good used medium format film camera. The two most common film formats are 35mm and 120 (also called medium format). There is 6×4.5, 6×6, 6×7, 6×9 and panoramic 6×17. Next on our list is the Pentax 67. Film became a better way than chemical coated plates to capture images. That would be the lens you would use on a 35mm camera for an exact match. For the comparisons, Logan uses a Kodak Portra 400 film for his Pentax K1000 (35mm) and Mamiya 645 (medium format) cameras. As for the digital, he uses a Sony A7sII.He scans the negatives on the Epson V600 and compares them to the digital images taken with the full frame mirrorless camera.. Basically, this is a number that will translate that medium format lens to what a 35mm camera lens would be. Size and resolution aside, there is another, more subtle advantage to shooting medium format film. This natural look is what makes medium format images so powerful. The sides of the film are perforated so allow the film to wind and rewind, set to the KS-1870 standard. See what our library has to offer. Color negative film, or color print film, for 35mm film cameras and medium format cameras is still universally used and is most commonly processed using Kodak’s C-41 processing techniques. Medium Format Film. 35mm gets its name from the total width of 135 film, which for years was the format’s primary medium. No scanning. In this video we will be comparing the two very popular film formats 35mm and medium format (120). Mamiya and Pentax and Contax make autofocus motordrive cameras and zoom lenses, so you have no excuses. These photos were shot with a Canon EOS Elan 7 SLR 35mm film camera and a Mamiya RB67 medium format film camera. Medium format film is sized ranging from 6 x 4.5cm to 6 x 6cm (the two most common sizes) up to 6 x 9cm and 6 x 17 cm. Film ISO Was Not Set Correctly in the Camera, Landscape Photography Tips and Techniques, Guide to Wildlife Photography Tips and Techniques, 7 Tips for Stunning Landscape Photographs, Quick Guide to Black and White Photography Part 9 – Printing B&W Photographs. In digital photography, the format is also commonly referred to as “FF” or “small format”, so as to distinguish it from medium and large formats. Nothing compares to printing from a B&W neg and watching an image appear by magic. It is 6 cm wide and different cameras shoot different variations of frame length. Because of the size of this film, it is able to be printed much larger in size without noticeable grain. Both types are similar except that 120 has 12 exposures while 220 has 24. 35mm film rolls are typically provided in 24 or 26 exposures. Here is an example of a processed strip of 35mm black and white film. 35mm. Developed in the 1920s by Oskar Barnack, 35mm is still one of the world’s most popular film formats. I started shooting a bit of film this past year for my own personal growth & state of mind and with that came my curiosity into different formats of film. Medium format is also known as 120 film. Format (medium vs. 35mm) only changes resolution which will make images have sharper edges and smoother gradations. The larger size of medium format film also allows for more control over depth of field, and therefore has greater creative potential. Even when viewing on the web, medium format images have a signature look that is instantly recognizable, but difficult to articulate. If it's the color quality you like, that's coming from the film, and you should be able to achieve the same results with 35mm and the same type of film. This is anti-climactic, if not slightly disappointing though – wouldn’t it have been great to effectively get a superb 300mm f/4 lens buy delving through the medium format lenses on ebay? There are three main categories of film sizes: 35mm film, medium format film, and large format film. Eastman’s first film roll happened to be paper-based before it was replaced by plastic. It was a strip of plastic coated with chemicals that were sensitive to light. Here is an example of a medium format negative. A film format refers to the size and shape of the film negative. https://thedarkroom.com/35mm-vs-medium-format-film-comparison Paper was not flexible enough, while plastic became a more ideal material for developing film. You can pick up a used camera for a few bucks, and they're so ubiquitous that some people just give them away. Here are some other advantages and disadvantages of 35mm film that you may or may not have thought of. 645 compared to 35mm is like 30 megapixels vs. 8. Originally the Pentax 220 which was created in 1965 … Large format film is much larger than both medium format and 35mm format, found in sizes such as 4 x 5in to 8 x 10in. But wait: each film pixel represents true R, G and B data, not the softer Bayer interpolated data from digital camera sensors. Now, I know the best way to compare film to digital would be to print the negative, directly from the negative. Instead, this film uses a leader to wind film from one reel to the next. All Rights Reserved. The holder is loaded to the back of the camera and the light tight plate is removed to allow the film to be exposed. Medium Format is very rewarding to use and after viewing a tiny 35mm viewfinder a medium format finder like a RZ67 looks like a large screen TV in comparison. Standard 35mm negatives record 75% less detailed information than professional medium format film and less than most professional full-frame digital cameras. 35mm film is housed in a canister to keep the film from being exposed to light and is pulled out from the canister when loaded into the film camera to expose individual shots. I STILL SHOOT FILM - Introduction To Medium Format Photography Comparing film and digital is a difficult task as they are not designed to record light in the same ways. The holder is loaded to the back of the camera and the light tight plate is removed to allow the film to be exposed. Comparing film sizes: Everything larger than 35mm and 6x9 or smaller is considered medium format. Because of its large size, large format photography can be printed very large without much noticeable grain – making this the best film for large prints. I use my film cameras everyday for personal satisfaction. 35mm gets its name from the total width of 135 film, which for years was the format’s primary medium. This characteristic determined a film’s sensitivity to light or what we refer to toda… 35mm is by far the cheapest way to go when getting into shooting film. Shutterstock® is a registered trademark of Shutterstock, Inc. This allows you to produce images at a much higher resolution, as well as create bigger prints without the noticeable blur or grain that compromises images enlarged from smaller formats. Generally, medium format refers to film and digital cameras that capture images on film or digital sensors larger than 24x36mm (full-frame, used in 35mm photography), but smaller than 4x5 inches (large-format photography). While medium format digital cameras, also called “digital backs”, can cost tens of thousands of dollars, shooting medium format in film is much more reasonable. Therefore, 6×6 will produce a … Shutterstock’s impressive collection of more than 70 million images can help! Every frame advances exactly 8 perforations to ensure no frame is exposed more than once and allows for 2mm gaps between frames. 35mm film is the smallest version, offering the standard size of 24 x 36mm. 35mm Film vs Medium Format Negatives vs Digital Capture. Copyright © 2003-2019 Shutterstock, Inc. I own about 14 cameras, in which 2 of them are digital full frame SLRs, 4 of them are medium-format film cameras, and the rest are 35mm cameras. The film is also called sheet film, meaning there is a single sheet of film loaded into a special film holder. One of the best reasons to shoot film today is the increasingly popular medium format. 35mm vs 120: What is a Film Format? Medium format film is larger than 35mm and is typically seen in 120 or 220 types. To scan most of the detail on a 35mm photo, you'll need about 864 x 0.1, or 87 Megapixels. Older manual lenses can be had for pennies on the dollar of their original price as well. In other words, medium format images tend to look closer to what your eyes see in the real world. 35mm film is 24 x 36mm, or 864 square millimeters. Developed in the 1920s by Oskar Barnack, 35mm is still one of the world’s most popular film formats. After exposure the light tight plate is replaced to keep the film safe. When quality is important the more information you record the better! But print size aside, it's often easy to detect medium format images even when viewing on the web. 35mm … Film is 35mm, if you want to mimic the human eye by squaring the circle, you put the pinhole at 35mm away from the film plane and there you have it. Film required a gelatin emulsion layer containing microscopically small light-sensitive silver halide crystals. I’ll scan the negatives on the Epson V600. In each case, the numbers refer to the frame size in cm.