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Re: [OM] Medium format film scanners

Subject: Re: [OM] Medium format film scanners
From: "John A. Lind" <jlind@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2002 20:24:34 -0500
At 17:14 3/27/02, Kierstin wrote:
so, the picture it takes are say 6x4 cm, isn't that like 3'' x 2'' (I think
there are 2.5 cm to the inch)?  Why would you want to take shots that small?

Film formats are defined mostly by size of the film frame, but the break between medium and large format is also defined by whether the film is on a flanged spool (medium format) or in sheets (large format). This is the film size! The standard 35mm still camera film frame is 2.4x3.6cm. Compare this to even a 645 with a 4.5x6cm film frame . . . about 3X the area of film! This allows one or more of the following (depends on film speed and enlargement):
  (a)  Smoother gradation of color, near-zero grain and exceptional detail
  (b)  Much greater enlargement from the slower films
  (c)  Using extremely high speed film with much less grain

Example from Portra 160 in a 645:
  http://johnlind.tripod.com/mamiya/gallery/mamiya01.html
In closest building stradling the canal, first floor, fifth window from the left, a person with dark hair wearing a red short sleeve shirt, with arm outstretched, is working at a desk. Found this by accident showing someone at work (where I had it hanging for a while) the resolution in an 11x14 Kodak Professional Metallic print of the negative. We were looking at it through the glass under which it is mounted using a loupe.

Large format in the larger sizes (8x10 inch and up) allow direct contact printing and/or absolutely enormous enlargements. The Kodak Colorama in NYC's Grand Central Station was almost always made using a very large, large format view camera.
-----------------------------
Major film sizes and their standard frame sizes:
[special panoramic sizes omitted]

Subminiature:
  Kodak Disc: 8x10mm (discontinued)
  16mm: 10x14mm (sprocket holes on both edges)
  16mm: 12x17mm (sprocket holes on one edge)
  110 (pocket instamatic): 13x17mm

Small (roll film in cartridges except 828):
  35mm "half-frame" 18x24mm
  APS: 16.7x30.2mm (very close to 35mm 1/2-frame!)
  35mm stereo:  24x23mm
  35mm: 24x36mm
  126 (instamatic): 28x28mm (usable for slides and prints: 26.5x26.5mm)
  828 (roll film on spool; discontinued): 28x40mm

Medium (roll film on flanged spools):
  127: 4x4cm (e.g. Rollei Baby TLR),
       4x5.5cm and 1-5/8 x 2-1/2 inch
       [still avail. in B/W from Europe]
  120/220: 6x4.5cm, 6x6cm, 6x7cm and
           old 120 & 620 "folding" cameras: 2-1/4 x 3-1/4 inch
           [620 = 120 on smaller dia. spool; discontinued]
  70mm:  70mm wide sprocketed film; typically 6x9cm
Large (sheet film):
  2x3 inch
  4x5 inch
  5x7 inch
  8x10 inch
  up to 16x20 inches!

-- John


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