How can i tell the difference between 35mm and 6x6 films when i do not have the films?

Question

As a college project we have to study various classic black and white photographs from books.Part of this task is too distinguise between 35mm films and 6x6. I have no idea how to do this without being able to see the films. I really need some help with this :)

Answer 1

35mm film is rectangular in shape and measures 24x36mm. 6x6 film is square and measures 6cm x 6cm.

Answer 2

The first thing I would look for is the format of the picture. Slides have a 3:2 aspect ratio. The aspect ratio is the relationship in size of the length of the picture and the width. To give you an idea, a 4x6 photograph (whether it is horizontal or verticle) has a 3:2 ratio. A 6x6 is a square negative which in American terms is 2 1/4 x2 1/4 inches. So a picture enlarged and retaining the aspect, the square, could be envisioned as a 6x6 negative.

However all of that is not true when you take into consideration that cropping is always a possibility. I shoot 35mm, 6x6, and 6x7 and unless I ask for no cropping, all three can turn out to be 5x7 or 4x6. There is no way that you can tell from looking at the picture if they are all in the same printed format.

You could possibly tell from grain in the picture where you find two pictures taken of the same thing and enlarged to the same size. a 6x6 will have less grain than a 35mm because the neg is larger and thus would take less enlargment.

Frankly, I would get a ruler and measure the sizes and do my best to figure from there. If you can guarantee that there has been no cropping, it will be easy - 35mms are 3:2, 6x6 are 1:1.

What takes place in the enlargement process you will never know.

Answer 3

I recall I had a similar task to accomplish when I was getting my undergraduate degree in photography many years back. Basically what the professor is trying to point out to you is that medium format film is larger than 35mm, and as a result the film is able to pick up more detail and retain more sharpness with enlargements. Furthermore in terms of tonality, medium format images will typically be more smooth and continuous with a limited amount of visible grain as compared to a 35mm that has been enlarged to the same size. Take a look at the first link I sent and scroll down to the bottom to see the difference in leaf detail. It should be more obvious now, the medium format image is sharper and displays less grain i.e, it doesnt have a salt and pepper texture to it. The more you enlarge each image the more apparent the difference becomes. As a warning though, if you aren't a photo student don't consider the size. If the image is square, don't immediately assume it is a 6cmx6cm image as one could have created a mask for the image when they were printing it, and on the same note, don't think that a 6x6cm image cant be printed on a rectangular format like 8x10.

Answer 4

I should think it is fairly impossible. Maybe the trick is to look at the style of the pictures and the photographers. If it's by Ansell Adams and a wide landscape then it will have been taken on a 6x6. If by Cartier-Bresson and a Parisien street scene, then 35mm. But tell whoever set this project, from me, that I think it is totally pointless. Does the art lecturer tell the art students to decide which brushes were used to paint a picture and the sculpture lecturer what kind of chisels cut a block or marble? Photography is bedevilled by a fixation on equipment, not the end result.

Answer 5

Your best guess is as good as any depending on what you can see in the image. You'll have to guess as to which lens was used and whether or not any cropping was done. Perhaps your instructor wants you to focus more on what's IN the image rather than what's not-- to try and determine the things I've just pointed out.
As for Adams, I believe most of his work was done in large format rather than medium (6cm x6cm) format.

Check out www.photo.net for forums and helpful inspiration to guide you along the (properly lighted) path. :)

Answer 6

The prints are square versus rectangular. Easy enough.