Difference between 35mm & medium format?

Question

I don't know anything about photography. .

Is 35mm, the normal kind of film?

Which is more expensive?

What are the average processing costs?

Is it hard to find a lab that develops medium format? (I live in Malaysia.)

Is it difficult to find/buy films?

Answer 1

Medium format is not just 2 1/2 x 2 1/2. There are a number of different formats - one is 6 x 4.5mm giving an rectangular shape more akin the a 35mm frame. Most amateurs use 35mm. Many professionals - who have not converted to digital - use medium format as the results are deemed better for reproduction in magazines etc. Once upon a time, many editors would not consider 35mm Also, many serious amateurs use medium format as they feel it gives them better results. 35mm is cheaper - merely because it is the most used and economies of scale mean processing house are geared up for it. You would have to look around for a medium format processor - you can look in in photo mags in your country for them - they are bound to advertise.. Film is easily brought, especially via the net.

Answer 2

The difference is the size, or area of film media that can be exposed producing a higher resolution image suitable for large, detailed prints. As far as film goes, it is the next step up from 35mm. You'll need a special camera for medium format, and that is why most innate, amateur, or casual users find themselves using 35mm because it is more widely used, less specialized, and less expensive than medium format which comes in a variety of sizes and backs to accomodate them. Usually, people who use medium format for film do so out of a special need and not just for casual or recreational use. The average cost of processing is not unlike some premium 35mm processing cost for the same amount of prints and you can usually find a lab that will process them pretty much anywhere. I don't live in Malaysia, so I couldn't tell you where you could find one there. But there are often websites that you could mail out to and recieve them back. And, medium format film is typically more expensive, but comparable to quality 35mm slide film depending on which kind you get, whether roll or plate.

Answer 3

35mm film uses film cassettes to hold the film, then the film is rewound into the cassette after the photographs are taken. 35mm is the most widely available film size. 35mm film is availability in color transparency, color print and black & white. (Black & White transparency film was available until recently.) A wide variety of ISO values is available for virtually every need. 35mm is also found in amateur and professional grades. Medium format is basically limited to 120 and 220 film sizes. (70mm is available but rarely used.) The only difference is the length of the film. The number of exposures depends upon the exact format of the camera. A "2 1/4" camera (also known as 6X6) creates a square negative and produces 12 exposures on a 12O foll, 24 exposures on a 220 roll. 645 produces a rectangular negative 6 cm wide X 4.5 cm high (16 exposures for 120). 6X7 is a very popular medium format but 6X8 and 6X9 are also available. 120 and 220 are roll films--unlike 35mm that attaches the film to the take up spool, 120 and 220 are attached to the take up spool by means of an attached piece of paper. The film is rolled onto the take up spool as it is used, then rolled completely onto the take up spool, with a piece of paper covering the exposed film. The paper is secured with a gummeed label. 120 and 220 are usually found only in professional grade films. The truth is that any good lab who does both 35mm and medium format will end up charging about the same for both films. The lab I uses charges $3.25 + .39 a picture for 35mm. The 120 price is $3.50 + .60 a picture. The difference between a 24 exposure 35mm and 120 (645 format) is 50 cents.

Links to Kodak, Fuji Film (Malaysia) and Illford may give you additional information about the variety of film available for medium format and 35mm.

Answer 4

The difference are in the size of the film, the 35mm format is 24mm high (normal frames are 36x24 mm). The 120 format is 60mm high and the most common formats that use that film are 45x60 mm 60x60mm and 70x60mm. Bigger format means that you get less grains in a frame, more details and a higher resolution. I forgot to say that the 110 format is a really small roll film that is only 13mm high, I've never seen it in real life, so I'd guess it's quite unusual.