What is Large Format??

[Steffani]

I've been a large format photographer and active participant in several online large format discussions areas for a year. A large format describes large photographic films, large cameras, view cameras and process that a uses a film or digital sensor, generally 4 x 5 inches.

[GPS]

Welcome Steffani! Here you can be an active member for years and still you will have enough people ready to discuss this question for weeks to go...

[scrichton]

God help anyone who ever tries to make an autofocus 5x4 or above camera in this life.. You guys will all castrate him, then proceed to argue whether he was castrated to the correct standards.

I take it no-one has taken the view that a DSLR in comparison to a camera phone is thoeretically a LArge format with many multiples the area of the sensor and a much bigger resolution.

We are all here in this forum as Large Format photographers. People who ask the question either have tried to start learning about it or stirring up the fire pot of a thread that is currently at 15 pages.

I belive quite strongly a large format camera ( excuse all the speed graphic and 5x4 / 8x10 PS users here ) is one that very awkward to handhold easily or requires a changed film back focus method. There exceptions to this rule. But 6x9 is outside the commonly used formats and getting bigger. In the 30's / 40's etc ... an efficient car was 6-8 litres in engine displacement and film's resolution was far less than today. I has a techinka 23 for a month. It was as slow as my MPP so I traded in straight for a nikon F4. The technica had a grip/ RF/ Rollfilm back etc .. plus movments and al the rest but was physically impractical to be used as a 6x7 as it was too " large" to be handheld in ideal conditions.

Steven

[gregstidham]

My Kalart rangefinder manual from the 50's says I am shooting "Man Size Negatives" with my crown graphic.

Because the need for a new definition of "Large Format" has arose, I suggest photographers who use sensors or film the size of 4x5, 5x7, 4x10, or 8x10 no longer use the term "large format", but use the new term - "Man Size".

For photographers that choose to use negatives or digital arrays larger than 8"x10", they should use the term "Ultra Man Size".

Anyone shooting with a sensor or film 6x7, 6x6, or 645 can use the term "Lessor Man Size"

If you shoot using a sensor or film that is 35mm, APS, or DSLR, that photographer can use the term "Small Man Size"

I hope this helps as we re-define photographic format terminology

[Lazybones]

What is "Large Format?"

Your mother.

[Alan Davenport]

For photographers that choose to use negatives or digital arrays larger than 8"x10", they should use the term "Ultra Man Size".

Anyone shooting with a sensor or film 6x7, 6x6, or 645 can use the term "Lessor Man Size"

If you shoot using a sensor or film that is 35mm, APS, or DSLR, that photographer can use the term "Small Man Size"

You forgot cell phone cameras. Would those be "Girlie Man Size?"

[Marko]

You forgot cell phone cameras. Would those be "Girlie Man Size?"

I take "Girlie Man" in this particular example to mean "someone able to go out with girls", although somehow I doubt that's what you had in mind...

[gregstidham]

I did forget a couple formats in my expansion of the Kalart definition of "Large Format"

Sensors and film sized 1/3", 2/3", and 110 or under would use the term "Tiny Man Size" This would include camera phones.

Polaroid formats are somewhat unique. The single sheet film format and 10 exposure packs would be defined as "Almost Man Size". 8x10 size Polaroid sheets would fall under "Man Size"