lg format photography & medium format

[joanlvh]

could someone briefly tell me what makes it large format photography and what makes it medium format photography? What is the difference between the two. Is there a small format photography? thanks for your time joanlvh

[David A. Goldfarb]

Mainly film size--4x5" (and the European 9x12cm) and larger being large format. Some people would make a distinction between sheet film vs. rollfilm, so anything that uses 120 or 220 film, even 6x17cm or 6x24cm would be medium format, but then you've also got oddities like 3.25x4.25" and 2.25x3.25" sheet film, which I think of as "lantern format" and "medium format sheet film," respectively. There was a time when 35mm was referred to as "miniature format" and smaller spy camera formats like 16mm and Minox were considered "subminiature," and people still say "submini" but usually refer to 35mm as 35mm, and call APS formats APS.

[steve simmons]

For me it is either camera movements and/or film size. 6x8 or larger in film size and/or camera movements.

steve simmons

[Struan Gray]

35 mm is still 'small format' in both Swedish and German: 'småformat' and 'kleinbild' respectively.

Large format is sometimes a question of film type and surface area (sheet film, 9x12 cm and up) and sometimes a question of camera capabilities (movements, even in smaller formats, are usually considered an LF thing). But the boundaries are not worth obsessing over. Ilford once made a 35 mm monorail camera with movements, and there are ULF point and shoots.

[Doremus Scudder]

I'll add a bit to what David posted:

Certainly film size, as David said, is the prime definer of large format. Larger film is usually sheet film, loaded in holders with darkslides, two to a holder. The use of sheet film enables individual exposure and development control.

Associated with larger film sizes is the View Camera, which, though not strictly necessary, is also for most part of the large-format definition.

View cameras (usually) have bellows, project the image upside-down and backwards on a ground-glass viewing screen and, most importantly, allow for changes in the relationship between the film and lens planes by means of movements. These movements, and the image-management possibilities they enable, are often the primary reason people take up large-format photography.

Movements include the ability to tilt the lens and/or film plane forward and backwards, shift them side-to-side and up-and-down, all independently from one another.

Viewing the image with a view camera is usually done under a dark cloth to keep stray light from washing out the rather dim projected image. View cameras do not (normally) have built in meters, requiring the use of a hand-held meter. Lenses for view cameras come in a variety of focal lengths and coverages (how big the projected circle of the lens is; a bigger circle than the film size is needed for making movements).

Large format cameras come in sizes up to 20x24 inches and in a variety of aspect ratios (8x10 inches, 8x20 inches, etc.).

Large format cameras are most often used on a tripod (though there are many press cameras designed for hand-held use), and encourage a slower, more thoughtful approach to image making. Fast-moving subjects such as sports, or candid subjects where the photographer has to react very quickly do not lend themselves as readily to large-format work.

However, the ability to correct perspective and control the plane of sharp focus made possible by movements disposes the view camera to architecture and landscape work.

The large negative, with its greater sharpness for a given size of enlargement makes large format indispensable for sectors that need large images such as advertising, etc.

Many black-and-white photographers also choose large format for the ability to develop sheet films individually to control contrast. There is a famous exposure and development system developed by Ansel Adams, called the Zone System that works best when one can expose and develop each film sheet depending on subject contrast (forgive the apparent condescension if you are familiar with this already).

And, digital capture has changed the definition as well, eliminating the film component. Still, the digital backs are often "larger" in one way or another than smaller digital cameras, and the movements still remain.

Of course, there are exceptions to all of the above, and many other "definers" of large-format photography. However, the above are all very important facets of the field.

Best,

Doremus Scudder

[Ron Marshall]

I consider cameras that use roll film, 110 or 220, to be MF and those that use sheet film to be LF.

[domenico Foschi]

Is this a troll?

[ljb0904]

Is this a troll?

Could be an ogre...

[vann webb]

Probably just your garden variety head scratching type situation. Nothing to see here. Please move along.

[joanlvh]

thank you for the information, I will keep reading, I appreciate your help, joanlvh

[John Kasaian]

Large Format is fatter. Medium Format is, well "medium." Small Format is downright skinny. It is sort of like the sizes for sweatshirts only instead of XL or XXL there is Ultra Large Format or ULF :)

[christopher walrath]

Hi, David. I agree, mainly film size. However, having been a MF shooter for a couple of years and now getting on with my 4x5, I never thought of 6x4.5 as a smaller format before now. However . . .