Medium format has traditionally referred to a film format in photography and the related cameras and equipment that use film. Nowadays, the term applies to film and digital cameras that record images on media larger than the 24 mm × 36 mm (0.94 in × 1.42 in) used in 35 mm photography (though not including 127 film), but smaller than 4 in × 5 in (100 mm × 130 mm) (which is considered large format photography). In digital photography, medium format refers either to cameras adapted from medium-format film photography uses or to cameras making use of sensors larger than that of a 35 mm film frame. The benefits of using medium-format digital cameras include higher resolution sensors, better low-light capabilities compared to a traditional 35mm DSLR, and a wider dynamic range.
Characteristics
Medium-format cameras made since the 1950s are generally less automated than smaller cameras made at the same time. For example, autofocus became available in consumer 35 mm cameras in 1977, but did not reach medium format until the late 1990s, and has never been available in a consumer large format camera. The main benefit of medium-format photography is that, because of the larger size of the film or digital sensor (two to six times larger than 35 mm), images of much higher resolution can be produced. This allows for bigger enlargements and smooth gradation without the grain or blur that would characterize similarly enlarged images produced from smaller film formats. The larger size of the film also allows for better control of the depth of field and therefore more photographic creativity. Cameras with a bellows typically support 'tilt and shift' of the lens. This permits landscape photography with the appearance of an extremely large depth of field – from closest foreground to the far horizon – to be achieved, by aligning the plane of focus with the subject plane of interest, using the Scheimpflug principle. Compared with 35 mm, the main drawbacks are accessibility and price. While 35 mm cameras, film, and photo finishing services are generally widely available and inexpensive, medium format is usually limited to professional photography shops and can be prohibitively expensive. Also, medium-format cameras tend to be bulkier than their 35 mm counterparts.
Film handling The medium-format film is usually roll film, typically allowing 8 to 32 exposures on one roll of film before reloading is needed. This is fewer than 35 mm cartridges, which typically take 12 to 36 pictures on one roll. This is somewhat offset by the fact that most medium-format systems used interchangeable film magazines, thereby allowing photographers to switch rolls quickly, allowing them larger numbers of exposures before needing to load new film or to change the film type. Some companies had bulk film backs that used 70 mm double-perforated film that allowed up to 75 feet of film to be loaded at one time. While rolls of large format film were produced at one time, their use was specialized, typically for aerial cameras installed in military aircraft or printing industry equipment. Most large format film is sheet film, that is, film where each picture is on a separate piece of film, requiring that the camera be frequently reloaded, usually after every picture, sometimes using magazines of up to five pictures or reduction backs that allow multiple pictures on a single sheet of film. Medium-format sheet film was produced for some cameras, but these cameras tend to be smaller, lighter, and easier to use than large format gear. Sheet film was never commonly used in cameras smaller than medium format. Film cost per exposure is directly related to the amount of film used, thus, the larger the film size, the more expensive each picture will be. An 8 by 10 inch large-format negative is far more expensive than a 6 by 6 cm medium-format picture, which is substantially more expensive than a frame of 35 mm film. 35 mm cartridges are generally easier to load and unload from a camera than medium-format rolls. A 35 mm cartridge is placed inside a camera, and in most motorized cameras this is all that is needed; the camera loads the film and rewinds it into the cartridge for removal. Far fewer medium-format cameras are motorized, and medium-format roll film does not have sprocket holes, so loading often requires that marking on the backing paper of the film be lined up with markings on the camera, and on unloading, the backing paper must be carefully secured to protect the film from light.
120, 220 and 620 film
All medium-format cameras mass-produced today (as of 2024) use the 120 film format. Additionally, many are capable of using the 220 film format, effectively doubling the number of frames available with 120 film. Medium-format roll film is still available from specialty shops and photographic laboratories, yet it is not as ubiquitous as 135 (35 mm) film.
The 620 format was introduced by Kodak in 1931 as an alternative to 120. It was discontinued in 1995. The 620 format is essentially the same film on a thinner and narrower all-metal spool. While 620 film is required on a number of old Kodak Brownie cameras, many of these cameras can accommodate the slightly larger 120 rolls/spools. In other situations where the camera cannot accommodate a 120 spool, the 120 film can be rolled onto a 620 spool in a darkroom or changing bag.This film is shot in a variety of aspect ratios, which differ depending on the camera or frame insert used. The most common aspect ratios are 6×6 cm (square/1:1) and 6×4.5 cm (rectangular/4:3). Other frequently used aspect ratios are 6×7 cm, 6×9 cm, and 6×17 cm panoramic. The 6×4.5 cm format is usually referred to as "645", with many cameras that use this ratio bearing "645" in their product name. Cameras that can switch to different aspect ratios do so by either switching camera backs, by using a frame insert, or by use of special multi-format backs. All of these dimensions are nominal; actual dimensions are a bit different. For example, 6×7 cm might give an image on film that is actually 56×70 mm; this enlarges exactly to fill an 8×10 inch sheet of paper. Another feature of many medium-format models is the ability to use Polaroid instant film in an interchangeable back. Studio, commercial and architectural photographers value this system for its ability to verify the focus and exposure.
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