Choose film format: 35mm vs 120
There are many different film formats/sizes in film photography, and the two most common film formats are 35mm and 120.
35mm (officially known as 135 film) gets its name from the overall width of the film - 35mm. The exposure range for one photo is 24mm x 36mm. And 120 film can come in several different sizes (4.5cm x 6cm, 6cm x 6cm, 6cm x 7cm). Don't get me wrong that the number 120 does not mean a certain size and has no unit (135 and 120 are derived from the numbers used by Kodak in the early days, which have no meaning).
35mm film is the starting point for most people to enter film photography. Its advantages are:
35mm (officially known as 135 film) gets its name from the overall width of the film - 35mm. The exposure range for one photo is 24mm x 36mm. And 120 film can come in several different sizes (4.5cm x 6cm, 6cm x 6cm, 6cm x 7cm). Don't get me wrong that the number 120 does not mean a certain size and has no unit (135 and 120 are derived from the numbers used by Kodak in the early days, which have no meaning).
35mm film is the starting point for most people to enter film photography. Its advantages are:
- Large number of exposures (24 or 36 photos)
- 35mm camera is lighter
- The cost of shooting is relatively low (whether it is a camera or a photo)
120 film is not as popular as 35mm, but 120 has more advantages than 35mm in terms of technology.
- Larger exposure range provides more pixels
- 120 medium-format cameras are almost all designed for professionals, so there will be more choices for high-quality cameras and lenses.