Film Photography Glossary | The Darkroom

Whether you’re new to movie pictures or have been taking pictures movie for years, there are a surprisingly giant variety of phrases distinctive to the analog world. From movie codecs and digicam sorts to growing methods and publicity settings, movie pictures has its personal language that may really feel a little bit overwhelming at first.

In this Film Photography Glossary, we’ve put collectively easy, simple explanations for most of the most typical movie pictures phrases. We’ll additionally proceed increasing this information over time with hyperlinks to associated blogs, tutorials, and sources that will help you study extra.

35mm

The most typical and broadly used movie format. It is available in metallic canisters and usually offers you 24 or 36 exposures per roll.

120 Film

A medium format movie that produces a lot bigger negatives than 35mm movie, leading to greater picture high quality, smoother grain, and extra element. Depending on the digicam, 120 movie might be shot in quite a lot of codecs together with 6×4.5, 6×6, 6×7, 6×8, 6×9, and panoramic codecs like 6×17, with every format providing a special side ratio and variety of exposures per roll.

Medium Format

A class of movie cameras and movie sizes bigger than 35mm however smaller than giant format. Medium format sizes embody 6×4.5, 6×6, 6×7, 6×8, 6×9, and panoramic codecs like 6×17, all of which supply considerably bigger negatives, improved picture high quality, and distinctive side ratios in comparison with 35mm movie.

220 Film

A much less widespread model of 120 movie that’s twice as lengthy and supplies roughly double the exposures. Unlike 120 movie, it doesn’t embody backing paper all through the whole roll.

127 Film

A smaller roll movie format as soon as common in classic cameras. It sits between 35mm and 120 in dimension and has seen occasional specialty movie revivals.

620 Film

An older movie format that’s basically the identical dimension as 120 movie however wound on a special dimension spool. Many classic cameras used 620 movie.

110 Film

A compact cartridge-based movie format launched for small point-and-shoot cameras. Known for its tiny dimension, portability, and nostalgic aesthetic.

126 Film

A cartridge-based movie format common within the Sixties and Nineteen Seventies, typically related to Kodak Instamatic cameras.

Advantix / APS Film

Advanced Photo System (APS) movie launched within the Nineties. It featured drop-in loading and selectable side ratios however was finally discontinued.

Sheet Film

Large particular person sheets of movie utilized in giant format cameras. Common sizes embody 4×5 and eight×10.

Color Negative Film

The most typical sort of colour movie, developed utilizing the C-41 course of. The developed negatives seem with inverted colours till scanned or printed.

Slide Film (E-6)

A kind of movie that produces optimistic transparencies quite than negatives. Known for vibrant colours and excessive distinction however much less publicity latitude.

Infrared Film

A specialty movie designed to seize infrared mild, typically producing surreal photos with glowing foliage and darkish skies.

Redscale

A method the place movie is loaded backward so mild passes by means of the again of the movie base first. This creates heavy purple, orange, and yellow colour shifts.

Film Canister

The container that holds a roll of 35mm movie earlier than and after taking pictures.

Cartridge

A self-contained movie loading system utilized in codecs like 110, 126, and APS movie.

Film Leader

The small part of movie extending from a 35mm canister used to load the movie into the digicam.

Sprocket Holes

The perforated holes operating alongside the perimeters of 35mm movie that assist transport the movie by means of the digicam.

Negatives

The developed movie photos the place tones and colours are reversed earlier than scanning or printing.

Hot Shoe

The mount positioned on high of many cameras used for attaching flashes and equipment.

Leaf Shutter

A shutter system usually positioned contained in the lens quite than the digicam physique. Leaf shutters are sometimes quieter and may sync with flash at greater shutter speeds.

Single Lens Reflex (SLR)

A digicam that makes use of a mirror system permitting you to look instantly by means of the taking lens when composing a picture.

Twin Lens Reflex (TLR)

A digicam with two lenses stacked vertically. One lens is used for viewing and focusing whereas the opposite captures the picture.

Half-Frame

A format that splits an ordinary 35mm body into two smaller exposures, successfully doubling the variety of photographs per roll.

Panoramic Format

A large side ratio format designed to seize broader scenes. Some panoramic cameras expose extra-wide frames, whereas others crop commonplace 35mm movie.

Aperture

The opening contained in the lens that controls how a lot mild enters the digicam. Aperture additionally impacts depth of discipline.

Shutter Speed

The period of time the shutter stays open to show the movie to mild.

ISO

The movie’s sensitivity to mild. Lower ISO movies usually have finer grain, whereas greater ISO movies work higher in low mild.

ASA

An older movie pace ranking system that finally grew to become standardized as ISO.

Exposure Triangle

The relationship between aperture, shutter pace, and ISO that determines publicity.

Depth of Field

The space of a photograph that seems acceptably sharp. Wider apertures create shallower depth of discipline.

Bokeh

The look and high quality of out-of-focus areas in {a photograph}, typically related to easy or pleasing background blur.

Sunny 16

A traditional publicity guideline stating that on a sunny day, you possibly can shoot at f/16 with a shutter pace near your movie ISO.

Middle Gray

A reference tone representing common brightness in a scene, generally utilized by mild meters for publicity calculations.

Light Meter

A tool or built-in digicam system that measures mild to assist decide correct publicity settings.

Underexposure

When too little mild reaches the movie, typically leading to darkish photos with lack of shadow element.

Overexposure

When an excessive amount of mild reaches the movie, typically producing brighter photos with softer distinction.

Exposure Latitude

How forgiving a movie is when overexposed or underexposed whereas nonetheless producing usable outcomes.

Push Processing

Developing movie longer to compensate for underexposure, typically growing distinction and grain.

Pull Processing

Developing movie for much less time to compensate for overexposure, typically lowering distinction and grain.

Cross Processing

Developing movie in chemical compounds meant for a special movie sort, typically creating dramatic colour shifts and distinction.

ECN-2

A movement image movie growing course of initially designed for cinema movie shares like Kodak Vision3.

Dip and Dunk Processing

Knowledgeable movie growing methodology the place movie is suspended on racks and dipped by means of chemistry tanks. Known for constant and even processing outcomes.

Common Film Issues & Characteristics

Blank Roll

A roll of movie that produces no seen photos after improvement. This can occur as a result of loading points, shutter issues, or extreme underexposure.

Light Leak

Unwanted mild coming into the digicam or movie holder, typically creating streaks, flares, or washed-out areas on movie.

Grain

The seen texture of movie created by light-sensitive silver halide crystals or dye clouds. Higher ISO movies usually present extra grain.

Halation

A glowing halo impact round vivid mild sources attributable to mild scattering throughout the movie emulsion or backing.

Double Exposure

Exposing the identical body of movie a number of instances to layer photos collectively creatively.

True Photographic Paper

Traditional light-sensitive photographic paper uncovered utilizing mild quite than inkjet printing. Often used for high-quality colour darkroom prints.

Silver Gelatin Print

A standard black-and-white photographic print made utilizing silver-based light-sensitive paper in a darkroom course of.