120 Medium Format Film

Overview

120 film is 61 mm wide and wound onto a spool with a numbered backing paper. The backing paper is not packaging — it is the frame counter, and on many cameras it is the only way to know where you are on the roll.

The payoff is area. A 6 × 6 cm frame is 3.6× the area of 35mm, a 6 × 7 frame is 4.2×. That extra area buys you smoother tonality, finer apparent grain at the same print size, and the ability to crop without losing the image.

The cost is frames. A roll of 120 gives you 15 frames at 6 × 4.5, 12 at 6 × 6, 10 at 6 × 7, 8 at 6 × 9. You slow down, which is usually the point.

What it does well

• Much larger negative — smoother tonality and real cropping room
• Backing paper numbers work with red-window and mechanical counters
• Interchangeable backs on many systems let you switch emulsions mid-roll
• Ideal for portrait, landscape and architectural work
• Same chemistry and tanks as 35mm in most cases

Safety notes

Working notes

• Tighten the roll when you finish so the paper stays wound; loose rolls unspool and fog.
• Tape the tail down before it goes in the bag, or the roll will unwind in your pocket.
• Most 120 films have a different curl from 35mm — pre-soak for one minute to relax it before loading the reel.
• Keep a spare empty spool. Without one you cannot unload a second roll in the field.

Compatible with