35mm or Medium format?

MrStockings · October 7th, 2016, 09:36 PM

I often wonder if some of the old mags were shot on 35mm or medium format film. Sometimes it's hard to tell as the quality of printing in mags like Whitehouse was sometimes not very good. 35mm would certainly have been cheaper, but the quality of some of the continental mags suggests that at least some was shot on medium format.

joulie · October 7th, 2016, 09:46 PM

If I recall, the favoured film stock was kodachrome, and it was only available on 35mm, however there was a lot of work done on both medium (6x6 or 6x9) and large format 5x4 inch. There was a comment, a good big un will always beat a good little un!

MrStockings · October 7th, 2016, 09:53 PM

I did wonder, as I bought and old RB67 kit a few years back and inside the case was a liberal sprinkling of of pubic hair! I wondered what it had been used for!

MrStockings · October 7th, 2016, 09:59 PM

Though I think Kodachrome also used to be available in medium and large format as well.

hongkongpandc · October 8th, 2016, 07:43 PM

i worked in a photographic agency when I left school The favored format was 1/2 frame (4x5) for high quality full frame (10x8) small was 2.1/2 x 2.1/2 and 35mm was very rarely used only for press shot that didn't matter alot. This was in the early '60

MrStockings · October 8th, 2016, 08:51 PM

I'm guessing that as some of the films from the 70's and to a lesser extent, the 80's use 35mm film cameras as props in some films that they at least had a few of those around. I wonder what Whitehouse Mag was shot with? The covers certainly look medium format quality.

**frankoboff** · October 8th, 2016, 10:37 PM

Page three was done on medium format (120 roll film) and a 150 or 180mm lens which give the images a flattering flattening of the picture and zero distortion- ideal for protraits. Suze Randal used 35mm film alot- possibly low ISO stuff in combination with lots of lighting to get around the lower resolution/higher grain issue.

October 7th, 2016, 09:36 PM	#1
MrStockings Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 189 Thanks: 571 Thanked 1,292 Times in 165 Posts	35mm or Medium format? I often wonder if some of the old mags were shot on 35mm or medium format film. Sometimes it's hard to tell as the quality of printing in mags like Whitehouse was sometimes not very good. 35mm would certainly have been cheaper, but the quality of some of the continental mags suggests that at least some was shot on medium format.

October 8th, 2016, 10:37 PM	#7
frankoboff Vintage Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 903 Thanks: 2,104 Thanked 25,363 Times in 884 Posts	Page three was done on medium format (120 roll film) and a 150 or 180mm lens which give the images a flattering flattening of the picture and zero distortion- ideal for protraits. Suze Randal used 35mm film alot- possibly low ISO stuff in combination with lots of lighting to get around the lower resolution/higher grain issue. Last edited by frankoboff; October 8th, 2016 at 10:39 PM.. Reason: added a word.

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October 7th, 2016, 09:46 PM	#2
joulie Junior Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 1 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4 Times in 1 Post	If I recall, the favoured film stock was kodachrome, and it was only available on 35mm, however there was a lot of work done on both medium (6x6 or 6x9) and large format 5x4 inch. There was a comment, a good big un will always beat a good little un!

October 7th, 2016, 09:53 PM	#3
MrStockings Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 189 Thanks: 571 Thanked 1,292 Times in 165 Posts	I did wonder, as I bought and old RB67 kit a few years back and inside the case was a liberal sprinkling of of pubic hair! I wondered what it had been used for!

October 7th, 2016, 09:59 PM	#4
MrStockings Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 189 Thanks: 571 Thanked 1,292 Times in 165 Posts	Though I think Kodachrome also used to be available in medium and large format as well.

October 8th, 2016, 07:43 PM	#5
hongkongpandc Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 91 Thanks: 68 Thanked 1,327 Times in 81 Posts	i worked in a photographic agency when I left school The favored format was 1/2 frame (4x5) for high quality full frame (10x8) small was 2.1/2 x 2.1/2 and 35mm was very rarely used only for press shot that didn't matter alot. This was in the early '60

October 8th, 2016, 08:51 PM	#6
MrStockings Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 189 Thanks: 571 Thanked 1,292 Times in 165 Posts	I'm guessing that as some of the films from the 70's and to a lesser extent, the 80's use 35mm film cameras as props in some films that they at least had a few of those around. I wonder what Whitehouse Mag was shot with? The covers certainly look medium format quality.