Film photography: the basics

In short: In film (analogue) photography the picture is captured not by a sensor but on light-sensitive film. It only becomes visible after chemical development.

In more detail: Because every shot costs film and processing and you cannot see the result immediately, many people photograph more deliberately. This slowness and the distinctive look of film are reasons why analogue photography is popular again.

In detail

• Film formats: The most common is 35 mm film with frames of 24 × 36 millimetres, while medium-format film offers larger negatives.
• Negative and slide: Negative film shows brightness and colours reversed and only becomes a positive when enlarged or scanned, whereas slide film is a positive straight away.
• Film speed: The ISO rating is fixed for the whole roll, so you choose it before loading to suit the light you expect.
• Limited number of frames: A 35 mm roll usually has 24 or 36 exposures, which encourages careful shooting.
• Exposure latitude: Colour negative film usually forgives overexposure better than underexposure, while slide film demands very accurate exposure.
• Developing: Black-and-white film can be developed at home with developer, stop bath and fixer; colour films are usually processed in a lab.
• Darkroom: An enlarger projects negatives onto photographic paper, which is then also developed chemically.
• Scanning: Many people have their films scanned so they can use and share the pictures digitally.
• Typical look: Film grain, its own colour rendering and soft transitions in the highlights shape the character of analogue pictures (schwarzweissfotografie-grundlagen, iso-und-bildrauschen, belichtungsmessung-grundlagen).