Digital BW, The Print

I'm not sure of the exact origin of 35mm (I seem to recall it coming 
from 120 cut in half, which may be from 70mm), but 2:3 isn't used for 
motion pictures. The stock may be originally of MP origin, but the frame 
size certainly isn't.

4:3 is the standard ratio for TV, Motion Pictures use 16x9. Digicams get 
their ratio from Computer Monitors, which inherited it from TV.

-Adam



Clayton Jones wrote:
> Hello Adam,
> 
>  >Standard Print sizes long predate the dominance of 35mm, it's only
>  >from the 1960's to the 1990's that 35mm was the dominant format.
>  >Most larger print sizes either match a Sheet Film size or are an
>  >easy enlargement from a sheet film size.
> 
> My understanding is that 35mm is/was originally motion picture film,
> so I suppose that aspect was for theater screens.  I have never liked
> the 2:3 ratio for photos, it always seemed too long.  My favorite
> camera for years was a Pentax 6x7 which was closer to the ratio of
> photo papers.  With 35mm I always had to compose while remembering how
> much would have to be cropped.  But I also often felt that the 8x10
> ratio was a bit too fat. 
> 
> I have really come to love the 3:4 ratio of digicams.  It's right in
> between the two extremes.  I don't know how the industry decided on
> 3:4 for digicams but I'm glad they did.  The photos look great and
> they fit nicely on 8.5x11 paper.  Unfortunately, standard frame and
> mat sizes are still 8x10/11x14, so framing at 8.5x11 is still a custom
> job.
> 
> I like to reduce the various ratios to a single aspect number, derived
> by dividing the short side by the long.  It makes it easier to
> mentally sort them. Here they are in order, for various films and papers:
> 
> Size               A#
> ----------------------
> 35mm/DSLR 2:3-----.66
> 4x6---------------.66
> 13x19-------------.68
> 5x7---------------.71
> 645 (41x56mm)-----.73 (image size from a Mamiya 645 contact sheet)
> digicams 3:4------.75
> 8.5x11------------.77
> 11x14-------------.78
> 6x7 (55x70mm)-----.78 (image size from a Pentax 67 contact sheet)
> 8x10/4x5----------.80
> 6x6--------------1.00
> 
> 
> Regards,
> Clayton
> 
> 
> Info on black and white digital printing at   
> http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm
> 
> 
> 
> 
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