Is It Film Roll Or Roll Film?

Introduction

Film photography has been around for over a century and is still cherished by many photography enthusiasts today. However, for those new to the medium, there can be some confusion about the terminology used when referring to the film itself. In this article, we will clarify the difference between "film roll" and "roll film".

What is film roll?

When people refer to "film roll", they are typically talking about 35mm film. This type of film is the most commonly used in analog photography and is sold in small plastic canisters that are easy to load into a camera.

35mm film rolls typically come in lengths of 24 or 36 exposures. When film photographers talk about their "film roll", they are referring to the individual roll of film they loaded into their camera.

One important thing to note about 35mm film is that it is a standardized format. This means that all 35mm film rolls will have the same dimensions, regardless of the brand or manufacturer.

What is roll film?

Roll film, on the other hand, is a much broader term that encompasses a variety of film formats. Unlike 35mm film, which is a standardized format, different types of roll film can have vastly different dimensions and properties.

Some examples of roll film formats include:

- 120/220 film: This medium format film is commonly used in cameras like the Hasselblad and Pentax 67. It has a larger image area than 35mm film and comes on a spool with a paper backing.

- 620 film: This older medium format film was invented by Kodak and was used in cameras like the Brownie. It was eventually replaced by 120 film, but some photographers still shoot with 620 film today.

- 127 film: This roll film format was popular in the mid-20th century and was used in cameras like the Kodak Brownie Star. It has since been discontinued, but some photographers still shoot with expired stock.

As you can see, roll film encompasses a wide variety of film formats, each with its own unique characteristics.

So, is it film roll or roll film?

In summary, "film roll" typically refers to 35mm film, whereas "roll film" is a broader term that encompasses a variety of film formats. If you are new to film photography, it''s important to understand these terms so you can choose the right film for your camera and creative vision.

And for the record, there is technically no right or wrong way to refer to these terms - so feel free to use whichever one you prefer!