The Medium Format Advantage, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 2

The Medium Format Advantages

IMAGE SHARPNESS

Thirty-five millimeter and medium format cameras use the same type of black-and-white and color films. Because the medium format negative or transparency is anywhere from two and a half to four times larger in area than the 24 × 36 mm frame, its sharpness is proportionately better. To look at it in another way, the medium format negative can be blown up proportionately larger (to 30 × 40 in. instead of 16 × 20 in.) while retaining equal quality, assuming everything else is equal.

Since the quality, especially the sharpness, of films has been improved drastically over the last few years, some people have commented that the 35 mm image quality is completely satisfactory for any application ...