View Camera Technique, 7th Edition

9Light-Sensitive Materials and Film Processing

9.1 Film Sizes

View cameras are commonly referred to as large-form at cam eras. Actually, view cameras have been made in film-format sizes ranging from at least as large as 20 × 24 in. down to 1 × 1½ in. (35-mm size). For many years the 8 × 10-in. format was considered the standard size for professional photographers, but the steady improvement in the quality of photographic film has resulted in the 4 × 5-in. format becoming the most popular-size view camera with both professional and nonprofessional photographers. Even smaller film can be used with 4 × 5-in. cameras with reducing backs and roll-film holders, and some modular-type 4 × 5-in. cameras are designed to allow the substitution of larger-format ...