135 Film (35mm Still Film / ISO 1007) vs. 220 Roll Film (Double-Length Medium Format)
Comparing 2 standards across 13 specifications. 13 key differences identified.
135 Film (standardized under ISO 1007) is the most popular photographic film format in history, consisting of a 35.0 mm wide cellulose acetate or polyester strip with standard KS-1870 sprocket perforations housed in a light-tight metal cassette. Capturing standard 36 × 24 mm frames in 24 or 36 exposure lengths, it utilizes electrical DX-barcode contacts to auto-set ISO speed and exposure latitude.
220 Film (standardized under ISO 732, introduced in 1965) is a double-length medium format roll film that yields twice the exposures of 120 film (24 exposures at 6×6 cm, 20 exposures at 6×7 cm). By eliminating the backing paper along the body of the film (retaining paper only at the black leader and trailer), twice as much film fits onto the same 25mm spool.
Specification Comparison Table
13 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Film Strip Width
|
35.00 ± 0.05 mm (1.378 in) | 61.5 ± 0.5 mm |
|
Nominal Image Frame Size
|
36.0 × 24.0 mm (standard 3:2 aspect ratio) | — |
|
Perforation Standard
|
KS-1870 (Kodak Standard) rectangular perforations (4.75 mm pitch along both edges) | — |
|
Standard Exposures per Roll
|
24 or 36 exposures (approx. 115 cm and 165 cm total strip lengths) | — |
|
DX-Code Electrical Grid
|
12-contact checkerboard grid on metal cassette (encodes ISO 25 to 5000, frame count, exposure latitude) | — |
|
Spool Core Diameter
|
Standard 11.0 mm plastic center spool with slot tab for loading | — |
|
Legendary Cameras
|
Leica M3/M6, Nikon F3/FM2, Canon AE-1, Olympus OM-1, Contax T2 | — |
|
Total Film Strip Length
|
— | Approx. 1650 mm (65.0 in — double the length of 120 film) |
|
Backing Paper Structure
|
— | Leader and trailer paper only (no backing paper behind the active emulsion) |
|
6×6 cm Frame Yield
|
— | 24 exposures (vs 12 on 120 film) |
|
6×7 cm Frame Yield
|
— | 20 exposures (vs 10 on 120 film) |
|
6×4.5 cm Frame Yield
|
— | 30 to 32 exposures |
|
Pressure Plate Setting
|
— | Requires flipping the camera pressure plate to '220' position (compensates for missing paper thickness to prevent focal shift) |