Lomography Film

Glossary

Not sure what the difference between color negative and slide film is? Never heard of Infrared film? Read our glossary of the most common film terms below and learn the lingo!


16mm

A motion picture film that was used for commercial cinema as well as home movie making. Now making a comeback into filmmaking, this motion picture film can be used with Standard 16 and Super 16 cameras and can be developed in specific processing labs.

→ See Where to Get Your 16mm Developed

→ View 16mm Films in the Lomography Online Shop

35mm

The most common type of photographic film. You’ll find it on the shelves in supermarkets and can probably develop it there too. Loads of Lomography cameras take 35mm film; a few of them are the LC-A+, LC-Wide, LomoKino, Spinner 360°, Diana Mini and Sprocket Rocket. Usually you can take 36 photos on each 35mm film.

110

This cartridge-based film format features images that are roughly a quarter of the size of an image produced on 35mm format. You can usually take 24 photos with a 110 cartridge, and once shooting is done, there’s no need to rewind the film.

→ View 110 Films in the Lomography Online Shop

120

Film used in Medium format cameras such as the Diana F+ and Lubitel 166+. 120 film looks different to 35mm and generally produces more detailed images. You can usually take between 12 and 16 photos on a 120 film roll. It’s a little harder to find places to develop it, but the LomoLab will!

Aperture

This is the opening in the camera that determines how much light hits the film. You can find the aperture between the lens and the film which, depending on your camera, can usually be made smaller or larger manually. Aperture is calculated by a series of numbers known as “f-stops”.

Artificial Light

Lamps give off a different kind of light that the sun does. And to offset this, there are ‘artificial light’ films available – often also referred to as ‘Tungsten’. If you use these films in normal daylight however, you’ll get pictures with a bluish glow.

Black and White

The grandfather of all films – but black and white film is by no means old-fashioned! In fact, it continues to be developed in a lot of places. The film is not color-blind, but rather, it generates a shade of grey for every shade of color. This is a true classic with style that’s not only easy to handle but also able to produce powerful results. It’s also very popular with people who like to develop their films themselves. It comes in both 35mm and 120 (Medium Format).

→ View Black and White Films in the Lomography Online Shop

Color Negative

Recognizable by its orange masking, this film creates a negative image on the film. Light becomes dark, dark becomes light; and instead of the original colors, the opposite colors are recorded. It’s one of the most frequently used films because it’s very good at producing good exposure, great colors and sharp images. On top of this, it’s also perfect for using in situations where there is little light.

→ View Color Negative Films in the Lomography Online Shop

Cross Processing

Also known as X-Pro. Instead of dipping your slide film in the slide film soup, you can have it developed in the color negative soup! When this is done, something wonderful happens: it mutates into color negative film! But not just any ordinary color negative film… it’s one with extra-strong colors and contrast!

→ Read more about X-Processing.

Daylight

Most films are designed for daylight, and the special films made for indoor lighting can be found under "Artificial Light".

Development

The picture is recorded on the film but it is not yet visible as long as the film is still sensitive to light. To make the picture visible and long-lasting, it needs to be submerged in a dark bath of chemicals. After it’s been dried, you can then go about getting your prints and having your pictures scanned.

DIY Processing

You will most likely bump into this when talking about Black and White Films. This is when you process your film yourself in a film development tank. The first step happens in the dark – loading your film into a developing tank. Then, as soon as the film is in the light-proof development tank, you can turn the lights back on and it’s time to start pouring in the chemicals! It requires a little practice to load film into the tank in complete darkness, but it can also be a lot of fun! See D.I.Y. Processing

Expired

Film has an expiry date and after this has been passed (usually after 2 years) it becomes ‘expired’. This doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s bad, it just means that the colors that the manufacturer promised are no longer guaranteed. But who wants that anyway?

→ View Expired Films in the Lomography Online Shop

Exposure Time

The basic rule is that the longer you expose the film, the more light will reach it. The exposure is the point at which the image is actually photographed. In a similar way to the aperture, the length of the exposure determines how much light hits the film. Exposure times which are too long can sometimes lead to a blurry picture. On these occasions, a tripod or a steady surface can come in handy to keep the camera steady during the period of exposure.

The darker it is, then the longer you’ll need to expose the picture; the lighter it is, the shorter. It’s all about finding the right balance together with the aperture, to ensure that enough light reaches the film but that at the same time, the exposure time is kept short enough so that the resulting photograph isn’t blurry.

Film

If the lens is the eye of the camera, then the film is the optical nerve. It’s made out of a light-sensitive material laid on a layer of polyester or acetate. This method has been continually improved for over 160 years. The most used formats of film today are 35mm and 120 (which is sometimes known as roll film or medium-format film.)

Film Cartridge

Think of this as 35mm film’s home. It protects the film from unwanted light and dust.

Film Types

Color Negative, Black and White Negative, Slide and Infra-Red.

Film Sensitivity

The lower the sensitivity of a film, then the more light it needs to deliver you a great picture. 100 ISO film needs twice as much light as 400 ISO and 800 ISO needs half as much light as 400 ISO. If the sun is shining, then a 100 ISO film is sure to serve you well. If it’s cloudy then go for a 400 ISO. If the weather outside is particularly grey, then you know it’s time to unleash the 800 ISO.

Film Grain

The lower the sensitivity of a film is, then the finer its texture, resolution and sharpness will be.

Infrared

Normal film sees the world in more or less the same way as you do, but infrared film sees a lot more. Depending on the film, sensitivity can go up to 800nm. With the right film and the right exposure time, you can end up with fairy-tale results. Water becomes black, green leaves become white and everything becomes magical. The usual way to get infrared photos is to attach an infrared filter to your camera. Unfortunately there are only black and white infrared films left; the legendary color infrared films only exist as left-over stock and can be picked up for a collectors price.

→ View Infrared Films in the Lomography Online Shop

Instant

The type of film used in Instant Cameras. Instant film is discharged from the camera after the photo has been taken and develops by itself in front of your eyes – A clever kind of film indeed!

→ View Instant Films in the Lomography Online Shop

Lab

The place where the film is developed and the prints are picked up.

LomoChrome Purple

LomoChrome Purple XR 100-400 is a color negative film with exciting and surprising color effects. Natural color tones get transformed into new tones of a broader color spectrum, creating astonishing photo results!

Color Changes:

Blue becomes green, green becomes purple, and pink becomes yellow. Red tones stay red, which keeps natural skin color quite natural. To reinforce the color transformation, the spectrum’s sensitivity almost reaches infrared levels. The color change can be altered depending on your chosen ISO settings. For example, green tones will become a shiny purple when you use an ISO 100 setting, but with an ISO 400 setting greens will instead become a darker indigo. This is a great way to explore unlimited color creativity!

Sensitivity:

The sensitivity of the film is ISO 400 (27°). Its high flexibility in terms of light sensitivity also allows you to set your camera to ISO 200 (24°) and ISO 100 (21°) - This gives you greater flexibility in different lighting conditions. LomoChrome Purple XR 100-400 photos are distinctive because of their bright colors and sharp images with fine grain.

Development & Storage:

The film should be developed with the standard C-41 process. Storage at 20 °C is fine. The lifetime of the film can be extended by storing the film in the fridge (under 10°C) and is therefore recommended. We don’t advise to expose the film to temperatures above 30°C for too long unnecessarily.

Technical Details:

LomoChrome Turquoise

LomoChrome Turquoise XR 100-400 is a regular color negative film which gives fantastic results. Color tones transform from one color spectrum to the next, and in turn, create wild and wonderful outcomes!

Color Changes:

Warm colors become blue, blue becomes golden, green becomes emerald. Capable of producing picture-perfect photos totally naturally, LomoChrome Turquoise will bathe your photos in lustrous tones from a broader color spectrum. Experiment with different ISO settings to see how the colors change and respond. Whatever you decide to shoot with LomoChrome Turquoise, each shot will be original, enchanting and a product of fantastic experimentation.

Sensitivity:

The sensitivity of the film is ISO 200 (24°). Highly flexible in terms of light sensitivity, it also allows you to set your camera to ISO 400 (27°) and ISO 100 (21°) - which allows for greater adaptability in various lighting conditions. Producing vibrant dreamlike colors, LomoChrome Turquoise XR 100-400 photos are wonderfully unique.

Development & Storage:

The film should be developed with the standard C-41 process. Storage at 20 °C is fine. The lifetime of the film can be extended by storing the film in the fridge (under 10°C) and is therefore recommended. We don’t advise to expose the film to temperatures above 30°C for too long unnecessarily.

Technical Details:

Lomography Cine Film

Colors and saturation that pop, fine grain that’s ultra-smooth, and details that come alive. These effects used to be seen only in motion pictures, but now you can enjoy the same qualities in your photographs with Lomography Cine Film!

A Real, Authentic Cine Film

Lomography Cine film is a real cine film which has been specially treated so that it can be used in photographic cameras. In the old days, cine film material was rarely used in regular 35mm photographic cameras due to the complexity of the process involved. But now for the good news! We have figured out a procedure for treating Tungsten Motion Picture Film so that it can be used in 35mm film cameras.

What Is Tungsten Motion Picture Film?

Lomography Cine film is a Tungsten Motion Picture Film. Tungsten Motion Picture Film is a cinematographer’s essential because it’s sensitized for artificial lighting conditions, making it an ideal emulsion to use because of the detail and deep saturation it gives. Tungsten Film is impressive in sunny conditions too; expect crystal clarity, an overall cool look, impeccable blacks and amazing contrast.

We’re sure you’ll love Lomography Cine Film. It will yield phenomenal photos that look like stills from a movie! It’s convenient too, because this Color Negative Film can be processed normally (in C-41) just like any other Color Negative film. Breathe in the romantic experience of cinematic art from the last century with Lomography Cine Tungsten Film!

Development & Storage:

The film should be developed with the standard C-41 process. Storage at 20 °C is fine. The lifetime of the film can be extended by storing the film in the fridge (under 10°C) and is therefore recommended. We don’t advise to expose the film to temperatures above 30°C for too long unnecessarily.

Technical Details:

Please Note: In order to make Lomography Cine film compatible with the standard C-41 development process, the film has been pretreated in a way which could lead to minor special effects appearing on photos in very rare cases.

Print

This is the actual photograph printed out on photographic paper either digitally or manually through darkroom processing!

Roll Film

This type of film doesn’t have a cartridge and is only protected by the light-proof backing paper. Due to the larger surface, pictures on this film taken with the correct exposure can sometimes be more impressive than those taken on 35mm film.

Slide

For many people, this is the King of Films. When the exposure is just right, you can get an exact replication of reality. What’s even more exciting is that you can develop this film in Color Negative chemicals to bring different colors and contrast to your slide photographs!

→ See Cross Processing

→ View Slide Films in the Lomography Online Shop

Sprocket Holes

35mm film has tiny holes at the top and the bottom of the film which grip on to the sprocket teeth of the camera – This is how the film is transported through the camera. With some Lomography cameras such as the Sprocket Rocket and Spinner 360° you can actually use this part of the film in your pictures. However, this part of the film is not normally exposed and doesn’t appear on your prints.

Sunny 16

A formula that allows you to easily calculate exposure times.

→ More Terms in the Lomography Photo-glossary