smallformat

Small format is an imaging category that describes capture media and devices producing images smaller than those used in medium- or large-format photography. In practice, it most often refers to 35 mm film systems and to digital cameras with sensors smaller than a typical full-frame sensor. The classic example is the 36 by 24 millimeter frame used in 35 mm film, which became the standard for mass-market cameras in the mid-20th century.

In practice, small-format equipment is valued for portability, affordability, and speed. Lighter bodies and smaller lenses support travel, street, documentary, and everyday photography. The smaller image area also yields greater depth of field for a given field of view, a characteristic often used as a creative tool. Image quality, dynamic range, and noise performance have improved dramatically with digital sensors, narrowing the gap with larger formats for many casual and even some professional applications.

Historically, the designation contrasts with medium-format systems that use larger capture areas such as 6x4.5 cm, 6x6, and 6x7, and with large-format sheet film used for studio and landscape work. The term remains common in discussions of camera bodies, lenses, and archival prints, where format size influences handling, cost, and aesthetics.

Digital small-format sensors include APS-C and Micro Four Thirds, among others, with newer cameras adding 1-inch and smaller sensors. Some manufacturers still market “full-frame” cameras as distinct from smaller formats, while others treat full-frame as part of the small-format family in certain contexts. The term is primarily descriptive rather than a strict standard.