Film to PhotosNegative, slide or black-and-white? How to tell your film
How to identify old film: color negative vs slide vs black-and-white, and 35 mm vs 120 medium format, 110, 126 and APS sizes — with what each needs to be scanned.
Hold the film up to a light: if it's orange and the colors look reversed, it's a color negative; if it shows a normal-looking picture in a small square mount, it's a slide; if it's gray with reversed light and dark, it's a black-and-white negative. Then measure its width — 35 mm film is 1.4 inches wide with holes along both edges. Most family film from the 1970s to the 2000s is 35 mm color negative.
Negative, slide or black-and-white?
| You see | It's a | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Orange strip, colors reversed (sky looks orange-brown) | Color negative | Most common. Used for prints. Needs the orange mask removed when scanning. |
| Normal-looking colors, often in 2 × 2 inch mounts | Slide (transparency, "positive") | Kodachrome, Ektachrome, Fujichrome. Shown with a projector. |
| Gray, light and dark reversed, no orange | Black-and-white negative | Older family photos and hobby film. |
| Black-and-white picture that looks normal | Black-and-white slide | Rare. |
Most films have the brand and film name printed along the edge (for example "KODAK GOLD 200"), which tells you the type.
Which size is it?
| Size | How to recognize it | Picture size |
|---|---|---|
| 35 mm | 35 mm (1.4 in) wide, sprocket holes on both edges | 36 × 24 mm |
| 120 medium format | About 61 mm (2.4 in) wide, no holes, paper backing when new | 6 × 4.5, 6 × 6 or 6 × 7 cm |
| 126 (Instamatic) | 35 mm wide, one hole per frame | 26 × 26 mm, square |
| 110 (Pocket) | Narrow, about 16 mm wide | 13 × 17 mm |
| APS (Advantix) | Returned in a small cartridge, often with an index print | about 30 × 17 mm |
| Disc film | A small round disc | Tiny frames |
Older collections can also include larger sheet film and glass plates; those need a flatbed scanner.
What each needs to be scanned
- 35 mm color negatives: any 35 mm film scanner or a flatbed with film holder. This is what Film to Photos is made for, with Plustek OpticFilm scanners.
- 35 mm slides: the same scanners, using the slide holder. Film to Photos doesn't support slides well yet; VueScan or SilverFast do.
- Black-and-white negatives: the same scanners. Film to Photos recognizes them automatically and saves true grey photos (new, still being tested on more film). Note that infrared dust removal doesn't work on traditional black-and-white film.
- 120, 110, 126, APS: need a flatbed with a film adapter, a medium-format scanner, special holders, or a scanning service. Plustek OpticFilm scanners take 35 mm only. If you scan them with other equipment, you can import color negative TIFF or JPEG files into Film to Photos to convert them; we've tested 35 mm, so try other sizes with the free trial first.
Next: what to do with old negatives or the best way to scan 35 mm negatives.
Quick answers
What is the difference between a color negative and a slide?
A color negative looks orange with reversed colors and was used to make prints. A slide (transparency) shows a normal-looking, correctly colored picture and is usually in a small square cardboard or plastic mount.
How do I know if my negatives are 35 mm?
35 mm film is 35 mm (1.4 inches) wide with sprocket holes along both edges, and each picture is about 36 × 24 mm. Most family negatives from the 1970s to the 2000s are 35 mm.
Can a 35 mm film scanner scan 120 medium format film?
No. 120 film is about 61 mm wide and needs a medium-format film scanner or a flatbed with a film adapter. Plustek OpticFilm scanners take 35 mm film only.
What are 110 and 126 negatives?
Cartridge films from cheap pocket cameras of the 1960s–80s. 110 is small (13 × 17 mm pictures); 126 is 35 mm wide with square pictures and one hole per frame. They need special holders or a flatbed.
Does Film to Photos work with slides and black-and-white film?
35 mm color negatives are fully tested. Black-and-white negatives are new: they're recognized automatically and saved as true grey photos, but still being tested on more film. Slides aren't supported yet. Try yours with the free trial.