120 is a number that specifies the format of the film. Remember 110? Disc? Same thing. There is no measurement of 120 film that is 120mm: not of the film itself, the paper backing, the spool it’s on, any of the standard frame sizes shot on it, or, likely, even the paper band that holds it closed. Calling 120 120mm is like calling Disc film Discmm: it’s incorrect and makes no sense.
Gosh, Nicolai, tell us how you really feel ;-)
It’s an understandable mistake (not to excuse it, of course) but all you know is 35mm (officially known as 135, of course), it’s an easy one to make.
But if 135 = 35mm, wouldn’t 120 = 20mm?
Just because it *looks* bigger doesn’t mean it really is…. ya know….
Or we could just call it 12cm film to make it truly messy.
I always sort of thought in the back of my mind that it was 120cm long or something, though that seems a bit excessive when you only have 12x6cm (72cm) worth of film. Wikipedia says that the film is 72cm long, but is that possible (with spacing and everything)? Actually I just measured a roll of mine (post development – so the leader and was cut) and it came to 76cm or so.
Anyways, it says 120 on the wrapper not 120mm or 120cm or anything else, so I always (for fear of sounding silly) refer to it as it is labelled.
I think we should round up all the perps and beat them mercilessly. Idjits!
Saying “Discmm” seems like fun nonetheless…
Leave it to tread to exploit the hole in my argument…