degree of enlargement

[sqphoto]

If I have a 6x6 cm (2 and 1/4 inches square) - medium format negative and I make a square print - for example 10 x 10 inches - what is my enlargement size? For example is that a 5X enlargement? Can someone get me on the right track? Thanks, Michael.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Generally in photography enlargement is described in linear terms, so a 10x10" enlargement from a 2-1/4" neg is about 5X ("about," because a 2-1/4" square neg is actually a little smaller usually). Of course in terms of area the print will be twenty times the size of the negative, but by convention, it is still usually called a 5x enlargement.

 

[Justin Cormack]

As David says this is the (pretty much universal) convention. It makes sense if you view a 5x enlargement at 5x as far away, when the angular view is the same (if you arent short or long sighted!). To some extent this works (one does peer closely at really tiny prints) but other times it doesnt (really big prints tend to be viewed relatively close).

 

[sqphoto]

Generally in photography enlargement is described in linear terms, so a 10x10" enlargement from a 2-1/4" neg is about 5X ("about," because a 2-1/4" square neg is actually a little smaller usually). Of course in terms of area the print will be twenty times the size of the negative, but by convention, it is still usually called a 5x enlargement.

Thanks for the info. I was thinking along the same lines and I wanted to confirm it. Thanks again, Michael.