Nick Karagiannis Answers: How Many Photos Do You Get from 120 Film Rolls?

Why 120 Film Teaches You to Respect the Frame

Nick Karagiannis has spent years walking through Sydney backstreets, coastal headlands, and quiet rural towns — all with a medium format camera in his hands and a limited number of exposures waiting inside. And he wouldn’t change that for anything.

“The number of shots on a 120 roll doesn’t feel like a limitation,” he says. “It feels like a decision.”

This article doesn’t tell you what 120 film is or how frame sizes work. It answers the one question most film photographers ask after loading their first roll:
How many shots will I actually get, and what does that mean creatively?

Nick answers not just in numbers, but in lived experience.

black and yellow 35mm color print film — Photo by Denise Jans on Unsplash

What Is 120 Film?

120 film is a type of medium format roll film, introduced by Kodak in 1901. It’s wider than 35mm film and allows for much larger negatives, resulting in higher resolution, more detail, and greater tonal range. This is one of the main reasons professionals and enthusiasts alike love shooting with it, especially when using classic cameras like the Rolleiflex TLR or Hasselblad 500C/M.

But unlike 35mm film, which always gives you 24 or 36 exposures, the number of photos you get from a roll of 120 depends on the camera’s frame size.

How Frame Size Affects Photo Shot Count

Each medium format camera exposes a different portion of the film depending on its frame format. Here are the most common formats and how many shots they produce per roll:

Format	Frame Size	Common Cameras	Photos per Roll
6×4.5 (645)	60mm × 45mm	Pentax 645, Mamiya 645	15–16
6×6	60mm × 60mm	Rolleiflex, Hasselblad 500C/M	12
6×7	60mm × 70mm	Mamiya 7, Pentax 67	10
6×9	60mm × 90mm	Fuji GW690, Horseman	8
6×12	60mm × 120mm	Lomography Belair, Fotoman	6
6×17	60mm × 170mm	Fuji G617, Gaoersi	4

The Short Answer: You’ll Get Fewer Frames Than You Think

Nick is blunt about it. With 120 film, you don’t get 36 frames. You get:

Sometimes 12
Sometimes 10
Occasionally 8 or fewer

And that changes everything.

“When you’re down to 8 or 10 frames, each one carries weight. You shoot like a writer choosing their final lines.”

Whether he’s using a vintage twin-lens reflex or a compact 645 system, Nick knows going in: he only has a small number of frames to get it right — or at least to get it honest.

What That Number Really Means in the Field

Let’s say Nick is walking through the laneways of Hobart or the sandstone edges of The Rocks in Sydney with a loaded medium format camera. One roll. Maybe 10 shots.

Here’s how he thinks about that number:

1. Every Frame Must Justify Its Existence

Nick doesn’t “test” exposures on medium format. He doesn’t “warm up.” From frame one, he’s fully present.

“You don’t waste a frame checking the light — you read the light.”

This approach, over time, creates a sharper eye and stronger instincts. It’s why many of Nick’s most published images were taken in the first or second frame of a roll.

2. You Begin to Shoot in Sequences, Not Bursts

With 10–12 exposures, Nick doesn’t chase moments. He builds them.

1 frame for the wide
1 for the close
1 for the silence between
1 for the subject turned away

That’s a quarter of the roll — and yet, it tells a story.

3. Your Movement Slows

Nick walks slower when he’s carrying a medium format camera. The camera weight plays a role — but the limited shots make him pause, breathe, and observe.

He’ll often spend 30–45 minutes on a single roll, waiting for:

A shaft of light
A person to pass
A cloud to move
A quiet to settle

“You stop chasing photographs and start receiving them.”

What It Feels Like to Finish a Roll in 8 Frames

Sometimes, depending on the format and film advance, a roll ends after just 8 exposures. And every time it happens, Nick feels the same mixture of shock and acceptance.

“It’s jarring — but it’s honest. The roll ends when the story ends.”

In those moments, he doesn’t rewind or reload right away. He walks. He thinks. He lets the weight of the last 8 frames sit before deciding whether another roll is needed, or if the story has already been told.

Why This Restriction Helps Creativity

There’s an argument to be made that fewer exposures lead to better photographs — not because you “try harder,” but because you notice more.

Nick believes this wholeheartedly.

“If I had 36 shots, I’d probably second-guess. But with 10? You just commit.”

This commitment builds:

Confidence in exposure and composition
Rhythm in pacing and approach
Trust in instinct and reaction
Emotional investment in every frame

A Look Into Nick’s Notebook

Nick logs every 120 roll he shoots — not just the frame count, but:

What he felt when he loaded it
Where he was
What light was doing
What made him press the shutter
What he regrets, what he learned

This analogue process mirrors the analogue act. And each roll becomes more than just 8 or 10 frames — it becomes a chapter in how Nick learns to see again and again.

Learning to Work With the Rhythm of the Roll

Nick Karagiannis doesn’t just shoot 120 film. He listens to it. With fewer frames per roll, medium format creates a rhythm unlike any other photographic process. Each roll is its own stanza, a limited verse that must sing with restraint.

“You don’t pace yourself because you’re afraid to run out,” Nick explains. “You pace yourself because the silence between frames matters.”

He’ll often shoot two rolls per day, never more. That means 16 to 24 frames to express an entire outing, environment, or emotional state. In some cases, an entire zine comes from just three rolls.

When 10 Frames Are Enough to Tell a Full Story

In Nick’s photo essay Dry Morning, shot in the NSW countryside, he used just one roll of black-and-white 120 film. Ten frames. That’s all. Yet the sequence told a complete narrative:

The pale sun in open sky
A closed curtain behind a café window
Cracked bitumen under a slow-walking figure
A rusted truck left in motionless shade

Each image was intentional. None were cropped. None were test shots. Each frame was both answer and question.

“With 10 shots, editing starts before you shoot,” Nick says. “You edit with your breath.”

Portraits on 120: Connection, Not Clicks

Shooting portraits on 120 film is where Nick feels the frame count most — and where he embraces it most fully.

“Telling someone, ‘I’ve only got 10 shots’ changes the room. It slows the energy. It invites realness.”

With fewer frames, subjects stop performing. They become still. Honest. Seen.

How Nick Shoots 120 Film Portraits:

One lens, no filters
No more than 2–3 shots per setup
Natural light only — window, shade, or open sky
Time spent talking between exposures

This method appears across several of his long-form projects, including the portrait series Left Unsaid, many of which were created using classic Rolleiflex and Mamiya gear from his Nick Karagiannis vintage camera collection.

Slowing Down the Emotional Pace

Nick often describes the psychological shift that happens when you shoot a limited number of medium format frames. It goes beyond craft — it affects how you feel.

Emotional Realisations From 10-Frame Rolls:

You become comfortable with silence
You stop “hunting” moments and begin receiving them
You let go of perfection and embrace clarity
You enjoy the weight of the frame, rather than fear it

“The roll doesn’t limit you. It listens to you.”

He recalls shooting in Mount Field National Park — only 10 exposures in his bag. Instead of rushing, he sat beside a tree for 40 minutes. Only took 2 frames. One of them made it into his print collection.

The Invisible Frames You Don’t Take

Nick believes the most important photographs from a 120 roll are often the ones you chose not to take.

The frame you almost took but let pass
The moment that wasn’t quite ready
The gesture that needed a second longer

“Film photography is as much about the shutter you don’t press,” he says.

These invisible frames become part of the roll’s character. You remember them. You learn from them. You carry them into the next frame — or the next roll.

Examples with Popular Medium Format Photo Cameras

a couple of rolls of film sitting on top of a table — Photo by Hongwei FAN on Unsplash

Rolleiflex TLR (6×6 format)

With its 6×6 square format, the Rolleiflex gives you 12 photos per roll. Many photographers love this format for its symmetry and ease of composing square images.

Hasselblad 500C/M (6×6 format)

Just like the Rolleiflex, the Hasselblad 500C/M shoots 12 square exposures. It’s perfect for studio, photo portrait, and architectural work thanks to its legendary Zeiss lenses.

Canon AE-1 (35mm format, not 120)

While not a medium format camera, the Canon AE-1 is popular among film beginners. It uses 35mm film, giving you 24 or 36 shots, in contrast to 120 film’s lower frame counts.

Soviet Zenit & Other Vintage Cameras

If you’re into older gear, check out the Soviet Zenit — not medium format, but part of the same vintage revival that includes 120 shooters.

Why So Few Shots Compared to 35mm?

Medium format negatives are much larger than 35mm — a 6×6 negative is roughly four times the area of a 35mm frame. That extra space means more detail, smoother tones, and better enlargements. So yes, you get fewer exposures, but each one delivers a higher level of image quality.

Planning Your Photo Shoot with 120 Film

Provia film on gray surface — Photo by Macro.jr on Unsplash

Before heading out, it helps to:

Know your format and expected number of exposures
Bring extra rolls, especially when shooting travel photos or events
Store rolls properly (film pouches, foil sleeves)
Consider developing at home with guides like this one

Pro tip: If you’re heading to a scenic location like Tasmania or the Daintree Rainforest, make sure you plan for fewer exposures per roll than 35mm, and bring more film than you think you’ll need.

Nick Karagiannis: Why the Number of Frames Isn’t the Point

Nick Karagiannis doesn’t count the frames on a 120 roll because he needs to manage them. He counts them because they matter. Each one is a frame he’ll live with for days — in the developing tank, on the scan bed, and in his memory.

“Ten frames isn’t a limit. It’s a gift. It asks you to see with care.”

So when someone asks him how many photos you get from 120 film, his answer is always layered.

Technically: 8, 10, 12.
Practically: Enough.
Emotionally: Just right.

Want to Begin Your Own Medium Format Journey?

Nick recommends starting with:

A basic 120 camera (Yashica Mat, Mamiya 645, or Bronica ETRS)
One roll of Portra 400 or HP5 Plus
A slow day and a place you know well

To explore camera reviews, film pairings, and storytelling methods with medium format, visit the Vintage Camera Collection and the 35mm Film Photography Guide.

If you’d like mentorship, feedback, or help starting your own 120 zine, Contact Nick Karagiannis directly.

FAQs

Q: Can I shoot 120 film in a 35mm camera?
No. 120 film is physically too wide for 35mm cameras. You need a medium format body.

Q: Can I get 36 exposures from 120 film?
Not unless you cut and re-roll it into 35mm cartridges, a niche technique, not standard.

Q: Is medium format better than 35mm?
It depends. For image quality and tonal range, yes. But for speed and cost, 35mm cameras like the Nikon F3 are more convenient.