Real Hollywood negative sizes → Digital megapixels & K (with correct anamorphic lens behaviour)
Practical measured values with excellent lenses and high-end scanning (drum / Imacon / Flextight).
| Source | Film | Measured lp/mm | Real-world equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Cicala (Lensrentals) | Velvia 50 / Ektar 100 | 70–85 lp/mm | ~20–25 MP |
| Tim Parkin / Joe Cornish (OnLandscape) | Fuji Velvia 50 | 80–100 lp/mm (center) | 22–28 MP |
| Ken Rockwell | Best 35mm colour films | ~80 lp/mm average | ~22–25 MP practical |
| Hamrick Software (VueScan tests) | 4000–5400 ppi scans | — | 23–26 MP effective |
| Imacon/Hasselblad Flextight users | Velvia 50 drum-scanned | — | commonly 24–30 MP files |
| Theoretical max (100+ lp/mm) | Tech Pan, Adox CMS 20 | 120–160 lp/mm | 35–45 MP (rarely achieved) |
→ 20–25 megapixels is the most widely accepted real-world figure for a perfectly shot and scanned 35mm frame of Velvia 50 or Kodak Ektar 100 with a top-tier prime lens.
Higher numbers are possible only in ideal lab conditions with ultra-slow B&W technical films.