Is there a big difference

I see a clear and obvious difference even in 5x7 inch enlarger prints I make from 35mm negatives and 120 format film, in tonality and clarity of fine detail.
 
Yes. With a well exposed and processed negative, you will see a difference in the depth and smoothness of tonality.

Subjectively, in 25 years of photography, printing 6 cm x 6 cm negatives as images about 5" x 5" in size has been one of my very favorite combinations for this very reason.
 
On small prints, I don't see a huge amount of difference. The difference is there, certainly, but at 10x8, with small grain film, not much.

If you're shooting grainy film, maybe you'll see more, but I'm comparing Ilford XP2, which has pretty fine grain.
 
from my very limited darkroom experience with both formats i can still tell you: yep there is.

you can even observe that difference in scans at screen size done with the same scanning equipment.
 
On smaller enlargements (say 8x10 ) will a medium format camera image be that superior to a 35mm image.

Definitely a difference, but "big" is subjective. Some might think of it as a tiny difference. And of course you have the different aspect ratio.
 
On smaller enlargements (say 8x10 ) will a medium format camera image be that superior to a 35mm image.

I hate to use the word "superior." To my eye, 6x6 film images simply look different compared to 35 mm film images. At my usual print sizes (about 6x8 on 8.5x11 inch paper), the apparent technical differences in quality are small but the differences in other imaging qualities are pretty apparent.

Move up to a 13x13 inch print or larger, and the technical quality of 6x6 film images degrades far more slowly than even the best 35mm film images.

(Compared to print quality of digital images ... well, let's just say that digital image capture has a whole different set of rendering qualities. 6Mpixel DSLRs with top grade lenses circa 2004 are what relegates my 6x6 film interest to the back shelf. An M9's 18Mpixel capture can create 24x36 inch prints of amazing quality. BUT there's still the other rendering qualities of a 6x6 film image that pose a striking difference. .. )

G
 
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