Film format

A film format is a technical definition of a set of standard characteristics regarding image capture on photographic film, for either stills or movies. It can also apply to projected film, either slides or movies. The primary characteristic of a film format is its size and shape.

In the case of motion picture film, the format may also include audio parameters (though often not). Other characteristics usually include the film gauge, pulldown method, lens anamorphosis (or lack thereof), and film gate or projector aperture dimensions, all of which need to be defined for photography as well as projection, as they may differ.

Contents

Movie film formats

See List of film formats

Digital camera formats

See Image sensor format

Still photography film formats

Multiple image

Designation (A) Type Introduced Discontinued Image size Exposures Comment
101 roll film 1895 1956 3½" × 3½"
102 roll film 1896 1933 1½" × 2" One flange has gear teeth
103 roll film 1896 1949 3¾" × 4¾"
104 roll film 1897 1949 4¾" × 3¾"
105 roll film 1897 1949 2¼" × 3¼" Like 120 film with 116-size flanges
106 for roll holder 1898 1924 3½" × 3½" Roll holder films were wound inside out
107 for roll holder 1898 1924 3¼" × 4¼"
108 for roll holder 1898 1929 4¼" × 3¼"
109 for roll holder 1898 1924 4" × 5"
110
(early roll film)		 for roll holder 1898 1929 5" × 4" No relation to the later 110 cartridge format for "pocket" cameras.
110
("Pocket Instamatic")		 cartridge 1972 2009 13 × 17 mm Introduced with Kodak's "Pocket Instamatic" series
111 for roll holder 1898 Unknown 6½" × 4¾"
112 for roll holder 1898 1924 7" × 5"
113 for roll holder 1898 Unknown 9 × 12 cm
114 for roll holder 1898 Unknown 12 × 9 cm
115 roll film 1898 1949 6¾" × 4¾"
116 roll film 1899 1984 2½" × 4¼" Like 616 film with wider flanges
117 roll film 1900 1949 2¼" × 2¼" 12 Like 620 spool with 120 keyslot
118 roll film 1900 1961 3¼" × 4¼" 3.474" spool
119 roll film 1900 1940 4¼" × 3¼"
120 roll film 1901 Present 2¼" × 3¼"
6 cm × 7 cm
2¼" × 2¼"
2¼" × 1⅝"		 8
10
12
16
121 roll film 1902 1941 1⅝" × 2½"
122 roll film 1903 1971 3¼" × 5½" 6 or 10 Postcard format
123 roll film 1904 1949 4" × 5"
124 roll film 1905 1961 3¼" × 4¼" 3.716" spool - same picture size as 118 with longer spool
125 roll film 1905 1949 3¼" × 2½" x 2 for stereo pairs
126
(early roll film)		 roll film 1906 1949 4¼" × 6½" No relation to the 126 cartridge format introduced in 1963.
126
("Instamatic")		 cartridge 1963 2008 26.5 × 26.5 mm 12, 20 (later 24) Introduced with first "Instamatic" cameras under the name "Kodapak"
127 roll film 1912 Present 4 × 6 cm
4 × 4 cm
4 × 3 cm		 8
12
16		 "Vest Pocket"
128 roll film 1912 1941 1½" × 2¼" for Houghton Ensignette #E1[1]
129 roll film 1912 1951 1⅞" × 3" for Houghton Ensignette #E2
130 roll film 1916 1961 2⅞" × 4⅞"
135 cartridge 1934 Present 24 × 36 mm 24 or 36 formerly available in 12, 20, or 72 exposures[2]
220 roll film 1965 Present varies 8, 10, 12 or 16 Twice as long as 120, no backing paper
235 loading spool 1934 Unknown 24 × 36 mm 35 mm film in daylight-loading spool
240 / APS cartridge 1996 Present (corrected) 30.2 × 16.7 mm 15, 25, or 40 Daylight, Transparency, Black & White (Chromogenic 400CN)
335 stereo pairs 1952 Unknown 24 × 24 mm For stereo pairs
435 loading spool 1934 Unknown 24 × 36 mm 35 mm film in daylight-loading spool
500 film pack 1¼" × 2⅜" 12
515 film pack 5" × 7" 12
516 film pack 2½" × 4¼" 12
518 film pack 3¼" × 4¼" 12 sheets
520 film pack 2¼" × 3¼" 16 sheets
522 film pack 3¼" × 5½" 12 sheets 3A postcard
523 film pack 4" × 5" 12 sheets
541 film pack 9 cm × 12 cm 12
543 film pack 10 cm × 15 cm 12
616 roll film 1931 1984 2½" × 4¼" or 2½" × 2⅛" 6, later 8 Similar to 116 film but on a thinner spool
620 roll film 1932 1995 Similar to 120 film but on a thinner spool
828 roll film 1935 1985 28 × 40 mm, 8 35mm, one perforation per frame Bantam
35 roll film 1916 1933 1¼" × 1¾" 35 mm unperforated
00 UniveX roll film 1933 1½" × 1⅛" 6 made by Gevaert
Hit (a.k.a. Mycro) roll film 1937 unknown 14 × 14 mm 10 [3] 17.5 mm; used in imported miniature toy cameras [4]
Disc cassette 1982 1998 8 × 11 mm
Half-frame cartridge later than 1934 Present 18 × 24 mm 48 or 72 135 film in "half-frame" cameras
Minox cartridge 1938 Present 8 × 11 mm 15, 36 or 50 nominally 9.5 mm wide (in reality 9.2-9.3 mm)
Karat cartridge 1936 1963 Early AGFA cartridge for 35 mm film
Rapid cartridge 1964 1990s 12 AGFA cartridge for 35 mm film (replaced Karat, same system)
SL cartridge 1958 1990 24x36 mm
24x24 mm
18x24 mm		 12
16
24		 Orwo Schnell-Lade Kassette for 35 mm film
Kassette 16 cartridge 1978 1990s 13 x 17 mm 20 Orwo, 16 mm wide, central perforation (holes between frames)
Introduced exclusively for the Pentacon k16 camera

(A) Unless otherwise noted, all formats were introduced by Kodak, who began allocating the number series in 1913. Before that, films were simply identified by the name of the cameras they were intended for.[5]

For roll holder means film for cartridge roll holders, allowing roll film to be used with cameras designed to use glass plates. These were spooled with the emulsion facing outward, rather than inward as in film designed for native roll-film cameras.

The primary reason there were so many different negative formats in the early days was that prints were made by contact, without use of an enlarger. The film format would thus be exactly the same as the size of the print—so if you wanted large prints, you would have to use a large camera and corresponding film format.

Single image

Size (in inches) Type
1⅝×2⅛ "sixteenth-plate" tintypes
2×2½ "ninth-plate" tintypes
2×3 sheet film
2½×3½ "sixth-plate" tintypes
3×4 sheet film
3⅛×4⅛ "quarter-plate" tintypes
3¼×4¼ "quarter-plate" glass plates
3¼×5½ postcard or 3A
4×5 glass plate,sheet film
4¾×6½ "half-plate" glass plates, sheet film
4½×5½ "half-plate" tintypes
4×10 sheet film
5×7 sheet film
7×17 sheet film
8×10 glass plates,sheet film
8×20 sheet film
8½×6½ "whole-plate" glass plates, sheet film, tintypes
11×14 sheet film
12×20 sheet film
14×17 sheet film
16×20 sheet film
20×24 sheet film
Size (in cm) Type
6.5 × 9 sheet film
9 × 12 glass plate, sheet film
10 × 15 sheet film
13 × 18 sheet film
18 × 24 sheet film
24 × 30 sheet film

Instant image

Designation Type
Type 37 Polaroid roll film cartridge
Type 47 Polaroid roll film cartridge
Type 88 Polaroid flat film cartridge

See [1] for a full list of Polaroid films.

Fuji produce instant films and film backs for sheet film cameras.

See also

References

  1. ^ "The Ensignette Camera". http://www.ensign.demon.co.uk/ensignette.htm. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
  2. ^ "Ilford History and Chronology". http://www.photomemorabilia.co.uk/Ilford/Chronology.html. Retrieved 20 June 2011. 
  3. ^ "Reloading Hit Cameras". http://www.subclub.org/darkroom/roll17mm.htm. Retrieved 23 October 2011. 
  4. ^ "17.5mm or "Hit" Style Cameras". http://submin.com/17.5mm/collection/introduction.htm#17.5mm%20or%20Hit%20Style%20Cameras. Retrieved 23 October 2011. 
  5. ^ "The History of Kodak Roll Films". http://members.aol.com/Chuck02178/film.htm. Retrieved 2007-06-17. 

External links

Motion picture film formats
Film gauges
Film formats
35 mm
70 mm
35 mm × 3
Aspect ratio standards
Video framing issues
Film portal