FORMATS A SHORT HISTORY
Two identical fim formats, realeased within months of each other in the mid 60's, revolutionized film making
for the amateur. Fuji (Single 8) and Kodak (Super 8) re-designed the then available 8mm Format, and made it it more user friendly.
Although they agreed on the dimensions of this new film guage, they went down two radically different paths in its implementation.
The older format of Standard 8 or Regular 8, was in essennce 16mm stock, re-engineered and re-formualted for
8mm filmaking. It required the film maker to expose one side of the film, remove it, then in the dark switch the spools
around to expose the adjacent side. Once developed it was slit into two 8mm lengths of film, then joined together to form one 8mm
film. Some camera manufacturers were able to design a cartridge to insert both Supply and Take up reels, simplyfying this
process. Perhaps, this became the impetus for future development by both Kodak and Fuji ?
Fuji (Single 8) decided to stick with the tried and true method. Their design placed the Supply reel and Take
up reel on a seperate axis. With the thinner film inside, Fuji's cartridge became taller, but slimmer than Kodak's. It also allowed the
the film to travel through the camera's own pressure plate, just like the old Standard/Regular 8 film. Finally, Single 8 users were able
to backwind the film with as much ease as their Standard 8/Regular 8 counterparts.
Kodak released a radically different design. It placed the Take up and Supply reels on the same axis. Its design incorporated the
pressure plate into the cartridge, changing forever the design of film cameras. The extra expense of having to incorpotate a pressure plate
into the camera could now be dispensed with. However, this radical design did have its limitations.The Film maker was now restricted in
the amount of film available for backwinding purposes. Also the "Purists" who continued to stick with the older format, would point out
that film shot through their cameras was shaper, because it travelled through the cameras own pressure plate. This was probably true for some
of the lower end Super 8 cameras. However, the writing was on the wall for the older format, with camera production switching over to
the newer formats, particularly Super 8.
Both Fuji and Kodak agreed for the need to introduce some kind of mechanism whereby the camera's own automatic exposure system
could determine with some degree of accuracy, the correct exposure for the prevailing conditions. They achieved this by incorporating a
system of notches (Super 8) or slots (Single 8) that signalled to the camera's own exposure system the correct emulsion speed of the film.
Once the camera established the correct emulsion speed, the camera's automatic exposure system then set the correct exposure
for a given situation. That and the ready to use cartridge, revolutionized the way millions of people were to shoot film in the future.
© Copyright INTO 8MM FILM 2007. All Rights Reserved.
DISCLAIMER: The author accepts no Responsibility or Liability for any
errors or omissions contained in the article.
SUPER 8 FILM SPECIFICATION
Released in 1965, the available picture area width was enlarged by resizing and re positoning the sprocket holes, towards the middle
of the available picture area. This meant that that among other things, it became easier for the amateur film maker to count the frames
by counting the sprocket holes.
Taken from from the following Standards: ANSI/SMPTE 157-1988 ISO 1700-1972 (E) ANSI/SMPTE 166-1988
© Copyright INTO 8MM FILM 2004-2005. All Rights Reserved.(*NB Please See Picture and Film Table for more info.)
DISCLAIMER: The author accepts no Responsibility or Liability for any
errors or omissions contained in the diagram. Detailed description(s)
can be obtained from the various Standards Authorities that deal in matters film.
SINGLE 8 CARTRIDGE FILM SPEED TABLE
Released just pror to Super 8, the Single 8 cartridge is a testiment to simplicity and functionality in design.
Taking inspiration from an existing concept, it added a touch of design elegence with its sweeping curves, and fuctionality
with the incorporation of various slots, which allowed the users camera to automatically detect the emulsion speed and set
the correct exposure accordingly. Using a thinner film base than Super 8, it was able able to achieve a slim and trim
facade. Its ease of use and unlimited backwinding turned this marvel of engineering simplicity, into an instant cult classic.
Click Here to View Single 8 Cartridge Dimension Tables
Taken from from the following Standards: ANSI/SMPTE 191M-1988 ANSI PH22.190M-1982
© Copyright INTO 8MM FILM 2004-2005. All Rights Reserved.(*NB Please See Picture and Film Table for more info.)
DISCLAIMER: The author accepts no Responsibility or Liability for any
errors or omissions contained in the diagram. Detailed description(s)
can be obtained from the various Standards Authorities that deal in matters film.
STANDARD 8
It was the preferred small gauge prior to Super 8. Essentially it is two 8mm films,
side by side, on one 16mm reel. It allowed the amateur enthusiast all the thrill
of shooting in a 16mm format, without the expense. The amateur could now achieve
effects such as fades, lap dissolves, and double exposures, all in camera.
The cameras themselves were quite simple to operate, many being powered by elementary wind up
spring mechanisms. The film also passed through the camera's own pressure plate, just like in 16mm.
On exposing one side, the take up reel and the supply reel were swapped around (in the dark)
ready to expose the adjacent side. After developing the film was split down the middle, and joined
together to form one complete 8mm film.
STANDARD 8 FILM DIMENSIONS
Taken from from the following Standards: ANSI/SMPTE 231-1989
© Copyright INTO 8MM FILM 2004-2005. All Rights Reserved.
DISCLAIMER: The author accepts no Responsibility or Liability for any
errors or omissions contained in the diagram. Detailed description(s)
can be obtained from the various Standards Authorities that deal in matters film.
DOUBLE SUPER 8
The "Professional" version of Super 8. Like Standard 8, it is essentially two
Super 8 films side by side, on the one 16mm role. It too was split after developing
and joined together to form one length of Super 8 film. The "Purists" now had all
the features they had with Standard 8, together with the larger picture area of
Super 8.
DOUBLE SUPER 8 DIMENSIONS
Taken from from the following Standards: ANSI/SMPTE 239-1989
© Copyright INTO 8MM FILM 2004-2005. All Rights Reserved.
DISCLAIMER: The author accepts no Responsibility or Liability for
any errors or omissions contained in the diagram. Detailed description(s)
can be obtained from the various Standards Authorities that deal in matters film.
GLOSSARY
| FILM DIMENSIONS |
SINGLE 8 CARTRIDGE DIMENSIONS |
SINGLE 8 CARTRIDGE DIMENSIONS |
|
|
|
|
DISCLAIMER: The author accepts no Responsibility or Liability for
any errors or omissions contained in the diagram. Detailed description(s)
can be obtained from the various Standards Authorities that deal in matters film.
