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A film format is at the core of how an image is captured, affecting resolution, aspect ratio, graininess, and much more.
Comprehensive guide to film formats, covering 8mm to 70mm, their history, benefits, drawbacks, and uses in filmmaking.
Key Takeaways
- Larger film formats generally provide higher resolution and shallower depth of field.
- Choosing a film format is a critical decision impacting the look, cost, and workflow of a project.
- 8mm and Super 8 are ideal for nostalgic, low-budget projects but have resolution and sound limitations.
- 35mm remains the industry standard for professional filmmaking due to its versatility and image quality.
- High-end formats like 65/70mm and IMAX offer superior image quality but come with high costs and logistical challenges.
Summary
- Film formats determine how images are captured, affecting resolution, aspect ratio, grain, and depth of field.
- 8mm film, introduced in 1932, is affordable and portable but low resolution and limited sound capabilities.
- Super 8, launched in 1965, improved frame size and sound but remains limited in resolution and compatibility.
- 16mm film, introduced in 1923, balances affordability and quality, popular in documentaries and TV production.
- Super 16 expands 16mm for widescreen without anamorphic lenses but costs more and has less resolution than 35mm.
- 35mm, standardized in the 1930s, is the dominant professional format with many variations and high versatility.
- Super 35 uses the full 35mm negative for higher resolution and aspect ratio flexibility but complicates sound syncing.
- 65/70mm film offers exceptional resolution for large-format projection but is expensive and logistically challenging.
- IMAX is a 15-perf horizontal variant of 65/70mm, providing unparalleled image quality for large screens.
- Each format has trade-offs between cost, image quality, portability, and post-production complexity.
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
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So the format you choose can often be one of the most consequential decisions you make before shooting, and it could be a difference of millimeters.
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This is 'The Ultimate Guide to Film Formats'. Before we start breaking down celluloid, subscribe to StudioBinder and click the bell to check out each of our new videos.
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Let's start unspooling. A film format refers to the technical specifications of how an image is captured and the terms used in both moving images and photography.
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For movies, film formats can also include audio parameters. Film formats affect resolution, depth of field, grain, and more.
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As a general rule of thumb, the larger the film format, the higher the resolution and the shallower the depth of field.
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In analog, film formats are often described by the film gauge, which refers to the width of a piece of film, usually measured in millimeters.
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But film formats can also differ by perforations, typically dubbed 'perfs'. These are the holes that span the length of each frame which line up with sprockets to unspool a roll of film in a process called the negative pulldown.
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The first film format for moving pictures was developed in 1888 and was a whopping 90mm.
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New formats quickly arose, some lasting for only a few years and others lasting to this day.
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We'll go through the formats that have persisted and analyze their benefits and drawbacks, starting with the thinnest, 8mm.
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8mm film was introduced by Kodak in 1932 as a low-cost home movie format. It was created by splitting 16mm film in half after it was processed.
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Because it was so cheap and accessible, it flourished and was popular for home movies and amateur projects for decades.
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The primary benefits for shooting on eight millimeter boiled down to affordability. It is by far the cheapest film stock.
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It's also very portable, and it can be a great option for a filmmaker wanting to create a nostalgic look for a lower cost.
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But 8mm is affordable for a reason. It is the lowest resolution film format, typically has a limited dynamic range, and often doesn't record sound.
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The next step up from 8mm is Super 8. In 1965, Kodak unveiled an upgrade to 8mm.
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The Super 8 format featured easier cartridge loading since it didn't require the threading of the reel.
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It also boasted a slightly larger frame size, improving image quality, and some models supported magnetic sound recording.
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This made Super 8 quickly supersede regular 8mm in popularity. But it's not without its drawbacks.
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Super 8 can't be projected on regular 8mm projectors, and it still has a relatively limited resolution.
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Additionally, because it can so quickly create a nostalgic and old-school look, its film stock typically isn't actually very cheap.
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But for some, it's still worth it. Evelin van Rei explains why she used Super 8 for memory sequences in 'Deceit': "Super 8mm with its inherent grain and artefacts would automatically imply the past and memories, while bringing a strong visual counterpoint to the overall look of the main unit digital photography."
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For filmmakers looking for higher resolution that won't completely break the bank, there's 16mm.
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16mm preceded 8mm film, being introduced by Kodak in 1923. Initially, it was used primarily in educational films and newsreels.
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But its popularity spread, and it became a standard in television production and documentary work by the 1950s.
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16mm can be 1 or 2 perf, and it provides a balance between affordability and professional quality.
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Because of its widespread use, its film stock is often more readily available than 8mm.
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That said, 16mm isn't for filmmakers who want a pristine image. When enlarged, 16mm has a noticeable grain and can be less forgiving in post compared to higher resolution stocks or even many digital formats.
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16mm is great for filmmakers who want to lean into a gritty, filmic texture. Widely distributed movies like 'Fruitvale Station' and 'The Hurt Locker' have been shot on the format.
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Cinematographer Janusz Kaminski describes the effect of 16mm in comparison to 35: "Having made so many movies on 35mm film, I know exactly what those film stocks can do.
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But 16mm film... it's mind-blowing, in terms of the grain structure, the color reproduction, the softness, and the emotions it can evoke."
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Like with 8mm, 16 has another form: Super 16.
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Super 16 was developed in 1969 by Swedish cinematographer Rune Ericson. It expanded the standard 16mm frame into the area previously used for the soundtrack to allow widescreen aspect ratios without anamorphic lenses.
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It is 1 perf, and typically has a wider image with a native ratio of 1.66:1.
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This makes it great for widescreen films that don't want to have to sacrifice resolution by cropping in on regular 16.
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But Super 16 typically costs more than standard 16mm. And it still has less resolution than the industry standard 35mm.
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35mm was the first enduring film format introduced in the 1890s by William Dickson for Thomas Edison's motion picture camera.
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In the 1930s, it was officially standardized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and has since become the dominant professional format.
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There are many variations of 35mm, including 2-perf, 3-perf, and 4-perf stocks. These different options affect the height of the frame.
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More perfs means a larger frame, but it's more expensive since it takes up more of the length of the film.
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Since it is the tallest, 4 perf has the most versatility when it comes to the aspect ratios and is the format of choice when shooting anamorphic.
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There is also VistaVision, which is 35mm but shot horizontally, so that is technically 8-perf.
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Part of the reason 35mm is so popular is because it's adaptable, having different widescreen and sound capacities.
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It is also a higher resolution than 16mm, including less noticeable grain when exhibited. Its popularity means that 35mm equipment is widely available and durable.
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Cinematographer John Mathieson argues: "The great thing about traditional 35mm film cameras is that they're incredibly robust and reliable.
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Beyond a battery and an HD tap, there are no electronics involved. They don't mind when things get hot, sweaty, or wet, when it's a hundred percent humidity or raining the whole time, or the place is dusty.
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They just work."
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But higher resolution comes with higher costs, and its larger strips usually result in larger cameras.
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In the 1980s, 35mm further evolved into Super 35. Super 35 was designed to take advantage of the full 35mm negative area, including space normally reserved for optical soundtracks.
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This results in increased resolution and more flexibility in aspect ratio cropping. But taking up the space of optical soundtracks requires optical/digital sound syncing later, which can mean a more complicated post-production workflow.
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For even higher resolution, a filmmaker can use 65 or 70mm film. This format first appeared in the 1950s as part of Hollywood's widescreen spectacle era, and was used for massive epics like 'Lawrence of Arabia'.
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65mm refers to the camera negative size, while 70mm includes the extra width for the soundtrack space in projection.
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IMAX is a variant of this film format that was first introduced in 1967. It moves the film horizontally, resulting in 15-perfs per frame.
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- 15-perf image being spun through the projector horizontally. - 65 and 70mm film has exceptional resolution that especially shines when exhibited with large-format projections.
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As 'Sinners' cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw argues: "After you see the beauty and scope you can capture on these formats, you can't go back."
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But it's also by far the most expensive format out there and requires equally expensive equipment to use, as well as high processing costs.
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And for filmmakers whose work isn't going to be shown on large-format projection, which is most filmmakers, the logistical headaches that come with 70mm are not worth it.
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Of course, there's one othe...
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Full-frame sensors are approximately equivalent to 35mm resolution. Crop sensors like the Micro Four Thirds are lower cost but have a smaller field of view.
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Medium format sensors are approximately the same as 65mm with massive resolution. Digital proliferated so quickly because it has so many advantages over film.
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It allows for immediate playback, has flexible ISO and white balance settings, rather than needing to change film stock, and is almost always more cost-efficient.
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Digital can also be flexible in regards to aspect ratio, which can be changed through sensor cropping.
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Digital formats can also oversample, such as shooting in 6K, giving lots of flexibility for cropping in post-production.
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Some cinematographers argue that digital's resolution can be detrimental, resulting in an overly crisp and clinical image.
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Legendary DP Ed Lachman argues: "For me, film is like oil paint in the way it renders color and mixes between the colors.
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Digital just does not have the same depth or texture from the flat, pixel-fixated plane of the sensor." Shooting at massive resolutions can also require extensive data management.
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Each film format brings its own distinct feel, and it's up to the filmmaker to decide what field surfaces their production the best.
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The right choice hinges on budgetary and logistical considerations, but also your artistic vision. Get started on your next film with StudioBinder's pre-production software, which can adapt to whatever format you choose.
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That's all for now. Whatever you decide to capture your film on, capture it well.
Topics:film formats8mm filmSuper 816mm filmSuper 1635mm filmSuper 3565mm film70mm filmIMAX
