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Understanding Film and Sensor Sizes

     Photography has been around for over 125 years and in that time many different mediums have been used to capture images.  Among those different mediums we have seen many different 'film' sizes.  35mm was created to standardize professional level film and it was mostly successful but it wasn't produced until 1934 and it only slowed down the creation of film formats.    Below are a few quick reference tables.    For more in depth info I suggest a visit to http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk.

Multiple Image Still  Films

Format

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108

109

110

110

111

112

113

114

115

116 / A116

117

118 / A118

119

120 / A120

121

122 / A122

123 / A123

124

125

126 / A126

126

127 / A127

128

129

130 / A130

135

220

235

APS 240

Production

1895-1956

1896-1933

1896-1949

1897-1949

1897-1949

1898-1924

1898-1924

1898-1929

1898-1924

1898-1929

1972

1898

1898-1924

1898

1898

1898-1949

1899-1984

1900-1949

1900-1961

1900-1940

1901-Present

1902-1941

1903-1971

1904-1949

1905-1961

1905-1949

1906-1949

1963-2000

1912-1995

1912-1941

1912-1951

1916-1961

1934-Present

1965-Present

1934

1996

335

435

616

620

828

35

Disc

Minox

Karat

Rapid

SL

K16

1952

1934

1931-1984

1931-1995

1935-1985

1916-1933

1982-1998

1938-Present

1936

1964-1990

1958-1990

1987

Type

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Cartridge

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Cartridge

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Disc

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Roll Film

Media Size / Notes

3-1/2" x 3-1/2"

1-1/2" x 2"

3-3/4" x 4-3/4""

4-3/4" x 3-3/4"

2-1/4" x 3-1/4"          120 predecessor - thinner bobbin

3-1/2" x 3-1/2"          For Cartridge Roll Holder

3-1/4" x 4-1/4"          For Cartridge Roll Holder

4-1/4" x 3-1/4"          For Cartridge Roll Holder

4" x 5"                       For Cartridge Roll Holder

3-1/2" x 3-1/2"           For Cartridge Roll Holder

13mm x 17mm

6-1/2" x 4-3/4"           For Cartridge Roll Holder

7" x 5"                       For Cartridge Roll Holder

9cm x 12 cm            For Cartridge Roll Holder

12cm x 9cm             For Cartridge Roll Holder

6-3/4" x 4-3/4"

2-1/2" x 4-1/4"           A = Autographic

2-1/4" x 2-1/4"           120 Predecessor - thinner bobbin

3-1/4" x 4-1/4"

4-1/4" x 3-1/4"

6cm x 4.5cm up to 6cm x 17cm

1-5/8" x 2-1/2"

3-1/4" x 5-1/2"

4 x 5"

3-1/4" x 4-1/4"

3-1/4" x 5-1/2"

4-1/4" x 6-1/2"

26.5mm x 26.5mm

4cm x 4cm                  

1-1/2" x 2-1/4"

1-7/8" x 3"

2-7/8" x 4-7/8"

24mm x 36mm           Our beloved 35mm 

6cm x 4.5cm up to 6cm x 17cm  (Double the length of 120)

135 film which could be loaded into Leica & Contax reusable cartridges.

16.7mm x 25.1mm

Daylight loading spool for 24mm x23mm Stereo format

135 film which could be loaded into Leica & Contax reusable cartridges.

2-1/2" x 4-1/4"  or  2-1/2" x 2-1/8"

Similar to 120 but with a metal bobbin

28mm x 40mm        Kodak Bantam

1-1/4"  x 1-3/4"

8mm x 10mm

8mm x 11mm

35mm film system.  Special 2 catridge system by Agfa

Similar to Karat

Agfa owned Orwo special cassette for 35mm

Orwo 16mm

Single Image Still  Films

Format

2x3

3x4

4x5

5x7

8x10

11x14

16x20

6.5 x 9

9x12

10 x15

13x18

Type

Sheet Film

Sheet Film

Sheet Film

Sheet Film

Sheet Film

Sheet Film

Sheet Film

Sheet Film

Sheet Film

Sheet Film

Sheet Film

Media Size / Notes

2" x 3"

3" x 4"

4" x 5"

5" x 7"

8" x 10"

11" x 14"

16" x 20"

6.5cm x 9cm

9cm x 12cm

10cm x 15cm

13cm x 18cm

Cinema Formats

Format

8mm

Single 8mm

Super 8mm

Polavision

9.5mm

17.5mm

Edison 22mm

Pathescope' 28mm

16mm

35mm

Vistavision

Cinerama (3 projector)

3 Perf

Cinemascope

Super 35

Panavision

70mm

Cinerama 

IMAX

OMNIMAX

Super {anavision

Todd-AO

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