List of photographic film formats explained

This is a list of photographic film formats.

Multiple image

DesignationTypeIntroducedDiscontinuedImage size(in × in)Image size (mm × mm)ExposuresComment
101roll film1895195688.9 × 88.9 mm
102roll film1896193325.4 × 50.8 mmOne flange has gear teeth
103roll film18961949100 × 125 mm
104roll film18971949120.65 × 95.25 mm
105roll film1897194957.15 × 82.55 mmLike 120 film with 116-size flanges
106for roll holder1898192488.9 × 88.9 mmRoll holder films were wound inside out
107for roll holder1898192482.55 × 107.95 mm
108for roll holder18981929 ×  in
109for roll holder189819244 × 5 in
110
(early roll film)
for roll holder189819295 × 4 inNo relation to the later 110 cartridge format.
110
("Pocket Instamatic")
cartridge1972Present[1] 13 × 17 mm16 mm stock, registration perforated
Introduced with Kodak's "Pocket Instamatic" series
Daylight, Transparency, Black & WhiteFujifilm ceased 110 production in 2009. Lomography revived the format in 2011.
111for roll holder1898Unknown ×  in
112for roll holder189819247 × 5 in
113for roll holder1898Unknown90 × 120 mm
114for roll holder1898Unknown120 × 90 mm
115roll film18981949 ×  in
116roll film18991984 ×  inLike 616 film with wider flanges
117roll film19001949 ×  in6Like 620 spool with 120 keyslot
118roll film19001961 ×  in3.474-inch spool
119roll film19001940 ×  in
120roll film1901Present ×  in
 ×  in
 ×  in
56 × 70 mm8
10
12–13
15–16
2.4 inch (60.96 mm) stock, unperforated, paper-backed
121roll film19021941 ×  in
122roll film19031971 ×  in6 or 10Postcard format
123roll film190419494 × 5 in
124roll film19051961 ×  in3.716-inch spool: same picture size as 118 with longer spool
125roll film19051949 ×  inlike 122 on longer spool; also for stereo pairs,  in ×  in × 2
126
(early roll film)
roll film19061949 ×  inNo relation to the 126 cartridge format introduced in 1963.
126
("Instamatic")
cartridge1963200826.5 × 26.5 mm12, 20 (later 24)35 mm stock, registration perforated
Introduced with first "Instamatic" cameras under the name "Kodapak"
127roll film1912Present ×  in
 ×  in
 ×  in
8
12
16
46 mm stock, "Vest Pocket"
128roll film19121941 ×  infor Houghton Ensignette #E1[2]
129roll film19121951 × 3 infor Houghton Ensignette #E2
130roll film19161961 ×  in
135cartridge1934Present24 × 36 mm24 or 36 35 mm stock, double perforated
formerly available in 12, 18, 20, or 72 exposures[3]
220roll film19652015 (EU/US), 2017 (Japan) ×  in
 ×  in
 ×  in
60 × 70 mm18
21
24–27
30–33
2.4-inch (60.96 mm) stock, unperforated, no backing paper
Twice as long as 12FFinal films in 220 were professional films for commercial/wedding photography; Kodak Portra (2015) and Fujifilm Colour Negative and Reversal (2017 in Japan only). Ilford ceased 220 production in 2004 after their 220 spooling plant broke down.
235loading spool1934Unknown24 × 36 mm35 mm film in daylight-loading spool
240 / APScartridge1996201130.2 × 16.7 mm15, 25, or 4024 mm stock, registration perforated
Daylight, Transparency, Black & White (Chromogenic 400CN)
335stereo pairs1952Unknown24 × 24 mm20 pairsSpecial length for Realist format stereo pairs
435loading spool1934Unknown24 × 36 mm35 mm film in daylight-loading spool
50for roll holder1915March 1941 ×  infor Graflex rollholder
51for roll holder1915Feb 1951 ×  infor Graflex rollholder
52for roll holder1915Mar 1949 ×  infor Graflex rollholder
53for roll holder1915Feb 19515 × 4 infor Graflex rollholder
54for roll holder1915Mar 19497 × 5 infor Graflex rollholder
500film pack19111948 ×  in12redefined 1921 as  ×  in
515film pack190519555 × 7 in12
516film pack19091955 ×  in12
518film pack19031976 ×  in12 sheets
520film pack19061976 ×  in16 sheets
522film pack19041955 ×  in12 sheets3A postcard
523film pack19044 × 5 in12 sheets
526film pack19201941 ×  in
531film pack19261941 ×  in60 × 130 mm
540film pack19201941 ×  in
541film pack19201941 × 1290 × 120 mm
542film pack191119483 ×  in75 × 135 mm
543film pack19201948 ×  in12100 × 150 mm
616roll film19311984 ×  in
or  ×  in
6, later 8Similar to 116 film but on a thinner spool
620roll film19321995Similar to 120 film but on a thinner spool
828roll film1935198528 × 40 mm835 mm, one perforation per frame Bantam
35roll film19161933 ×  in35 mm stock, unperforated
00 UniveXroll film1933 ×  in6made by Gevaert
Hit (for example TONE camera)roll film1937unknown14 × 14 mm10[4] 17.5 mm stock; used in imported miniature toy cameras[5]
Disccassette198219988 × 11 mm15circular sheet of film attached to rigid carrier
Half-framecartridge1934, later thanPresent18 × 24 mm48 or 72135 film in "half-frame" cameras
Minoxcartridge1938Present8 × 11 mm15, 36 or 50nominally 9.5 mm-wide stock (in reality 9.2–9.3 mm)
Karatcartridge19361963Early AGFA cartridge for 35 mm film
Rapidcartridge19641990s24 × 24 mm
18 × 24 mm
12
16
AGFA cartridge for 35 mm film (replaced Karat, same system)
SLcartridge1958199024 × 36 mm
24 × 24 mm
18 × 24 mm
12
16
24
Orwo Schnell-Lade Kassette for 35 mm film
Kassette 16cartridge19781990s13 × 17 mm20Orwo, 16 mm stock, central perforation (holes between frames)
Introduced exclusively for the Pentacon k16 camera
Super 16 (Rollei)cartridge1963198113 × 17 mm18Rollei, 16 mm stock, perforation on both edges?
with kino film (?) only by Rollei for the Rollei 16 camera; also Wirgin Edixa 16 (Franka / alka 16)
Minolta-16cartridge1955197410 × 14 mm (original)
13 × 17 mm (later)
20Minolta, 16 mm stock, originally double perforated (single perforated or unperforated film could be loaded), later single perf to allow larger 13 × 17 mm image

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. Types 106 to 114 were for Eastman-Walker rollholders, while types 50 to 54 were for Graflex rollholders.

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.

Roll film cross-reference table

Before World War II, each film manufacturer used its own system of numbering for the various sizes of rollfilms they made. The following sortable table shows the corresponding numbers. A blank space means that manufacturer did not make film in that size. Two numbers in one box refers to films available with different numbers of exposures, usually 6 and either 10 or 12. Spool length is measured between inner faces of the flanges; several films of the same image size were available on different spools to fit different cameras.

Eastman AGFA Ansco Ensign Vulcan Seneca Rexo Spool
length (in)
101H68A, 8B-inch2023033.661
1021B-inch2041.655
103K610A, 10B4-inch2063.912
104L612A, 12B5-inch2085.064
105C65A, 5B-inch C2103152.509
11513A, 13B7-inch2307.126
116D66A, 6B-inch232348425, 4262.814
117B13A-inch A2342.470
118E67A, 7B-inch236354430, 4313.474
11911A, 11B-inch2384.490
120B24A-inch B2403604152.466
121AB62A, 2B-inch2421.850
122G6, G1018A, 18B-inch A244366445, 4463.715
123J610C, 10D4-inch A2464.693
124F67C, 7D-inch B2483724353.716
12518C, 18D-inch C2503753.912
12619A-inch A2524.898
127A82CEnsignette 1J2543814071.860
128O6Ensignette 11.606
129N6Ensignette 22.059
130M626A, 26B-inch260390436, 4383.132
616PD162.814
620PB202.468

Single image

Size (inches) Type
 × "sixteenth-plate" tintypes
2 × "ninth-plate" tintypes
2 × 3sheet film
 × sheet film
 × "sixth-plate" tintypes
3 × 4sheet film
 × "quarter-plate" tintypes
 × sheet film,[6] "quarter-plate" glass plates
 × postcard or 3A
4 × 5glass plate,sheet film
4 × 10sheet film
 × "half-plate" tintypes
 × "half-plate" glass plates, sheet film
5 × 7sheet film
 × "whole-plate" glass plates, sheet film, tintypes
7 × 17sheet film
8 × 10glass plates,sheet film
8 × 20sheet film
11 × 14sheet film
12 × 20sheet film
14 × 17sheet film
16 × 20sheet film
20 × 24sheet film
Size (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 film

See main article: article and Instant film.

DesignationTypeIntroducedDiscontinuedImage sizeExposuresComment
Type 20 Polaroid roll film cartridge 1965 1979  ×  in 8
Type 30 Polaroid roll film cartridge 1954 1979  ×  in 8
Type 40 Polaroid roll film cartridge 1948 1972 (color)
1992 (monochrome)
 ×  in 6 or 8
Type 50 Polaroid peel-apart film pack 19?? 2008 4 × 5 in Including Type 55
Type 80 Polaroid peel-apart film pack 1971 2006  ×  8 or 10
Type 100 Polaroid peel-apart film pack 1963 2016 by Fujifilm.[7] Reintroduced in 2018 ×  in 8, 10 or 11 Discontinued by Polaroid in 2008. Produced and sold by Fujifilm until 2016, when it was discontinued. New 100 type film made by One Instant introduced in 2018
SX-70,
Type 600
Polaroid integral film pack 1972  ×  in 8 or 10 Discontinued by Polaroid in 2008; reintroduced by Impossible Project in 2010.
Kodak Instant Kodak integral film pack 1976 1986 91 × 67 mm 10
F Series Fuji integral film pack 1981 91 × 69 mm Film compatible with Kodak Instant, but in a different cartridge and rated at a (slightly) different speed
Kodamatic Kodak integral film pack 1986 91 × 67 mm 10
Trimprint,
Instagraphic
Kodak peel-apart film pack 1983 1986 4 ×  in 10 [8] [9]
System 800 Fuji integral film pack 2010 91 × 69 mm
Spectra,
Type 700,
Type 1200
Polaroid integral film pack 1986 Oct. 2019  ×  in 10 or 12 with original Polaroid; 8 with Polaroid Originals/Impossible Project Discontinued by Polaroid in 2008; reintroduced by Impossible Project in 2010; discontinued by Polaroid Originals in 2019.
Captiva,
Type 500
Polaroid integral film pack 1993 2006  ×  in 10
InstantACE Fuji integral film pack 2010 91 × 69 mm
8 × 10  Polaroid film pack 19?? 8 × 10 in 1 Discontinued by Polaroid; reintroduced by Impossible Project.
i-Zone
Pocket
Polaroid integral film pack 1997 2006 36 × 24 mm 12
Fujifilm Instax Mini,
PolaroidMio,
PolaroidType 300
Fuji/Polaroid integral film pack 1998[10] [11] 46 × 62 mm 10
Instax Wide Fuji integral film pack 1999[12] 99 × 62 mm 10
Instax Pivi Fuji integral film pack 2004 46 × 61 mm
I-Type Impossible integral film pack 2016  ×  in 8 Same image format as Polaroid Type 600, but the film cartridge does not contain a battery
Instax Square Fuji integral film pack 2017 62 × 62 mm 10
Go Polaroid integral film pack 2021 2.12 × 2.62 in 8 The film cartridge does not contain a battery

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: What is 110 film?. 2012-05-16. lomography.com. 2015-09-14.
  2. Web site: The Ensignette Camera. 19 October 2011.
  3. Web site: Ilford History and Chronology. 20 June 2011.
  4. Web site: Reloading Hit Cameras. 23 October 2011.
  5. Web site: 17.5mm or "Hit" Style Cameras. 23 October 2011.
  6. Web site: Speed Graphic FAQ file . Rochester Institute of Technology . 11 August 2015.
  7. News: インスタントカラーフィルム「FP-100C」販売終了のお知らせ. 17 January 2017. Fujifilm. 29 February 2016.
  8. Ortner. E.H.. What's New in Photography. Popular Science. September 1983. September 1983. 93.
  9. Photo Kit Copies CRT Images. Popular Science. December 1983. December 1983. 74.
  10. Web site: Fujifilm Instax Mini 10 camera, c2000. National Media Museum. 26 January 2017.
  11. News: Fuji may enter U.S. instant film market . EUROPE . . 1998-10-31 . 2016-01-01.
  12. Web site: 23 "Japanese Historical Cameras" of 1999 Named. JCII Camera Museum. Japan Camera Industry Institute. 26 January 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20180212205510/http://www.jcii-cameramuseum.jp/museum/historicalc_e/1999_e.html. 12 February 2018. dead.