Earlier however, over in France, Charles Path? introduced
9.5mm safety motion picuture film about 1921.
9.5mm and 16mm film share a similar pitch and frame rate,
although 9.5mm film is some 22% smaller in frame size and
only slightly wider than half that of 16mm. Running times,
footage wise, are identical for both gauges, and 9.5mm enthusiasts
have even converted 16mm films to 9.5mm by slitting
the perforations off either side to the 9.5mm width, and
perforating it with 9.5mm's center sprocket. The Centre
Sprocket is 9.5mm's nickname. BOLEX even once
made cameras catering to all three of the early small format
gauges with their H-8, H-9, and H-16 movie cameras.
The H-9 was discontinued before the addition of the builtin
frame counter. 9.5mm film commonly comes in 30ft Charger
lengths or cartridges to fit the small cameras, but
also is available on 50ft and 100ft camera spools. The Path?
Company officially closed its doors in 1961, although film
and equipment for 9.5mm users is still being produced today.
Kodak Path? is the manufacturer of Super 8mm film
in France. There are about five filmstocks currently available
in 9.5mm: Ektachrome(s), Fuji(s), B&W Reversal etc. These
are available in England and France from various 9.5mm film
dealers. Write for information.
1932 marked the introduction year by Eastman Kodak
of the revolutionary 8mm film gauge, known as
Double Run 8mm or Double 8mm movie film (also
as Double Regular 8mm, Regular 8mm, Standard 8mm or Normal
8mm). This film gauge was clearly based on its 16mm
big brother, and had an additional sprocket hole added,
with a frame size 1/4th that of 16mm film. The film was
exposed on one half its width, and then turned over for
a second exposure pass on the remaining side. After processsing,
Double 8mm film was slit and spliced together to yield double
the length of film that you started out with, now 8mm wide.
25ft Spools were the normal standard size which yielded
50ft of film approximately after processing. 8mm
film was also briefly available as Straight or Single
8mm film on tiny 30ft spools, but this wasn't
as popular. Later magazine film and cameras were
made which also used the 16mm width principle but in an
easier to use magazine. Some cameras such as the BOLEX
H-8, allow use of 25ft, 50ft, or 100ft
film spools yielding double those lengths after processing.
This made home movies affordable for practically anyone
compared to operating 16mm cameras. Current filmstocks available
are mainly made by Eastman Kodak under private order but
resold all over the world (available from us also): CineChrome-25(Kodachrome
25 Daylight), CineColor-125(Ektachrome 125 VNF 7240),
Cine-X-50 (Plus-X B&W Reversal 7276), some B&W films
from Kahl Media Art (CineSuperX-200 ASA 200 B&W Reversal)
in Germany, and a new film from Foma - Fomapan R-100
ASA 100 B&W Reversal Film from the Czech Republic.
1965 was the introduction year by Eastman Kodak
of the newest film gauge known as SUPER 8mm.
This new film is also 8mm wide, but has smaller sprocket
holes and thus an approximately 25% larger image area over
Regular or Normal or Standard 8mm film. [It was claimed
to be 50% larger, but this is based on projector gate cropping
standards, not actual image size on the film]. Also the
film is a full 50ft in length as is loaded into a simple
loading plastic cartridge for easy use by anyone. Super
8 has always been identified by it's simple to use 50ft
cartridge, but it was also available from 1975 to recently
in a special 200ft cartridge for longer filming times to
be used in certain specially made Super 8 cameras accepting
this larger cartridge. Also, another similar format known
as Double Super 8mm uses a principle similar to that of
Double Regular 8mm, that is, film that is 16mm wide but
with the Super 8 perforations and run thru the camera exposing
each half, then to be slit and joined after processing.
There were only three cameras purposely made for this Double
Run Super 8 film: The PATH? Webo, the CANON Scoopic
8, and the ELMO Tri-Filmatic C-300. The ELMO Tri-Filmatic
actually allowed use of FOUR different types of film, with
the Double Super 8 magazine allowing use of up to 100ft
spools of Double Super 8 filmstock. Lastly, BOLEX H-8
and H-8 Rex cameras were converted to allow professional
use of Double Super 8mm film, and are often considered the
last word in quality and features for this format. Super
8mm film is currently available from KODAK in: Kodachrome
40 Type-A ASA 40(25 daylight)silent, Ektachrome VNF
7240 ASA 125(80 Daylight)silent, Tri-X B&W Reversal
7278 silent (ASA 200), and Plus-X B&W Reversal 7276
silent (ASA 50). ALL sound film has been discontinued, although
Kodak estimates that an approximately 1 to 2 year supply
of Kodachrome sound film remains from their last production
run. Kodak has stated that they are looking into other ways
to offer sound film again, since environmental laws forced
them to cease sound film production. Some places such as
Super8 Sound are slitting/perforating/cartridging still
film emulsions into Super 8. These are generally much more
expensive, but do provide some excellent alternatives to
Kodak's stock. Also some Russian & German bulk Super 8 film
is available in Europe for reloading the reloadable Super
8 Russian-made cartridges; or standard Super 8 cartridges
that can often be salvaged.
1966 was approximately the time frame that FUJI
Photofilm Corporation in Japan introduced their own
Super 8mm type format, called SINGLE- 8mm.
This film is dimensionally identical to that of Kodak's
Super 8mm, but on a polyester/mylar base versus Kodak(&
others that made Super 8mm film) use of Triacetate filmbase.
The film, taking up much less space due to its 1/3rd less
bulk, is made in a B-shaped Single-8 cartridge, which
is incompatible with Super 8 cameras. Their design uses
a camera pressure plate compared to Kodak's Super 8 which
uses a built-into-the-cartridge pressure plate. FUJI was
the main maker of Single-8 cameras, but a couple others
did produce limited runs of Single-8 using cameras: ELMO
DUAL-FILMATIC C-200(used both Super 8 and Single-8 if you
had both special magazines), ELMO TRI-FILMATIC C-300(used
Super 8, Single-8, Double Regular 8mm, and Double Super
8mm if you had all four special magazines), Konica and perhaps
a couple others(?). Single-8 film will run in a Super 8
projector and vice-versa....although smaller diameter take
up spools were made. This film is only made in 50ft cartridges,
only in silent (Fuji discontinued sound film as of 1 Mar
99) cartridges. Available only in two Color Emulsions: R25(ASA
25 Daylight) and RT200(ASA200 Tungsten/ASA 130 Daylight
w/85 Filter). Fuji sells the film without processing included
now, and also offers a one-time service for sound striping
available only at the time of processing if desired (for
an extra cost). Fuji hasn't imported this film into the
USA in several years and all processing is done only in
Japan. Film is available in Europe.
NOTE:
All the above film gauges are still available and in use
worldwide!
