Film gauge
Encyclopedia
Film gauge is a physical property of photographic
or motion picture
film stock
which defines its width. Traditionally the major film gauges in usage are 8 mm
, 16 mm
, 35 mm
, and 65/70 mm
(in this case 65 mm for the negative and 70 mm for the release print). There have been other historic gauges in the past, especially in the silent era, most notably 9.5 mm film
, as well as a panoply of others ranging from 3 mm to 75 mm.
In the packaging industry, "gauge" refers to the thickness of plastic sheeting (film) rather than its width. Gauge is usually expressed in units of 0.00001 inches. A 48 gauge (48 Ga or 48 ga) film is 0.00048 inches thick. The gauge unit is most commonly used to describe polyester
, polypropylene
, and sometimes nylon
films in North America
as the United States
is still dependent on the United States customary units
system. Microns
are more commonly used in other parts of the world where the metric
or SI
systems are standard.
Photographic film
Photographic film is a sheet of plastic coated with an emulsion containing light-sensitive silver halide salts with variable crystal sizes that determine the sensitivity, contrast and resolution of the film...
or motion picture
Film stock
Film stock is photographic film on which filmmaking of motion pictures are shot and reproduced. The equivalent in television production is video tape.-1889–1899:...
film stock
Film stock
Film stock is photographic film on which filmmaking of motion pictures are shot and reproduced. The equivalent in television production is video tape.-1889–1899:...
which defines its width. Traditionally the major film gauges in usage are 8 mm
8 mm film
8 mm film is a motion picture film format in which the filmstrip is eight millimeters wide. It exists in two main versions: the original standard 8mm film, also known as regular 8 mm or Double 8 mm, and Super 8...
, 16 mm
16 mm film
16 mm film refers to a popular, economical gauge of film used for motion pictures and non-theatrical film making. 16 mm refers to the width of the film...
, 35 mm
35 mm film
35 mm film is the film gauge most commonly used for chemical still photography and motion pictures. The name of the gauge refers to the width of the photographic film, which consists of strips 35 millimeters in width...
, and 65/70 mm
70 mm film
70mm film is a wide high-resolution film gauge, with higher resolution than standard 35mm motion picture film format. As used in camera, the film is wide. For projection, the original 65mm film is printed on film. The additional 5mm are for magnetic strips holding four of the six tracks of sound...
(in this case 65 mm for the negative and 70 mm for the release print). There have been other historic gauges in the past, especially in the silent era, most notably 9.5 mm film
9.5 mm film
9.5 mm film is an amateur film format introduced by Pathé Frères in 1922 as part of the Pathé Baby amateur film system. It was conceived initially as an inexpensive format to provide copies of commercially-made films to home users, although a simple camera was released shortly afterwards.It...
, as well as a panoply of others ranging from 3 mm to 75 mm.
In the packaging industry, "gauge" refers to the thickness of plastic sheeting (film) rather than its width. Gauge is usually expressed in units of 0.00001 inches. A 48 gauge (48 Ga or 48 ga) film is 0.00048 inches thick. The gauge unit is most commonly used to describe polyester
Polyester
Polyester is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate...
, polypropylene
Polypropylene
Polypropylene , also known as polypropene, is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications including packaging, textiles , stationery, plastic parts and reusable containers of various types, laboratory equipment, loudspeakers, automotive components, and polymer banknotes...
, and sometimes nylon
Polyamide
A polyamide is a polymer containing monomers of amides joined by peptide bonds. They can occur both naturally and artificially, examples being proteins, such as wool and silk, and can be made artificially through step-growth polymerization or solid-phase synthesis, examples being nylons, aramids,...
films in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
as the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
is still dependent on the United States customary units
United States customary units
United States customary units are a system of measurements commonly used in the United States. Many U.S. units are virtually identical to their imperial counterparts, but the U.S. customary system developed from English units used in the British Empire before the system of imperial units was...
system. Microns
Micron
Micron can refer to:*Micron, a non-SI name for micrometre*Micron , is the measurement used to express the diameter of a wool fibre.*A small curved diacritic mark above some letters, used to indicate shortness, e.g...
are more commonly used in other parts of the world where the metric
Metric system
The metric system is an international decimalised system of measurement. France was first to adopt a metric system, in 1799, and a metric system is now the official system of measurement, used in almost every country in the world...
or SI
International System of Units
The International System of Units is the modern form of the metric system and is generally a system of units of measurement devised around seven base units and the convenience of the number ten. The older metric system included several groups of units...
systems are standard.
See also
- Film formatFilm formatA film format is a technical definition of a set of standard characteristics regarding image capture on photographic film, for either stills or movies. It can also apply to projected film, either slides or movies. The primary characteristic of a film format is its size and shape.In the case of...
, with which film gauge is sometimes confused. While film gauge comprises part of a film format's definition, a film format also includes the standards for image capture and projection.