Roll film formats

The invention of roll films has been one of the main vehicles of mass distribution of the photo, even among casual photographers simple; along with some disadvantages (first of all it is impossible to treat the single frame in development), the practicality and cost effectiveness of the solution were the real engine of its distribution, which remains consistent to this day: the Eastman provided the Kodak its already loaded and arranged to pick up the roller once tripped and recharge with fresh film; so you were spared all the steps unrelated to the simple composition and taking picture, according to the famous motto of the time “ You press the button, we do the rest! .” 

In addition to the machines pre-loaded, there was the evolution of a whole series of new devices for roll film, resulting blossoming of a whole range of different formats, some of which (the 120 format has exceeded the 100 years of life) still survive.

The various sizes were initially identified through the frame size or model of which used them (for example, Kodak Pocket size 102), while from 1913, Kodak has provided a means of cataloging code number of different formats, currently still in use.

From the following table you can reach the main historical information on the different formats (the year of disposal refers to the cessation of production Kodak, other manufacturers may have continued to manufacture the format); we also include the Disc format, though not exactly in the roll:

CODE

YEAR

INTRODUCTION

YEAR

DISPOSAL

00/35

1916

1934

101

1895

1956

102

1896

1933

103

1896

1949

104

1896

1949

105

1897

1949

106

1898

1924

107

1898

1924

108

1898

1929

109

1898

1924

110

1898

1929

110 POCKET

1972

Available

111

1898

1924

112

1898

1924

113

1898

1924

114

1898

1924

115

1898

1949

116

1899

, 1984

117

1900

1949

118

1900

1961

119

1900

1940

120/220

1901

Available

121

1902

1941

122

1903

1971

123

1904

1949

124

1905

1961

125

1905

1949

126

1906

1949

126 Instamatic

1963

1999

127

1912

1995

128

1912

1941

129

1912

1951

130

1916

1961

135

1934

Available

  240

1996

Available

616

1932

, 1984

  620

1932

1995

  828

1935

1985

Disc

1982

1999

 

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