Welcome to Sprocket School! This project is maintained by volunteer editors. Learn more about how this works.

Film gauges

From Sprocket School
Jump to navigation Jump to search
The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.

The gauge of a film, literally, is its width. "Gauge" is commonly used synonymously with film format. (Pedantically, there are certain exceptions: IMAX is technically a specific format of 70mm gauge film, Super 8 is a specific format of 8mm gauge film, etc.)

Formats that you may encounter in exhibition contexts include:


Theatrical gauges

Frames per Foot (theatrical gauges)

16mm: 1 foot = 40 frames

35mm: 1 foot = 16 frames

5/70mm: 12.8 frames

Nontheatrical gauges

Large formats


External Links