Film
A flexible transparent base coated with a light-sensitive emulsion, which records an image chemically rather than electronically.
Measured in
mm / format
In depth
Film is both the capture medium and the archive: the exposed and processed negative is the original, and every print descends from it. Its response to light is non-linear, with a gentle shoulder that compresses highlights gracefully — the characteristic most often cited when photographers describe digital highlights as harsh by comparison.
Examples in practice
A single roll of 35 mm film gives 36 negatives that will still be printable in a century if stored properly.