More than one hundred years of Film Sizes

Summary

The American Urban Spirograph of 1915, apparently inspired by the popular gramophone, used a celluloid disc with 1200 frames. Each disc had a projection time of two minutes. A disc library with hundreds of titles was to be made available. It is doubtful whether it ever came that far, because nothing was heard more of the venture after some time. Yet, undaunted, The Aladdin Cine Products Co. ('from the Pictures Development Co., Toledo, Ohio, USA') produced a similar experimental series of discs of local subjects, but fared a fate even worse than Spirograph. All these curious attempts make a fine hunting field for the collector nowadays. A Kammatograph was auctioned by Christies for £ 3850 in 1993 and may be worth more now. Other formats Duplex half frame film In 1915 the Duplex Corporation proposed an economical use of the 35mm film size, by dividing the frame in two halves and copying existing 35mm films on to one half of the 35mm stock without splitting the film up.Special Duplex projector lenses were to be made available to project the 10 x 19mm half frame onto the screen.I have a brochure but have been unable to find any reference that the system was seriously considered, or the Duplex lenses ever made available. 42mm sound film 1922 Another proposal came in 1922 for a 42 mm size to accomodate a 7mm optical sound track to existing 35mm film by the German Triergon company. Neuf-cinq (nine-five) After thirty years of experimentation with different widths in 1922 one was marketed which stood a better chance. In December 1922 Pathé introduced its home cinema, Le Cinéma chez soi, called the Pathé Baby. Unspliced 9,5mm film Between the perforations of 35mm film three rows of 9,5mm were slit (see image). The projector came first. Its transportation mechanism was almost identical to the Lumière Cinématograph of 1895. The apparatus projected a steady image of amazing clarity considering the lamp of 6 Watt. Cassettes with lengths of 9 or 15 meter 9,5mm film could be bought...