Photographic film facts for kids
Photographic film is a special sheet of plastic. It is used to capture and store pictures. This plastic is made to be very sensitive to light. When light hits the film, it creates an invisible image.
Film usually comes in small containers called canisters. These canisters keep the film safe from light until you are ready to use it. Most rolls of film can hold up to 40 pictures.
After you take all your pictures, the film needs a special chemical process. This is called developing the film or Film processing. This process makes the invisible pictures visible. Once developed, the film is no longer sensitive to light.
There are different types of film. Some need more light to work than others. Some films only take pictures in black and white. They do not record colors. There are also special films that can see infrared light.
Films also come in different sizes. The most common size is 35 millimeter film. This film comes in metal cans. Other camera films might come in paper wrappers or as single sheets.
How Film Is Used
Film can only be used one time. After you use it, you cannot use it again for new pictures. If you accidentally use it twice, you get a multiple exposure. This means two pictures are on top of each other.
When you are not using film, you must keep it away from light. If light shines on it, the film will record that light. This will make it useless for taking your desired pictures. The film's canister helps protect it from light.
Film needs just the right amount of light to make a good picture. If the picture is too bright or too dark, it will not look right. The longer the film is exposed to light, the more light it gets. If what you are photographing is bright, the film will record it quickly. If it is darker, the film will need more time.
Films that need less time to record a picture are called "faster" films. The speed of a film is shown by its ISO number. A higher ISO number means the film is faster. Films can only make a picture from light that is focused. If there is no lens to focus the light, the film will just turn white. For example, if you use an ISO 200 film instead of an ISO 100 film, it will need only half the time to capture the same scene.
Common ISO numbers include ISO 50, ISO 100, ISO 200, ISO 400, ISO 800, and ISO 1600. The ISO number is sometimes called the ASA number or the film speed.
When the ISO number is low, like ISO 50, the film takes a long time to record the picture. This is called a slow film. It means the camera's shutter has to stay open for a longer time. When the ISO number is high, like ISO 800, the picture is taken very quickly. This is a fast film. It means the shutter opens and closes very fast.
Before photographic film, photography used glass dry plates. Today, most cameras do not use film anymore. They use digital sensors instead.
Related pages
Images for kids
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A 135 Film Cartridge with a DX barcode on top. It also has a DX CAS code below the barcode. This code shows the ISO and how many pictures it can take.
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A DX film edge barcode.
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9.5mm film.
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Mycro 17.5mm film.
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Kodak Agfa 16 mm film.
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120 film.
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35mm film.
See also
In Spanish: Película fotográfica para niños
