35mm film

The 35mm film format uses cassettes containing film with an image size of 24mm x 36mm on rolls with sprocket holes for mechanical film advance. Rolls typically consist of 12, 24 or 36 frames.

Bulk backs are available for some cameras aimed at proffessional use which allow the photographer to use 100 foot lengths of film at a time minimizing the inconvienience of having to reload your camera and miss a moment. These were used by some sports photographers but the digital revolution has largely made bulk backs obsolete.

135 format describes 35mm film preloaded in cassettes that can be loaded in daylight. When 35mm was orginally used by photographers they salvaged film ends and off-cuts from motion picture stock and had to load their cameras in the dark. When 35mm cassettes where commercially made avaiable to photographers Kodak preloaded the film in cassettes which made the format much more user friendly as the photographer could actually see what he was doing as he put the film leader into the take-up spool.

The frugal photographer can still buy 35mm film in 100 foot lengths and spool his own cassettes. This involves putting the roll of film into a bulk loader. Reloadable cassettes are then filled with film via a crank on the loader. The film is then cut and a leader cut into the tail of the loaded cassette.

Glossary Terms