APS film

Advanced Photo System, or APS was introduced in 1996 as an alternative to the still-popular 35mm format, being 24mm wide and coming in 3 major formats:

• C for "classic" (25.1 x 16.7 mm; aspect ratio 3:2; 4x6" print or 10x15 cm print)
• H for "HDTV" (30.2 x 16.7 mm; aspect ratio 16:9; 4x7" print or 10x18 cm print)
• P for "panoramic" (30.2 x 9.5 mm; aspect ratio 3:1; 4x12" print or 10x24 cm print)

The C and P formats are formed by cropping, each format can be selected via the camera (with the exception of some disposable cameras) at any time for use with the format. The H format ist the original format. Every single image on the developped film has this format, the print format is just an information given by the camera onto a magnetic storage in the film cartride. The film stays in this cartridge when it has been developped. Some APS-film-viewers offer the possibility to change the information on this magnetic storage, for example to switch the print format, or to add informations for a slideshow on that viewing device.

The magnetic data storage in the film cartridge offers a unique set of advantages:

• PQI print quality improvement by storage of filmtype, film length, film speed, film ID,
• and for each image the print format, the preselected number of prints, the title, and the exposure data

The exposure data is useful for corrections of underexposure or matters like that by the photo laboratory. Its also used for removing a film from a camera for putting it back into it later. So a photographer can switch from the color film he actually uses to a black and white film for some exposures, and vice versa, until both films are full. The additional mechanical marker in the film cartridge shows when a film is full. This marker shows whether the film is empty, in use, full, or developped.

Adoption

Despite of the features of the new film it's size hindered it's adoption by professional photographers, having only 56% of the frame size of 35mm film. It had been planned to give these film a higher resolution to give APS users a clear advantage. But soon the 35mm films had been sold with the same resolution. Most cameras for APS film had been very compact, but some 35mm were nearly as compact (for example some of the the Olympus mjµ or Rollei prego cameras) so that the advantage of APS was nearly neutralized. So the system was accepted mainly by those who liked the three print formats. These APS fans could even choose between several APS SLR cameras.

APS film was much better suited for use in compact 'point and shoot' cameras for the general public than for professional use, and while it fulfilled this need well less than 5 years after it's release Digital technology became affordable and convenient, pushing APS format into a very small market share where it remains to this day. Though the film is still sold and developed in most places 35mm is, it can cost up to one and a half times as much to develop. Nowadays only the film speeds 200 and 400 ASA have been left available.