Aps Film

The Film material called APS is for the Advanced Photo System and also called Advantix by Kodak. The APS film format is for still photography. APS film is 24mm wide and offers three different picture formats. The first format, the H format stands for High Definition with an 16:9 aspect ratio and a 4x7”print. The C is the Classic format with an 3:2 aspect ratio and 4x6” prints and the P format is the Panoramic format with an 3:1 aspect ration and 4x12” prints.
The C or classic format is equivalent to the standard 135/35mm films. Most APS cameras can use all three formats with the only exception being disposable APS cameras.

APS cameras wind and rewind the film cartridge automatically, so that the exposed film cartridge can be removed. The APS film cartridge has optical indicators as to the status of the film material on the side of the cartridge. Those are 4 numbered symbols (1 - full circle means unexposed, 2 – half circle means partly exposed, 3 - cross sign means fully exposed but not processed and 4 - square means processed.
A big difference between regular film and APS film was the information exchange, the information that could be recorded on the cartridge other than the pictures by using a piece of the film material not used. The data stored there usually had the Aspect ratio imprinted, shutter speed and time and date. This data often was then added to the back of the photograph.

APS film processing is also slightly different from regular film processing. The processed APS film stays inside the cartridge unlike regular film negative that come in small sheets. When remakes of pictures are needed to make it convenient and easy for the consumer to find the right roll a specific code is printed on the roll as well as on the back of the picture.

APS film never really found its place in the photography world because the film is just too small. APS is 56% smaller than 35mm film and enlargements in the size of 8x10 show the lack of resolution. It also has been hard and is now even harder to buy black and white APS film or slide APS film because it has never been popular with APS film camera users and was soon after its introduction into the market discontinued. A few companies continue to produce APS films for the few new and several old cameras still used by some hobbyists. Therefore APS 100 film with speed 100 and APS 200 film can in some special photo stores still be found.

In 2004 Kodak ceased its APS production of several lines and new APS cameras are rarely found. Even more rare are labs able to develop APS film. Therefore lots of companies offer a attachment for their photo scanners to be able to use it as an APS film scanner. Since APS is hard to get double pictures developed now having a way to put it into a digital file is the way to save your picture backups.