Sheet Film

Sheet Film is usually used for large format and medium format photography and is manufactured as individual sheets rather than rolls. The sheets are made of acetate or polyester film and were originally introduced as a replacement for plates used in photography.

The most commonly used size id 4x5 inches. Sizes of sheet film can reach all the way up to 20x24 inches and 8x10 sheet film is the other commonly used size.

Sheet film can only be used with special medium and large film format cameras and incase of instant sheet film with instant cameras. To use the sheet film, it is placed inside a film holder. This has to be done in a completely dark room to not expose the sheet before actual usage. This film holder gets inserted into the medium format or large format camera and the cover of the film holder is removed. This exposes the sheet film and the image is made. The film holder cover is replaced. To be able to make a picture with the sheet film it needs to be put in the film holder with the emulsion side up. The photographer knows which one the emulsion side is by checking the notches that are cut into the sides of the sheets for exactly that purpose. The emulsion film sheet side is facing the photographer when the notches are in the upper right hand corner while holding the sheet like portrait orientation.

Your everyday photo lab is normally not able to develop sheet film. Most photographers using sheet film develop and process their own pictures or at least the film. Some professional photo labs can process the color negative or positive from the sheet film.

Sheet film can easily be enlarged to poster or billboard size without losing a big amount of quality, this would not work with a regular 35mm film.

Sheet film is still available and the market for sheet film has not plummeted as much as the regular film market when digital photography was widely introduced and accepted. Fuji film and Kodak manufacture several kinds of film sheets including color, transparency and black and white. Ilford and Rollei sheet film as well as a few other companies’ sheet film is only available as black and white sheet film.

Sheet film storage is also an important factor for the quality of the picture. Film sheets need to be stored light and airtight to preserve them form decay and exposure. Usually the sheets come in light proof and airtight envelopes and can be stored as such at normal room temperature. Some photographers believe that the quality will be even better if the sheet is stored in a cool place or even in special airtight and cooled cabinets.