
The ratio of the width to height of the picture image projected on the screen or printed on the film. The height is taken as unity (expressed as xx:1).
The long established film aspect ratio is still retained for narrow gauge film is 4:3 (or a ratio of 1.33:1. With masking this is projected at a ratio of 1.37:1).
widescreen cinema presentation systems may have aspect ratios from 1.65:1 up to 2.55:1.
The current television aspect ratio is 4:3. Early television systems were 5:4 to provide the maximum rectangle obtainable on the circular picture tubes then in use.^^ Wide screen television has an aspect ratio of 16:9.
System | Aspect Ratio | Gauge | |
---|---|---|---|
Negative | |||
Standard 16mm | 1.37:1 | 16mm | 16mm or Optical 35mm |
Super 16mm | 1.65:1 | Extended 16mm | Optical and Masked 35mm |
Standard 35mm Wide Screen | 1.37:1 | Academy Frame 35mm | AF 35mm |
1.65:1 1.75:1 1.85:1 | Masked 35mm | Masked 35mm | |
Panavision Spherical Wide Screen | 1.37:1 | AF 35mm | AF 35mm |
1.37:1 1.75:1 1.85:1 | Masked 35mm | Masked 35mm | |
Techniscope Anamorphic (Panavision 35mm, Todd-AO 35mm, etc) | 2.35:1 2.35:1 | Camera Masked Std width 2 perf high 35mm 35mm | Optical/ Anamorphic 35mm |
Anamorphic 35mm | |||
Optical 70mm |
System | Pers per frame print | Optical System | |
---|---|---|---|
Camera | Projection | ||
Standard 16mm | 1 | Std 16mm | Std 16mm |
Super 16mm | 4 | Std 16mm | Std 35mm |
Standard 35mm Wide Screen | 4 | Std 35mm | Std 35mm |
4 | Std 35mm | Widescreen 35mm | |
Panavision Spherical | 4 | 35mm Panavision Spherical | Std 35mm |
Widescreen | 4 | Std 35mm | Widescreen 35mm |
Techniscope | 4 | Std 35mm | Anamorphic |
Anamorphic | 4 | Anamorphic | Anamorphic |
Panavision 35mm, Todd-AO 35mm etc | 5 | Std 70mm |
System |
Proj. Speed |
Audio |
|||
Frames per Sec. |
Feet per Min. |
Sound
|
No. per
|
Sound to Picture
|
|
Standard 16 mm |
24 | 36 | Optical | 1 | 26 Ahead |
Super 16 mm |
24 | 90 | Optical | 1 | 20 Ahead |
Standard 35mm Wide Screen |
24 | 90 | Optical | 1 | 20 Ahead |
24 | 90 | Optical | 1 | 20 Ahead |
|
Panavision Spherical Wide Screen |
24 | 90 | Optical | 1 | 20 Ahead |
24 | 90 | Optical | 1 | 20 Ahead | |
Techniscope Anamorphic |
24 | 90 | Optical or Magnetic |
1 4 |
20 Ahead 28 Behind |
24 | 90 | Optical or Magnetic |
1 4 |
20 Ahead 28 behind |
|
24 | 112.4 | Magnetic | 6 | 24 Behind |
System | Proj. Speed | Audio | |||
Frames per Sec. | Feet per Min. | Sound | No. per | Sound to Picture | |
Track | Tracks | (Frames) | |||
Standard | 24 | 36 | Optical | 1 | 26 |
16 mm | Ahead | ||||
Super | 24 | 90 | Optical | 1 | 20 |
16 mm | Ahead | ||||
Standard 35mm | 24 | 90 | Optical | 1 | 20 |
Ahead | |||||
Wide Screen | 24 | 90 | Optical | 1 | 20 |
Ahead | |||||
Panavision Spherical | 24 | 90 | Optical | 1 | 20 |
Ahead | |||||
Wide Screen | 24 | 90 | Optical | 1 | 20 Ahead |
Techniscope | 24 | 90 | Optical or | 1 | 20 |
Magnetic | 4 | Ahead | |||
Anamorphic | 28 | ||||
(Panavision 35mm, Todd-AO 35mm, etc. | Behind | ||||
24 | 90 | Optical or | 1 | 20 | |
Magnetic | 4 | Ahead | |||
28 | |||||
behind | |||||
24 | 112.4 | Magnetic | 6 | 24 Behind |
The following systems are being phased out of production or are already obsolete:
System |
Aspect
|
Guage |
|
Negative |
|
||
Cinemascope | 2.65:1 | 35mm | Anamorphic 35mm |
Todd-AO 70 | 2.2:1 | 65mm | 70mm |
Technirama 70 | 2.2:1 | Double Frame Horizontal 35mm | 70mm |
Super Panavision | 2.2:1 | 65 mm | 70mm |
Cinerama Dimension 150 Ultra-Panavision |
2.7:1 | 65mm | 70mm |
System |
Perfs.
|
Optical System |
|
Camera |
Projection |
||
Cinemascope | 4 (Foxhole type) |
Anamorphic | Anamorphic |
Todd-AO 70 | 5 | Std 65mm | Std 70mm |
Technirama 70 | 5 | Anamorphic Technirama | Std 70mm |
Super Panavision | 5 | Std 65mm | Std 70mm |
Cinerama Dimension 150 Ultra-Panavision |
5 | Anamorphic | Variable anamorphosis to each side and 120° screen curvature |
System |
Proj. Speed |
Audio |
|||
Frames per Sec. |
Feet per Min. |
Sound
|
No. per
|
Sound to Picture
|
|
Cinemascope | 24 | 90 | Magnetic | 4 | 28 Behind |
Todd-AO 70 | 24 | 112.4 | Magnetic | 6 | 24 Behind |
Technirama 70 | 24 | 112.4 | Magnetic | 6 | 24 Behind |
Super Panavision | 24 | 112.4 | Magnetic | 6 | 24 Behind |
Cinerama Dimension 150 Ultra-Panavision |
24 | 112.4 | Magnetic | 6 | 24 Behind |
^^ 1969, The Focal Encyclopedia of Film and Television Techniques, Focal Press, London, New York