An Advanced Photo System (IX240) film cartridge

Visual Indicators on an Advanced Photo System film cartridge

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Advanced Photo System (APS) is a film format for still photography. more...

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The film is 24 mm wide, and has three image formats:

H for "High Definition" (30.2 x 16.7 mm; aspect ratio 16:9; 4x7" print); C for "Classic" (25.1 x 16.7 mm; aspect ratio 3:2; 4x6" print); P for "panoramic" (30.2 x 9.5 mm; aspect ratio 3:1; 4x12" print);

The "C" and "P" formats are formed by cropping. The full image is recorded on the film, and an image recorded in one aspect ratio can be reprinted in another. The "C" format has an equivalent aspect ratio to a 135 film image. Most APS cameras (with the exception of some disposable cameras) can record all three formats; the format selection is indicated on the film by a series of exposed squares alongside the image area or recorded on the magnetic coating (see below) depending on the camera. In the absence of an operator-specified format, the machine printing an APS roll will use these indicators to determine the output format of each print.

Film and cartridge

The film is on a polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) base, and is housed in a single-spool 39 mm long plastic cartridge. The basic diameter is 21 mm, while it measures 30mm at the slot where the film exits. The slot is protected by a lightlock door. It comes in lengths for 40, 25 and 15 exposures. The film surface is coated by a transparent magnetic coating, and the camera uses this information exchange (IX) system for recording information about each exposure. The camera handles winding and rewinding automatically, to the extent that partially exposed films can be removed and used later. Numbered symbols (called 'visual indicators') on the cartridge end indicate the status:

Full circle: Unexposed; Half circle: Partly exposed; Plus sign: Fully exposed but not processed; Square: Processed;

Additionally, a tab on this end of the cartridge serves as an indicator that the cartridge has been processed; APS processing equipment will punch out this tab.

Information exchange

The major distinction of APS film from other formats was its ability to record information other than the image. This information exchange was most commonly used for print aspect ratio, but could also be used to record the date and time that the photograph was taken, store a caption, record exposure data such as shutter speed and aperture setting. This information could be read by the photo printing equipment to determine the print aspect ratio, print information on the back (or, rarely, the front) of the photograph or to improve print quality.

Two methods for storing information on the film were employed, "magnetic IX" and "optical IX." Optical IX was employed on less expensive cameras and disposable cameras, and employed a light source to expose a small section of the film, outside of the image negative area. This method was limited to determining the print aspect ratio of the finished print.