Wider film stocks result in clearer images, but also entail heavier and more expensive equipment.
One type of film, the Super 8, is synonymous with old family movies and independent cinema; the other, 35mm, with high budget Hollywood extravaganzas. In short, 35mm film is a larger format that produces better image quality than Super 8, but also requires heavier equipment and more expensive shooting procedures.
Super 8
Kodak introduced the Super 8 film format in 1965. The "8" in the name refers to the film's width in millimeters. A key difference between regular 8 mm and Super 8 film is the sprocket holes on the side, which allow the camera mechanism to move the film along as it captures images. Super 8 film features repositioned, smaller holes that allow the recordable portion to be 50% bigger than that of regular 8mm.
35mm
35mm film is the most commonly used film format in theatrical filmmaking, according to "The Filmmaker's Handbook." Because the film frame is much bigger than that of Super 8, more image information is caught in each frame. When it is projected back, the image is much more clear and detailed than smaller formats like Super 8 or 16mm.
Cameras
While 35mm cameras are bulky and heavy, Super 8 cameras are portable, light and comparatively easy to use. They are also much more inexpensive than their 35mm counterparts, which are commonly used in productions with budgets in the millions of dollars. Once, Super 8 cameras were all the rage in home movies, but the advent of video dealt the format a near-fatal blow. Nowadays, Super 8 film and cameras are only available from a few specialty vendors.
Image
When compared to the crispness and clarity of 35mm film, Super 8 images are grainy, rougher-looking, and with noticeably higher contrast. This characteristic look has led to a sort of revival among low-budget, independent film productions as well as in music videos. 35mm usually looks better than Super 8 because it doesn't have to be magnified as much in order to be seen on the big screen. Super 8 images must be magnified more than 300,000 times, which accentuates the film's graininess and imperfections.
Sound
Some Super 8 film stocks have a magnetic stripe capable of recording sound along with film images, but they are very hard to find. Most Super 8 film is of the silent type. Most 35mm film stocks devote all their space to the image frame and thus don't have a magnetic or optical audio stripe. Filming on 35mm usually involved the use of a synchronized magnetic tape or digital audio tape recorder to capture sound.
Tags: 35mm film, Super film, film stocks, 35mm usually, bigger than
