APS Film

An APS film, also known as advanced photo system film, is a film format that was created and sold by camera manufacturers like Kodak, which was called Advantix for some time. An APS film is 24 mm wide and has three image formats namely H for high definition with an aspect ratio of 16:9 resulting to a 4”x7” print, C for classic that produces a standard 4”x6” print and P for panoramic that doubles the width to a print of 12”.

In APS film processing, formats C and P are formed by cropping the original photo size meaning that the standard for an APS film is the High definition’s 4”x7” size. Also, in order to get the Classic 4”x6” size, both the camera and lens should perform a cropping function to take off the extra height in width by evening out the view differently. The same also applies to the panoramic view, except that it is going to crop a considerable portion of the image’s height after it is zoomed out for a wider angle. This way, more are included in the shot. Many APS cameras can record all three APS film formats, except for some disposable cameras. Kodak has already announced its phase out of all reloadable cameras for the western market, which would mark the end of the APS film format. However, other camera manufacturers are still producing otherwise.

The APS 100 film produced the highest quality photos at a slow ISO speed of 100. However this ISO speed needed good lighting because it was not that sensitive to light compared to other ISO’s with faster speeds. Moreover, the APS 100 film failed to give the cleanest, most precise detail for general purpose in a well and properly lit environment minus the graininess caused by the silver element that are contained in films with higher speeds.

Because of an APS film’s versatility in size and usage, many people started to buy black and white APS film for a number of reasons. For one, the advanced system provided better clarity to a photo, regardless of which size ratio was selected, thus, the features of a black and white photo had no negative effect on the good resolution that was often compromised in a 35mm black and white film. Moreover, film processing of these photos usually required the use of an APS scanner to identify the aspect ratio selected for every individual photo captured, which resulted to the right size print being processed and is then cut.

The production of APS cameras in its compact and fully automatic form continued but had seen an overwhelming decrease with the introduction of compact autofocus digital cameras some five years ago.

As of last year, APS film cameras have become a rare find in the market. This could be attributed to its price, which may be more expensive as well as its limited ability to process information on the image. While there may still be manufacturers producing APS films, it has only been leaning more towards collectors now and is more likely considered as but a collector’s item only.

With digital cameras dominating today’s photography and gradually sweeping away film cameras, one may think that an APS film is no longer useful. Moreover, many people are already replacing the traditional way of taking pictures with new and advanced techniques such as in digital cameras because of its many features and better-added convenience. Although APS films may still be widely popular in many Asian and Eastern European countries, western countries are already gearing up to make everything digital, turning these older, traditional formats obsolete to the point of becoming extinct.