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Definition: analog film


A plastic sheet with a photosensitive emulsion that comes in various formats for still and video cameras. When exposed to light, plastic-based film creates an "analog" of the actual scene. Film was never called analog until digital cameras came on the scene.

Analog Resolution
Analog film has a greater resolution than most digital camera images. For example, a 35mm analog frame may resolve up to 6,000 lines. Although digital IMAX theater cameras reach 7,000 lines, consumer HD camcorders record only 1080 lines. The granularity of analog film is based on the emulsion molecule size. The granularity of digital images is based on the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the sensor. See digital camera and digital photography.