FILM SUPPORTS 1 Nitrate Film | 2 Acetate Film | 3 Polyester Film | 4 Structural Layers | 5 Final Image Materials
FILM SUPPORTS Like photographic prints and glass negatives, film-based media are composite objects, consisting of a film support and a binder/emulsion layer with an image-forming or recording substance suspended in it. Film has been used as a support for many different types of media since the late 19th century, including various types of still photography film, slide film, microfilm, amateur movie film (8mm and 16mm), and motion picture film. Three types of film have been used as supports: nitrate, acetate, and polyester films (with the latter being the most stable). Many modern film-based media use a polyester film base, but not all. The characteristic deterioration of these films will be discussed in this section, along with typical deterioration mechanisms of the binder and image-forming materials. 1 NITRATE FILM Nitrate film was invented in the late 19th century in response to the need for a more lightweight and less fragile support for photographic negatives. The fir...