Film
The shift from motion picture to film technology also invoked the shift towards entertainment. Significant figures such as Thomas Edison and the Lumiére Brothers pioneered the film cameras that initiatedF the start of the cinematic industry.
Single Lens Camera
1887-1888
However, before them, there was Lois Le Prince, who invented one of the oldest known motion picture cameras. In 1888, he patented the single-lens camera that used a strip of paper film and shot the Roundhay Garden Scene at 12 frames per second and ran for 2.11 seconds.
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According to the Guinness Book of Record, the film is the oldest surviving film in existence.
The use of glass plates and paper film as a medium, however, limited the filming capacity. Inevitably, a more substantial material is required to increase recording duration and image storage. In 1889, George Eastman – inventor of the Kodak Camera – invented film rolls with a flexible base that used cellulose nitrate as a base. Subsequently, the flexibility and durability of the celluloid film benefited the development of the Kinetograph.
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The celluloid film was not initially invented to cater to the motion picture camera.
1888
Kinetograph
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Perhaps one of the most significant motion picture cameras that ushered the development of cinematography. The Kinetograph is the first commercially successful motion picture film camera developed in 1888 by William Kennedy Laurie Dickson and Thomas Alva Edison, which built upon the works of Muybridge and Marey. It functioned with
a rapid spinning shutter disc that quickly captures consecutive
still images; this was only possible with the use of celluloid films as the
.instrument could only function with the use of film rolls
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Additionally, to allow individuals to watch the films, Edison created the Kinescope and opened Edison’s Kinescope Parlour, which then prompted the beginning of the cinematic industry. Moreover, his inventions paved the way for aspiring cinematographers to create
motion pictures for story-telling.
Edison offered films related to Sex and Violence;
The Kiss, Sandow (The Strong Man), Glenroy Brothers (Comic Boxing), Cockfight, and more.
1895
Cinématographe
Edison’s work inspired the Lumiére Brothers, and they experimented with different camera designs and projections to create a better camera design, increase filming duration, and quality display. Thus, in 1895, they patented the Cinématographe; it functioned as a camera, printer, and projector, which allowed filming, exhibiting, and developing of the film on film rolls. Furthermore, like the Kinetograph, the Cinématographe pushed the trajectory of the cinematic industry.
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Unlike Edison, the Lumiére Brother shot films of everyday French life;
La Sortie des Ouvriers de l’usine Lumière (Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory), Repas de bébé (Baby’s Dinner), Les Forferons (The Blacksmiths) and more.
Aeroscope
1909 - 1911
The first handheld operated film camera patented by polish inventor Kazimierz PrószyÅ„ski. He was inspired by pioneer film cameras that lacked portability; thus, he invented the portable film camera that had great accessibility. The camera does not require a hand-crank, which allowed users to hold the camera while controlling the focus. Moreover, it allowed filming under challenging circumstances such as military purposes.
Bell & Howell 2709
1912
While the Aeroscope was lightweight and portable, durability reminded a big concern as cameras were made of wood and leather, which are prone to spoilage. Filmmakers Martin and Osa Johnson lost their camera and films to termites and mildew while filming in Africa. Therefore, this inspired company Bell & Howard to develop the first-ever all-metal movie camera in 1919, the Bell & Howard 2709. It was not only a revolution in camera design, but it also introduced and standardised the use of 35mm film size image in the cinematic industry.
1950s
70mm Film Cameras
As the cinematic industry grew, the demand for exceptional quality grew as well.
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To cater to the massive 70mm image size, companies such as Panavision introduced 70mm film cameras – Super Panavision 70 and Ultra-Panavision 70 system. What is significant about these cameras is how they define the cinematic experience and its system; it expanded the capabilities of capturing and producing films with exceptional quality.
The cinematic film cameras have been an essential tool in the development of the cinematic industry. The advancements in technology allowed films with longer filming duration and produced exceptional quality, and through cinematography, film contents are carefully crafted to illustrate a specific narrative to the audience.