Safety bases
From the earliest cinematographic times research was carried out to find safer alternatives, and cellulose acetates were in use by 1909 and some film, especially narrow gauge films for use in homes, such as 28mm Pathescope film and 16mm Kodachrome in the 1930's. These early "safety" bases were more expensive to produce than cellulose nitrate.
Polyester film base, under the trade names Estar and Mylar were first regularly used in the 1960s for film bases where high degrees of dimension stability were required, for example in the graphic arts industry for making colour separations and masks. Polyester became common for some cinema release prints during the 1970s and is still used today.
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A 28mm film. Most prints in this
gauge |