View source for Single-8

{{Short description|Motion picture film format}}
{{Multiple issues|{{More citations needed|date=December 2017}}{{Expand Japanese|date=September 2023}}}}
{{multiple image |align=right |direction=horizontal |total_width=400px |title=Single-8 film cartridges
 |image1=Single 8 cartridge r.jpg |caption1=Rear side (facing camera)
 |image2=Single 8 cartridge.jpg |caption2=Front side (facing film door)
}}
'''Single-8''', also known as '''8&nbsp;mm Type S, Model II''', is a [[motion picture]] [[film format]] introduced by [[Fujifilm]] of Japan in 1965 as an alternative to the [[Kodak]] [[Super 8mm film|Super 8]] format. Single-8 and Super&nbsp;8 use mutually incompatible cartridges, but the 8&nbsp;mm film within each cartridge shares the same frame and perforation size and arrangement, so developed Single-8 and Super 8 films can be shown using the same projection equipment.

Although never as popular internationally as Super 8, the format continued to live in parallel. Fuji discontinued the manufacture of Single-8 film by 2012.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Fuji Announces The End of Single-8 Movie Film |url=https://www.retrothing.com/2009/06/fuji-announces-the-end-of-single8-movie-film.html |access-date=2023-04-03 |website=Retro Thing}}</ref> The two final Single-8 film cartridge types produced by Fuji were [[Fujichrome]] R25N, discontinued in 2012, and Fujichrome RT200N, discontinued in 2010.<ref name=":0" />

==History==
Both Single-8 and Super 8 were launched in 1965.<ref name=PopSci-6507/> The company Konan, also known for developing the Konan-16 subminiature camera, claims in its history page to have developed the Single-8 system in 1959.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.konan.com/hp2001/english/company/history.htm|title=Kanon History|last=|first=|date=|website=Konan.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061111200426/http://www.konan.com/hp2001/english/company/history.htm|archive-date=2006-11-11|access-date=2006-11-12|df=}}</ref> Single-8 proved to be quite successful in Japan, capturing 80–85% of the domestic market for [[home movie]]s until 1973,<ref name=Dew20>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qkXZDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA219 |title=The Japanese Cinema Book |chapter=15 {{!}} The archive: Screening locality: Japanese home movies and the politics of place |pages=214–230 |first1=Oliver |last1=Dew |editor1-first=Hideaki |editor1-last=Fujiki |editor2-first=Alastair |editor2-last=Phillips |date=2020 |publisher=The British Film Institute |isbn=978-1-8445-7679-1}}</ref>{{rp|219}}<ref name=Lipton75/>{{rp|88}} but in the United States and other parts of the world, the Super 8 was the dominant format, in part due to Kodak's influence.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://slate.com/culture/2011/06/j-j-abrams-super-8-how-kodak-s-low-cost-super-8-film-influenced-a-generation-of-filmmakers.html |title=Backyard Auteurs |first=Elizabeth |last=Weingarten |date=June 9, 2011 |website=Slate |access-date=13 December 2024}}</ref><ref name=Yulsman72>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/completebookof8m0000yuls/ |title=The Complete Book of 8mm Movie Making |first=Jerry |last=Yulsman |date=1972 |publisher=Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, Inc. |location=New York |url-access=registration |sbn=698-10461-7 |lccn=72-76678}}</ref>{{rp|19–21}} At least one camera was made which accepted both Single-8 and Super&nbsp;8: the [[Honeywell]] [[Elmo (company)|Elmo]] Tri-Filmatic Super 100, manufactured in Japan by Elmo and sold in different countries as the Elmo C300, which uses interchangeable magazines for Regular (Double) 8, Super&nbsp;8, Single-8, and 100-ft reels of Double Super&nbsp;8.<ref name=Yulsman72/>{{rp|23}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pacificrimcamera.com/rl/00083/00083.pdf |title=Honeywell Elmo dealer pages |date=1969 |publisher=Honeywell Elmo |via=Pacific Rim Camera, Reference Library |access-date=13 December 2024}}</ref>

Fuji announced it would cease production of 8&nbsp;mm film in 2006, but reversed that decision in 2007.<ref name=Dew20/> At the time, Fuji was manufacturing two versions of Single-8 film: [[Fujichrome]] R25N, a [[Photographic filter#Color conversion|daylight-balanced]] [[color temperature|(5500&nbsp;K)]] [[filmstock]], and Fujichrome RT200N, a tungsten-balanced (3400&nbsp;K) for indoor filming. The [[Sound Film]] brand is no longer made, although a magnetic sound stripe could be added to the film after processing. This option was chosen whenever sending the exposed film to Fuji in Japan for processing. Fuji discontinued sales of Single-8 film in March 2012 and stopped processing exposed film in 2013.<ref name=Dew20/>

In addition to the Fuji color films, [[black and white film]] is available from Japanese company Retro Enterprises. This Single-8 black & white [[reversal film]], named Retro X, is [[film speed]] 200 and is manufactured in Germany.

[[File:Fujica Single-8 ZX250 (interior side view).jpg|thumb|right|Fujica ZX250 Single-8 movie camera, with film chamber open]]
Although Fujifilm stopped exportation of Single-8 Film to other countries, individual companies in the United States and [[Europe]] import the filmstock independently. Single-8 is readily available in its home country of Japan where even used cameras can reach high prices in [[online auction]]s on [[Yahoo!|Yahoo! Japan]]. For example, a used [[Fujica]] ZC1000, the top-of-the-line Single-8 [[camera]], can fetch prices upwards to 250,000 [[Japanese yen]] (approx $2900).

[[Gainax|Daicon Film]] of Japan (now [[Gainax]]) produced a series of well-known {{Transliteration|ja|[[tokusatsu]]}} films in the 1980s using Single-8 film, some of which are now available on [[DVD]].

==Details==
Single-8 film uses a [[polyester]] base, which is {{frac|2|3}} the thickness of tri-[[acetate]] [[Super 8mm film|Super 8]], but the films within the incompatible cartridge systems are otherwise identical, incorporating the same dimensions for sprocket holes and image size, which means developed Single-8 can be projected in Super 8 projectors and vice versa.<ref name=PopSci-6507/>{{rp|90}}<ref name=Lipton75>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/super8book0000lipt_k0i0/ |title=The Super 8 Book |first=Lenny |last=Lipton |editor-first=Chet |editor-last=Roaman |others=Designed and illustrated by Christopher Swan |date=1975 |publisher=Straight Arrow Books |location=San Francisco, California |isbn=0-87932-091-5 |lccn=75-9430 |url-access=registration}}</ref>{{rp|28}} While the Single-8 film is more resistant to breakage, it tends to stretch if the film transport jams.<ref name=Yulsman72/>{{rp|22}} Due to the difference in film base thickness, splicing the two formats together in a finished film may require adjustment of the projector's focus at the join.

Like Super 8, unexposed Single-8 film comes pre-loaded in plastic cartridges; the B-shaped Single-8 cartridge uses two separate, coplanar spools for supply and take-up, unlike Super 8, in which the spools are coaxial. As a result, Single-8 film offered unlimited rewind, whereas Super 8 rewind was limited to several seconds, as there is no external connection to turn the supply spool; Super 8 cameras with rewind rely on having sufficient empty space within the cartridge for the rewound film to pile up inside,<ref name=Lipton75/>{{rp|30;32}} but in general, they are limited to approximately 100 frames of rewind in total.<ref name=Aubry80>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/film-makers-guide-to-super-8-1980/ |title=Film Maker's Guide to Super-8 |chapter=Choosing a Super-8 System |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/film-makers-guide-to-super-8-1980/page/1/mode/2up |pages=2 |first=Stephen |last=Aubry |publisher=Sheptow Publishing |date=1980 |location=San Francisco, California |isbn=0-442-23344-2 |lccn=79-9606 |access-date=16 December 2024}}</ref>{{rp|3–4}} Rewinding enables in-camera special effects, including [[Dissolve (filmmaking)|dissolves]], [[multiple exposure]]s, and [[title sequence]]s.<ref name=Yulsman72/>{{rp|21}} The Super 8 cartridge is not designed to be reloaded,<ref name=Lipton75/>{{rp|30–31}} but the Single-8 cartridge can be reloaded; Single-8 film is extracted by unpeeling two pieces of tape to separate the cartridge halves.<ref name=Price80>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/film-makers-guide-to-super-8-1980/ |title=Film Maker's Guide to Super-8 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/film-makers-guide-to-super-8-1980/page/143/mode/2up |chapter=Home Processing |first=Robert |last=Price |date=1980 |publisher=Sheptow Publishing |location=San Francisco, California |pages=144–149 |isbn=0-442-23344-2 |lccn=79-9606}}</ref>

The Single 8 cartridge was designed with an open section for the film, allowing it to be fed between the pressure pad and film gate, both part of the camera, during exposure. This contrasts with the [[Kodak]] system which had a [[plastic]] pressure plate built into the cartridge.<ref name=PopSci-6507>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KyYDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA88 |title=IPEX REPORT: International Photo Exposition kicks off—War of the Photo Systems |first=Everett H. |last=Ortner |date=July 1965 |magazine=Popular Science |volume=187 |number=1 |pages=88 |access-date=12 December 2024}}</ref><ref name=Lipton75/>{{rp|29}} It was believed that Single-8 offered superior film positioning,<ref name=Yulsman72/>{{rp|21}}<ref name=Aubry80/>{{rp|4}} but the reality was that Super 8's plastic pressure plate could be moulded with far smaller tolerance than Single 8's metal version could be machined.<ref name=Lipton75/>{{rp|30}}

Fuji offered on-film optical sound recording rather than a magnetic stripe; this system required the user to draw additional film out of the cassette.<ref name=Lipton75/>{{rp|88}}

=== Mechanical ===
Single-8 cartridges are nominally {{cvt|{{#expr:36.5+29.5}}|mm|in|2}} wide, {{cvt|{{#expr:2*29.5+43}}|mm|in|2}} high, and {{cvt|{{#expr:13.3-0.3}}|mm|in|3}} thick, according to the governing [[International Organization for Standardization|ISO]] standard. There are three round mounting bosses on one surface to help locate the cartridge within the camera.<ref name=ISO-3641:1976>{{cite web |url=https://www.iso.org/standard/9085.html |title=ISO 3641:1976 {{!}} Cinematography — Motion-picture camera cartridge, 8 mm Type S Model II — Cartridge fit and take-up core drive — Dimensions and specifications |date=June 1976 |publisher=International Organization for Standardization |access-date=13 December 2024}}</ref> In addition, like the notches on Super 8 cartridges, the Single-8 cartridge has several tabs, slots, and holes to automatically set film speed and type.<ref name=ISO-3646:1976>{{cite web |url=https://www.iso.org/standard/9090.html |title=ISO 3646:1976 {{!}} Cinematography — Motion-picture camera cartridge, 8 mm Type S Model II — Slots, projections and cartridge hole for indicating film speed, colour balance and film identification — Dimensions and positions |date=July 1976 |publisher=International Organization for Standardization |access-date=13 December 2024}}</ref>

[[File:S8M2 cartridge (Single-8).svg|thumb|right|upright=1.3|Single-8 cartridge with relevant indicators:
<ul>
<li>s1: Film speed indication tab; position relative to surface (T* dimension) varies with film speed.</li>
<li>s2: Film speed indication grooves; length of groove (J* or θ*) varies with film speed.</li>
<li>ID1: Film type / filter indication hole</li>
<li>ID2: Film type / filter indication tab</li>
</ul>]]
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"
|+Single-8 cartridge film speed indicators<ref name=ISO-3646:1976/>
! colspan=2 | [[Film speed]]
! colspan=3 | Dimensions
|-
! DIN !! ASA
! θ* !! J* !! T*
|-
! 13 !! 16
| 22° || {{cvt|51.0|mm|in|2}} || {{cvt|11.6|mm|in|3}}
|-
! 14 !! 20
| 26° || {{cvt|50.5|mm|in|2}} || {{cvt|10.85|mm|in|3}}
|-
! 15 !! 25
| 30° || {{cvt|50.0|mm|in|2}} || {{cvt|10.10|mm|in|3}}
|-
! 16 !! 32
| 34° || {{cvt|49.5|mm|in|2}} || {{cvt|9.35|mm|in|3}}
|-
! 17 !! 40
| 38° || {{cvt|49.0|mm|in|2}} || {{cvt|8.60|mm|in|3}}
|-
! 18 !! 50
| 42° || {{cvt|48.5|mm|in|2}} || {{cvt|7.85|mm|in|3}}
|-
! 19 !! 64
| 46° || {{cvt|48.0|mm|in|2}} || {{cvt|7.10|mm|in|3}}
|-
! 20 !! 80
| 50° || {{cvt|47.5|mm|in|2}} || {{cvt|6.35|mm|in|3}}
|-
! 21 !! 100
| 54° || {{cvt|47.0|mm|in|2}} || {{cvt|5.60|mm|in|3}}
|-
! 22 !! 125
| 58° || {{cvt|46.5|mm|in|2}} || {{cvt|4.85|mm|in|3}}
|-
! 23 !! 160
| 62° || {{cvt|46.0|mm|in|2}} || {{cvt|4.10|mm|in|3}}
|-
! 24 !! 200
| 66° || {{cvt|45.5|mm|in|2}} || {{cvt|3.35|mm|in|3}}
|-
! 25 !! 250
| 70° || {{cvt|45.0|mm|in|2}} || {{cvt|2.60|mm|in|3}}
|-
! 26 !! 320
| 74° || {{cvt|44.5|mm|in|2}} || {{cvt|1.85|mm|in|3}}
|-
! 27 !! 400
| 78° || {{cvt|44.0|mm|in|2}} || {{cvt|1.10|mm|in|3}}
|}

=== Processing Single-8 Film ===
Fuji's Single-8 developing process is not the same as Process EM-26, but is similar. There is more involved in the removal of the remjet antihalation backing than the now long discontinued [[Kodak]] Ektachrome Process EM-26 films. The color chemistry, while close, is slightly different, particularly the [[Photographic developer#Colour development|color development]].{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

It was often recommended to send Fuji Single-8 film to [[Fujifilm]] in Japan for processing, however processing ended in 2013.<ref name=":0" />

==See also==
*[[List of film formats]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
===General===
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060212153255/http://www.single8film.com/ American website providing Single 8 info and manuals]
([[Wayback Machine]] copy)
*[http://www.sparetimelabs.com/animato/animato/filmhist/filmhist.html Film formats history]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060210090502/http://www.gainax.co.jp/anime/daicon/ultra.html Info on "Return of Ultraman", movie shot in Single-8 with a Fujica ZC1000 camera. Japanese only.]
(Wayback Machine copy)

===Commercial sites offering filmstock and processing===
*[http://www.super8.nl/english/e_index.htm Super8 Reversal Lab Netherlands, a company selling most Single-8 films and processing some stocks] 
*[http://www.retro8.com/english/englishindex.html  Retro Enterprises, in Tokyo, Japan - source Single-8 (and other format) films and processing]

===Patents===
* {{cite patent |country=US |status=Patent |number=3434782A |title=Film magazine for motion picture cameras |assign=Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. |inventor=Keezi Kaneko |pridate=January 25, 1965 |pubdate=March 25, 1969}}
* {{cite patent |country=US |status=Patent |number=3599550A |title=Film magazine for motion picture cameras |assign=Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. |inventor=Keezi Kaneko |pridate=June 12, 1968 |pubdate=August 17, 1971}}

{{Fujifilm}}

[[Category:Audiovisual introductions in 1965]]
[[Category:Motion picture film formats]]
[[Category:Fujifilm]]