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Super 8 mm film is a motion-picture film format released in 1965[1][2][3] by Eastman Kodak as an improvement over the older "Double" or "Regular" 8 mm home movie format. The formal name for Super 8 is 8-mm Type S, distinguishing it from the older double-8 format, which is called 8-mm Type R. Unlike Super 35 (which is generally compatible with standard 35 mm equipment), the film stock used for Super 8 is not compatible with standard 8 mm film cameras.
The film is nominally 8 mm wide, the same as older formatted 8 mm film, but the dimensions of the rectangular sprocket hole perforations along one edge are smaller, which allows for a greater image area. The Super 8 standard also allocates the border opposite the perforations for an oxide stripe upon which sound can be magnetically recorded.
Fujifilm released a competing system named Single-8, also in 1965, which used the same film, image frame, and perforation dimensions, but with a different film base and incompatible cartridge format. The Kodak Super 8 system was adopted by more manufacturers and proved to be the more popular home movie format until it was displaced by magnetic videocassette camera and recorder systems.
In May 1965, super 8 in its stubby, coaxial plastic cartridge arrived loaded with Type A indoor balanced Kodachrome II, billed as a universal film.
After several years of research, Kodak offered super 8 format film in Instamatic cartridges in 1965.
In April of 1965, this revolutionary new format was introduced...