8mm

8mm refers to a family of motion picture film gauges about eight millimeters wide, used primarily for home movies and amateur filmmaking. The term covers two principal formats: Regular 8 (also called Standard 8) and Super 8. Regular 8 is the older standard, introduced by Eastman Kodak in the 1930s, and it used a cartridge loading system that exposed film in a single strip. Super 8 was introduced by Kodak in the mid-1960s to simplify loading and to provide a larger image area within a similar width; it quickly became the dominant 8mm format for home movies and often included options for magnetic sound tracks.

Technically, both formats were available in color reversal (positive) and color negative stocks, and they could be projected on dedicated 8mm projectors or transferred to video for viewing. The two formats differ in image area and perforation patterns, with Super 8 generally offering a larger, sharper image due to its design and improved film handling.

The 8mm format peaked in popularity during the 1960s–1980s and declined as videocassette and digital formats became more common. Today, 8mm remains of interest to cinephiles, hobbyists, and archivists who preserve and digitize old footage. Specialty labs continue to process and scan 8mm films, and some manufacturers still produce Super 8 cameras, film stock, and cartridges for limited markets.