Filmkamer

Filmkamer, or film camera, is a device designed to expose moving images onto photographic film stock. Used since the early days of cinema, it records frames at a chosen frame rate by passing film through a light-tight gate.

A typical film camera includes a lens, a shutter, a film gate, sprockets, and a magazine. The claw mechanism pulls the film one frame at a time, while the shutter controls exposure. Most cinema cameras run at standard rates such as 24 frames per second, with other rates used for effects or television standards. Viewfinding is usually optical through the lens or via an external monitor.

Film formats include 8mm, 16mm, 35mm and large-format 65/70mm. Film stock comes in color negative, color reversal, or black-and-white, and may carry optical or magnetic sound tracks in the case of sound-on-film formats.

Historically, film cameras evolved from hand-cranked devices to electric, synchronized models. The 20th century saw widespread adoption of 35mm film as the standard for cinema. With the rise of digital imaging from the late 1990s onward, many productions transitioned to digital cinema cameras, though some filmmakers continue to shoot on film for aesthetic or archival reasons. Modern discussions of filmkamer often distinguish between traditional film cameras and contemporary digital cinema cameras that imitate film characteristics.

Film stock requires careful processing and storage due to chemical sensitivity, making preservation an important consideration for archives and film studios.