Valokuvafilmia

Valokuvafilmia, which translates to "photographic film" in Finnish, refers to the material used in traditional photography and cinematography to capture images. It consists of a strip or sheet of transparent plastic film base coated on one side with a gelatin emulsion containing light-sensitive silver halide crystals. When exposed to light, these crystals undergo a chemical change, forming a latent image. This latent image is then made visible and permanent through a process of chemical development, followed by fixing to remove any remaining unexposed silver halide.

There are different types of photographic film, broadly categorized into black-and-white and color. Black-and-white film captures tonal variations from black to white, while color film utilizes multiple layers of emulsion sensitive to different wavelengths of light to reproduce a range of colors. Films also vary in their sensitivity to light, known as ISO or ASA speed, with faster films requiring less light for exposure but potentially producing more grain.

The use of valokuvafilmia was the dominant method of image capture for over a century. While digital photography has largely superseded film in many applications, film photography remains popular among enthusiasts for its unique aesthetic qualities, tactile process, and the archival nature of well-preserved negatives. It continues to be used in specific artistic, documentary, and scientific fields where its characteristics are particularly valued.