828

[Michael Kaplan <mkaplan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I can't imagine 828 Bantam-format film being used for stereo, because it 
only came in 8 exposure loads. Using a square format, this would give 
about 5 stereo pairs. 

So what *was* the advantage of the 828 format? I think it was an attempt 
to sell color slide photography (using Kodachrome, obviously) to amateurs 
who had previously used only roll-film cameras (film on 
spools with paper backing) and were intimidated by 35 mm film in cassettes
that had to be threaded over sprockets. Most larger roll-film formats 
that took rectangular-format pictures took 8 pictures per roll, so this 
was a miniaturization of the entire system. 

Also -- at the time 828 Bantam was introduced, Kodacolor (color negative 
film producing prints) was *not* yet available in 35 mm, probably due to 
the expense (for the average amateur) of having 20 or 36 pictures 
printed. So here were cameras that had good optical performance, could 
shoot slides or color prints in convenient, affordable 8-exposure 
lengths, and afforded the amateur a familiar loading system. 

===================================
Michael Kaplan
Associate Professor of Architecture
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
mkaplan@xxxxxxx


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