Re: Q: What is the size of the smallest element?

Eric wrote:
> Q: What is the size of the smallest discrete element on 35mm
(professional 
> "movie-making") film?
> 
> Is it the size of a molecule or a group of molecules?
> 
> IOW: How many "pixels" are on one 35mm frame of film?
> 
> TIA!
> 
>
Here's another cut:

< http://danallen46.homeunix.org/DC.htm
>

The following is based on a 24x36mm image. 
Movie frames vary in size but 18x24mm is the old 
4:3 format.
============ ========== ==========
"...Example: Kodachrome delivers 4000 lines of 
resolution vertically in 24mm, the height of a 
35mm slide.

     4000 lines / 24mm = 166 lines / mm resolution
     166 lines / mm * 2 pixels / line = 333 
pixels / mm required to scan for printing
     333 pixels / mm * 25.4 mm / inch = 8466 
pixels / inch required to scan a slide 
accurately..."

Since wide-screen formats optically distort 
(compress) the film image the 'virtual' pixels 
are distorted.  That will be different for 
Panavision, Vistavision, Cinemascope etc.

Figure on 6megapixels would be a safe bet.

If you look at digital production facilities 
like Industrial Light & Magic or Pacific Title, 
the pixels for a frame are higher -- between 8 
and 10 megapixels.
  < 
http://www.byteandswitch.com/do***ent.asp?doc_id=101925

 >

--
pj