Moving Image Research at Wilson Special Collections Library: Analog formats
AV formats at Wilson Library
Archival moving images at Wilson Special Collections are made up mostly of analog video and motion picture film formats produced throughout the twentieth century. These formats are made from magnetic and celluloid materials that require specific storage conditions, handling, and playback equipment. Thanks to our colleagues across the field of audiovisual archives and our knowledgeable grant-funded staff, we have a solid grasp on the best practices for storage and handling of these materials. In order to make these materials accessible to you, library staff must digitize these analog formats using specialized playback equipment, digital conversion hardware, and software. Thanks to a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation we have been able to digitize and preserve over 3,000 unique videos, which are now accessible through their respective collection finding aids.
Formats may tell a story
AV formats may be able to inform you a little about the potential date of production, quality of the image and sound, and the production context of materials. Although there are no strict rules or correlations between format and it's quality or production context, we can make some generalizations that may inform which materials you select for your research or project. For example, you can broadly date materials by their format since these formats were produced and distributed by commercial entities for a defined amount of time. For instance 2" open reel video (or 2" Quad), which was introduced in 1956 and was in use until the early 1980s. We can therefore assume any 2" open reel video we encounter was produced between 1956 and the early 1980s.
Video
All video formats are described as "videotape" in collection finding aids. Each video item has a unique ID that begins with the prefix "VT-". Often a format is also listed in the finding aid. Below is an example of a streaming videotape, titled Songs from the Cherokee Hymn Book, 29 July 1997. The unique ID is listed as "VT-05773/99" and the format as "VHS."
Film
Meanwhile, motion picture film formats are described as "film" in finding aids. Each film item has a unique ID that begins with the prefix "F-" , and often a format is also listed in the finding aid. Below is an example of a motion picture film titled Jarrell and Cockerham, Lowgap, N.C., July 1971. The unique ID is listed as "F-20027/3" while the format is listed as "16mm motion picture film."
Useful terms
Regardless of format, the highest quality image is most likely found on the most original source material - in production heavy audiovisual collections compiled by filmmakers and documentarians, be on the look out for terms like "original" or "master" in the item's description, rather than "copy" or "dub", which implies it is a copy made from an original or master and therefore of lower quality. Below are examples of these terms "master" and "dub" used in moving image titles.
For more tips on finding and searching for moving images, please visit the "Finding and watching" section of this guide.
Video
Below is additional information on video formats found at Wilson Library. Photographs and descriptions are courtesy of the University of Illinois' Preservation Self-Assessment Program Collection ID Guide. We encourage you to explore this resource for further information on individual video formats.
- 2" open reel video
Dates: 1956 – early 1980s
Background: Two-inch open reel (or "quad") is a magnetic tape-based analog video format that was used primarily in professional television studio settings. It was the first video format and was developed for in-studio use. - 1" open reel video
Dates: 1963 – mid 1990s
Background: One-inch open reel is a magnetic tape-based analog video format, primarily used as a professional video format. The format was introduced in 1963 by Philips' EL3400 helical scan recorder. It was used until approximately the mid 1990s, primarily for in-studio recordings. It was also used for preservation master tapes during the late 1980s and early 1990s. - 1/2" open reel video
Dates: 1965 – late 1990s; most common, 1965 - c. 1980
Background: Developed for the industrial, educational, and consumer markets, half-inch open reel was introduced in 1965 with Sony's CV-2000. It was used primarily for in-studio and field recording until approximately the late 1970s, when it was gradually replaced by cassette formats. It was also used as a format for preservation masters beginning in the late 1980s and early 1990s. - Betacam ; Betacam SP
Dates: 1982 – present (Betcam); 1986 – present (Betacam SP) - Betamax
Dates: 1975 – late 1980s
Betamax is a magnetic tape-based analog video cassette format that was developed for the consumer, industrial, and educational markets. Although it did not gain widespread consumer popularity, this format was considered to be technically superior to VHS. It was used extensively in schools, in community media centers, and by artists. - Digital Betacam
Dates: 1993 – present
Digital Betacam, which was developed for the professional market, was introduced in 1993 as the digital successor of Betacam SP. Although it is still in use, particularly in industrial and professional sectors, it never reached the industry support of its predecessor. For some time, Digital Betacam was used for video preservation masters in broadcast archives. - DVCAM
Dates: 1996 – present
DVCAM was developed by Sony for industrial, educational, and professional markets. It is presently used extensively for electronic news gathering, cable television, and other field production. It is also used as a mastering format by artists and independent producers, especially for long-form programming (e.g. documentaries) because the maximum tape length on a single cassette is 184 minutes. - HDCAM
Dates: 1997 – present
HDCAM was introduced in 1997 as the high-definition version of Digital Betacam. - MiniDV
Dates: 1995 – late 2000s
Background: MiniDV is a magnetic tape-based digital video (DV) cassette format. It was used chiefly for consumer home video in the late 1990s and early 2000s. MiniDV was used extensively by artists and community activists, both in the educational sector and in independent production. Its small size and high visual quality made it popular for field acquisition (e.g. camera recording). - U-Matic ; U-Matic SP
Dates: 1971 – c. 2000
Background: Standard U-matic was introduced in 1971; SP was introduced in 1986. The format was primarily developed for industrial and education markets. In the 1970s and 1980s, it was widely used for electronic news gathering; and, it was a preferred format for edit masters in the 1980s. It was also a primary format for many artists, community activists, academic institutions, and production houses up through the 1990s. As a result, many art and community videos are in this format. - VHS
Dates: 1976 – present; less common after c. 2000
Background: VHS is a magnetic tape-based analog video cassette format. - Video8 ; Hi8
Dates: 1984 – late 2000s
Background: Video8 and Hi8 are magnetic tape-based analog video cassette formats, which were chiefly used in the consumer home video market of the 1980s and 1990s. Video8 was developed for the consumer market, whereas Hi8 was geared toward consumer, industrial, and educational markets.
Film
Below is additional informaiton on film formats found at Wilson Library. Photographs are courtesy of the University of Illinois' Preservation Self-Assessment Program Collection ID Guide, with the exception of the Filmstrip. Format descriptions include dates of production and a brief background description, which we compiled from the University of Illinois' Preservation Self-Assessment Program Collection ID Guide and the National Film Preservation Foundation's The Film Preservation Guide: The Basics for Archives, Libraries, and Museums. We encourage you to explore these resources for further information on individual film formats.
- 16mm motion picture film
Dates: 1923 – present; use declining after 1970s
Background: Film measuring 16 millimeters in width. The 16mm film gauge was first developed by Kodak as an amateur's affordable alternative to 35mm, and it is still in use today. It is generally used for non-theatrical (e.g., industrial, educational) filmmaking, or for low-budget motion pictures. It also existed as a popular amateur or home movie-making format for several decades, alongside 8mm film and later Super 8mm film. - 35mm motion picture film
Dates: 1893 – present
Background: Film measuring 35 millimeters in width. In 1893, the first commercially exhibited film in the United States used the 35mm gauge, and that remained the industry standard until the advent of digital projection. 35mm is generally used for theatrical filmmaking and is primarily used by artists and commercial filmmakers. - 8mm motion picture film
Dates: 1932 – present
Background: Film measuring 8 millimeters in width, often called regular 8mm to distinguish it from Super 8mm. 8mm film was primarily used for the creation of home movies and amateur films from the 1930s to 1960s. Although production in North America ceased in the early 1990s, the format persists in "boutique" numbers. - Super 8mm motion picture film
Dates: 1965 – present
Background: Film measuring 8 millimeters in width, with smaller sprocket holes than 8mm film so that more area is left for the picture. Super 8mm film was primarily used for the creation of home movies and amateur film in the late 1960s through the early 1980s. The format is still regularly used by artists and students. - Filmstrip
Dates: 1940s – 1980s
Background: A filmstrip is a spooled roll of 35mm film with approximately thirty to fifty images arranged in sequential order. A form of still image instructional multimedia, once commonly used by K-12 educators from the 1940s to 1980s. Filmstrips provided an easy and inexpensive alternative to 16mm educational films, requiring very little storage space.