Format shape

cliveh

Subscriber
Joined
Oct 9, 2010
Messages
7,643
Format
35mm RF
As the lens resolves the image in a circle, why are most images printed in a square or rectangle. Is it man’s attempt to fit in with Euclidean geometry of our buildings?
 

Sirius Glass

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Joined
Jan 18, 2007
Messages
50,623
Location
Southern California
Format
Multi Format
George Eastman and Edison preferred the round format, but the inefficiency from the corner loss of negatives and prints drove the market to the rectangular form and the perfect format called square. <<chuckle>>, <<chuckle>>
 

tedr1

Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2016
Messages
940
Location
50 miles from NYC USA
Format
Multi Format
The tradition of rectangular images is older than photography and probably associated with book illustration in the days of wood block engravings. There is also the tradition of rectangular framed drawings and paintings that goes back centuries also.
 

Luckless

Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2016
Messages
1,366
Location
Canada
Format
Multi Format
Accurately cutting straight even lines is a lot easier than accurately cutting curves. Framing them are also a bit easier than making a round frame.
 
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