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roll film

American  

noun

Photography.
  1. a strip of film with space for several exposures, packaged on a spool in roll form so as to permit daylight loading and unloading and ease of handling.


roll film British  

noun

  1. a length of photographic film backed with opaque paper and rolled on a spool

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of roll film

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In 1889, Kodak introduced celluloid roll film, a major advance in the ease, portability and standardization of photographic practice, and the technological catalyst enabling the rise of motion pictures.

From Los Angeles Times

I took advantage of the loosened travel restrictions to Cuba, and spend a week wandering around Havana with an old fashioned roll film camera.

From New York Times

Domino appeared in the rock 'n' roll film "The Girl Can't Help It" and was among the first black performers to be featured in popular music shows, starring with Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers.

From Time

In the 19th century, France said, new photographic methods emerged nearly every year: from daguerreotype to collotype, from paper negatives to glass negatives, from sheet film to roll film.

From Washington Post

Photographers did this for decades, of course, ever since roll film replaced plate film.

From Washington Post