The original post: /r/television by /u/Glittering_Gap8070 on 2026-02-19 03:07:10+00:00.
I was born in the early 1970s and remember the distinct change in picture quality when sitcoms, soap operas or any scripted TV has exterior shots. Most of the film shots looked fuzzy or overexposed (often both). Also the TV news used to film reports on literal 16mm film until some time in the 1980s or early 90s. I can’t recall when. Can anyone refresh my memory?
And why did 16mm film look so bad even on low definition PAL TV. Was this a lack of technical expertise or just the limitations of 16mm film?
Most American productions seemed far more professional but it seems they used mostly 35mm film, and of course they had a far larger market.