Negative Film

• Traditional camera film is also known as negative film. When exposed to light through a camera, negative film records a negative of the image, meaning the colors are reversed. Photographers then process this film in a dark room to create a print that reverses the colors back to their original states. Negative film comes in a variety of sizes and formats for different types of photographs; for example, some film specifically allows photographers to take photos in low light. Negative film can either take black-and-white photos or record full color.
  
  

Reversal Film

• Rather than recording a negative of the image, reversal film records the original colors directly onto the film. This means that if a print was made of this reversal film, the colors on the print would be inverted, appearing as a negative image. Reversal film, also known as transparency film, allows photographers to project photos directly with the film, making this type of film useful for slideshows and presentations in which the photos will be projected onto a screen.
  
  

Digital

• Rather than record an image directly onto film, a digital camera records an electronic copy of the image. When a photographer takes a photo with a digital camera, the camera takes the image shown in the lens and converts the light and colors into a digital file. This file can then be transferred onto a computer. Digital film allows photographers to create photographs without processing film in a darkroom, and also allows photographers to manipulate the photos in computer programs such as Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom.
  
  

Instant

• Instant film is a specialty type of film that the Polaroid corporation made famous. Instant film contains all the necessary chemicals to develop a photo directly in the film. Instant film uses a special camera that accepts only that film. When one of these cameras takes a photo, the image is recorded onto the instant film as with normal film. However, the chemicals within the instant film then develop the photo automatically, and after a few moments, the fully developed photo appears, removing any need for processing in a darkroom.