Kodak's '20s 70mm prototype — wider negative than 65mm, earliest large-format push. Almost nothing survives.
In the 1920s, Kodak experimented with a 70mm negative format that was wider than the later standardized 65mm system – this was Grandeur 70. Not to be confused with today's 70mm projection format (which is mostly fed by 65mm negatives). Back then, Bigger-is-Better was still the Wild West in camera engineering, and Kodak wanted to know how far they could go before light loss and graininess became a problem.
The practical challenge was obvious: a wider negative means more surface area for light, theoretically better resolution and less graininess upon enlargement – but also heavier cameras, more expensive film, and machinery that nobody had. Kodak actually shot a few test films in this format. The Grandeur system was intended to be attractive to large cinemas that craved even more impressive images than 35mm offered at the time. Technically, the approach was not foolish – a larger negative format allows for sleeker optics and less enlargement loss – but economically, the project died quickly.
The reason: The 1920s and 30s were also the time when theater chains had to switch to sound film. Who would then invest extra in new 70mm cameras and projectors? Hollywood instead standardized on 65mm for the few truly ambitious large-format productions (Cinerama, VistaVision descendants). Grandeur 70 remained a footnote – today it primarily interests archives and format historians.
What remains: The realization that negative size alone does not determine film quality. Optics, exposure, and development play the main role. And that not every technical improvement opens up the market if the infrastructure is missing. Anyone interested in large format today is more likely to look at IMAX footage or digital high-speed cameras – but the craftsmanship curiosity that drove Kodak back then lives on in every attempt to maximize the negative.