From 35mm to 16:9 — a history of aspect ratio
Filmmaker IQ has an excellent article entitled “The Changing Shape of Cinema: The History of Aspect Ratio.” Apparently the first standard image size was developed in the 1890s for the Kinetescope by Thomas Edison’s staff photographer.
“We owe the first aspect ratio to one man: William Kennedy Dickson. … Using 35mm film Dickson settled on an image that was 4 perforations high — resulting in an image that was .95” by .735” — a 4:3 aspect ratio — or 1.33”
— Filmmaker IQ
Sources: Filmmaker IQ.
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