Microfilm reader

A microfilm reader is a device that uses a lens and source of light to magnify miniaturized text and accompanying images that have been printed on a roll of 16 mm film (100 cm or 215 cm in length) or 35 mm film (100 cm in length), which is also known as microfilm or "roll film."

Throughout the 20th century, many commercial organizations and government agencies used microfilm as the main medium to store large amounts of text from books, periodicals, and records until the advent of modern computers, which offered instant access to content and additional storage and cost-savings advantages over microfilm. The need and production of complementary microfilm readers therefore fell with the need for microfilm, but they are still used today to view stored content on microfilm that has yet to be converted into a digital format.