What is a slide film?

Question:

What is a slide film?

I went to photo shop that day and i was suprised that they dont have the machine to process the film i used to take underwater photos. The film i used is Sensia Fujichrome. What is the reason for them not to have the machine? I was told that it's a slide film and it's different- so what is exactly a slide film?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Print film, when developed, turns into a negative with the colors (or black and white values, in black and white film) inverted. This type of film must be "printed"—either projected through a lens or placed in contact—to photographic paper in order to be viewed as intended. Print films are available in both black-and-white and color.
Color reversal film after development is called a transparency and can be viewed directly using a loupe or projector. Reversal film mounted with plastic or cardboard for projection is often called a slide. It is also often marketed as "slide" film. They are also sometimes referred to as "chromes" i.e. Fujichrome, Kodachrome, etc.

Slide film uses different types of chemicals(E-6) to process than color negative films(C-41). Slide films are not used near as much as negative films and hence the local labs do not put out the expense of having the means to process slide film when very few orders come in. Your higher end camera film processors do the majority of slide processing for professionals and photography students in local universities. Some people process their own slides using e-6 processing chemicals.