Agfacolor lenticular / Agfacolor Linsenrasterfilm
Description
The basic idea of the lenticular film was developed by the German Raphaël Liesegang in 1896 and applied to still photography by the French Rodolphe Berthon in 1908.
The lenticular process applies tiny cylindrical lenses embossed on the film support which produce an additive screen in combination with a filter. The lenses refract the incident light which is separated through a striped filter (see image no. 4) into the additive primaries red, green and blue each of which has the width of one third of the lenses. The filter is placed in front of the lens of the camera and the projector, thus inverting the process (see fig. no. 3).
On closer inspection the Agfacolor lenticular film is black and white with a regular pattern of fine vertical elevations (see image no. 8). The width of the lenses is 0.028 mm. Thus the resolution is improved by a factor of almost 2 compared to the competitors Kodacolor and Keller-Dorian.
While this process was well adjusted to amateur work thanks to the simplicity of the handling, it was never a success in professional film production. As in all of the screen processes the loss of light due to the screen and filter was a severe drawback.
Compared to mosaic screens such as the Lumières’ Autochrome and the corresponding film processes such as Cinécolor, the regular pattern of the lenticular screen did not produce obtrusive irregularities during projection.
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Color reconstruction. Credit: Gisela Harich-Hamburger, Diplomrestauratorin (FH).
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Source: Heymer, Gerd (1933): Auflösungsvermögen und Farbwiedergabe in der Farbrasterphotographie. In: Veröffentlichungen des wissenschaftlichen Zentral-Laboratoriums der photographischen Abteilung Agfa, 3, 1933, pp. 188-207.
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Source: Weil, F. (1933): The Optical-Photographic Principles of the Agfacolor Process. In: Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers, 20, (April, 1933), No. 4, p. 301-308.
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Both the Kodak and Agfa lenticular processes required the correct banded filter to be used with each different batch of panchromatic film. These two filters were for different batches of Agfacolor used in a Leica camera.. Source: Coote, Jack H. (1993): The Illustrated History of Colour Photography. Surbiton, Surrey: Fountain Press.
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Credit: Illustration by Sarah Steinbacher, Multimedia & E-Learning-Services, University of Zurich. Source: Ede, François (1994): Jour de fête ou la couleur retrouvée. Cahiers du Cinéma: Paris.
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Principle of capturing and projecting lenticular film. Credit: Joakim Reuteler and Rudolf Gschwind, Digital Humanities Lab, University of Basel, Switzerland. Illustration by Sarah Steinbacher, Multimedia & E-Learning-Services, University of Zurich.
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Principle of capturing and projecting lenticular film. Credit: Joakim Reuteler and Rudolf Gschwind, Digital Humanities Lab, University of Basel, Switzerland. Illustration by Sarah Steinbacher, Multimedia & E-Learning-Services, University of Zurich.
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Principle of capturing and projecting lenticular film. Credit: Joakim Reuteler and Rudolf Gschwind, Digital Humanities Lab, University of Basel, Switzerland. Illustration by Sarah Steinbacher, Multimedia & E-Learning-Services, University of Zurich.
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Magnification 5x, front. Credit: photomicrograph by Silvana Konermann.
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Magnification 10x, back. Credit: photomicrograph by Silvana Konermann.
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Magnification 20x, front. Credit: photomicrograph by Silvana Konermann.
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Reflection on Agfacolor lenticular film. Source: Eggert, John (1932): Kurzer Überblick über den Stand der Farbenkinematographie. In: Bericht über den VIII. Internationalen Kongress für wissenschaftliche und angewandte Photographie, Dresden 1931, pp. 214-222. Leipzig: J. A. Barth.
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Reconstruction of lenticular film by Joakim Reuteler and Rudolf Gschwind, Digital Humanities Lab, University of Basel, Switzerland in the framework of their research project doLCE
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Agfacolor Lenticular sample from the Kodak Film Samples Collection at the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford.
Credit: National Science and Media Museum Bradford.
Photographs by Barbara Flueckiger in collaboration with Noemi Daugaard.
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Analog reconstruction by Giorgio Trumpy, ERC Advanced Grant FilmColors
Original Technical Papers and Primary Sources
Weil, F. (1933): The Optical-Photographic Principles of the Agfacolor Process. In: Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers, 20,4, April, 1933, p. 301-308. View Quote
Secondary Sources
Alt, Dirk (2011): “Der Farbfilm marschiert!” Frühe Farbfilmverfahren und NS-Propaganda 1933-1945. München: Belleville, on pp. 52-53 View Quote and on p. 389. (in German) View Quote
Anonymous (1932): Agfa-Color. In: Die Kinotechnik, 14,12, Jun., p. 232. (in German) View Quote
Beyer, Friedemann; Koshofer, Gert; Krüger, Michael (2010): UFA in Farbe. Technik, Politik und Starkult zwischen 1936 und 1945. München: Collection Rolf Heyne, on pp. 45–46. (in German) View Quote
Dr. N. (1937): Linsenraster. In: Film-Kurier, 183, 2.8.1937, Serie “Farb-Film-Fibel”. (in German) View Quote
Eggert, John; Heymer, Gerd (1937): Der Stand der Farbenphotographie. In: Veröffentlichungen des wissenschaftlichen Zentral-Laboratoriums der photographischen Abteilung Agfa, pp. 7–28, on pp. 10–15 View Quote and on pp. 26–28. (in German) View Quote
Finger, Erhard (1994): Die Filmfabrik Wolfen. Porträt eines traditionsreichen Unternehmens 1909 bis 1994. GÖS-Gesellschaft für Sanierungsmaßnahmen Wolfen und Thalheim mbH, Filmfabrik Wolfen GmbH i.L., pp. 27-28. (in German) View Quote
Finger, Ehrhard (1998): Die Pioniere des Wolfener Farbfilms. In: Industrie- und Filmmuseum Wolfen e. V. (ed.), Die Filmfabrik Wolfen. Aus der Geschichte, Heft 2, pp. 16-17. (in German) View Quote
Heymer, Gerd (1931): Interferenzerscheinungen an Linsenrasterfilmen. In: Veröffentlichungen des wissenschaftlichen Zentral-Laboratoriums der photographischen Abteilung Agfa, 2, 1931, pp. 111-117. (in German) View Quote
Heymer, Gerd (1933): Auflösungsvermögen und Farbwiedergabe in der Farbrasterphotographie. In: Veröffentlichungen des wissenschaftlichen Zentral-Laboratoriums der photographischen Abteilung Agfa, 3, 1933, pp. 188-207. (in German) View Quote
Heymer, Gerd (1935): Wesen und Anwendungen des Linsenrasters. In: Veröffentlichungen des wissenschaftlichen Zentral-Laboratoriums der photographischen Abteilung Agfa, 4, 1935, pp. 151-176. (in German) View Quote
Heymer, Gerd (1943): Die neuere Entwicklung der Farbphotographie. In: Ergänzungswerk zum Handbuch der wissenschaftlichen und angewandten Photographie. Wien: Julius Springer 1943, pp. 337-463, on p. 397, p. 399. (in German) View Quote
Koshofer, Gert (1966): Fünfundzwanzig Jahre deutscher Farbenspielfilm. In: Film – Kino – Technik, 20,10, 1966, pp. 259-262, on pp. 259-260. (in German) View Quote
Downloads
Patents
D.R.P. 558,365 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG/Dr. Eggert, John/Dr. Heymer, Gerd; granted Oct. 24, 1928)
Download PDFE.P. 353,121 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed May 8, 1930; granted July 23, 1931)
Download PDFE.P. 356,701 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed May 8, 1930; granted Sept. 8, 1931)
Download PDFE.P. 359,474 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed April 17, 1929; not granted)
Download PDFE.P. 364,559 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed Aug. 6, 1930; granted Jan. 6, 1932)
Download PDFE.P. 366,175 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed Nov. 17, 1930; granted Feb. 4; 1932)
Download PDFE.P. 367,411 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed Oct. 20, 1930; granted Feb. 22, 1932)
Download PDFE.P. 367,414 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed Nov. 12, 1930; granted Feb. 12, 1932)
Download PDFE.P. 368,970 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed Feb. 28, 1931; granted March 17, 1932)
Download PDFE.P. 369,262 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed Nov. 18, 1930; granted March 18, 1932)
Download PDFE.P. 376,225 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed Jan. 20, 1932; granted June 23, 1932)
Download PDFE.P. 375,229 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed Jan. 27, 1932; granted June 23, 1932)
Download PDFE.P. 375,338 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed Dec. 24, 1930; granted June 24, 1932)
Download PDFE.P. 383,795 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed Jan. 18, 1932; granted Nov. 24, 1932)
Download PDFE.P. 387,159 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed May 11, 1932; granted Feb. 2, 1933)
Download PDFE.P. 392,987 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed Dec. 10, 1931; granted June 1, 1933)
Download PDFE.P. 395,124 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed April 28, 1932; granted July 13, 1933)
Download PDFE.P. 399,977 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed Sept. 26, 1932; granted Oct. 19, 1933)
Download PDFE.P. 400,057 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed Feb. 16, 1933; granted Oct. 19, 1933)
Download PDFE.P. 401,963 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed April 7, 1933; granted Nov. 23, 1933)
Download PDFE.P. 402,902 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed Sept. 8, 1932; granted Dec. 14, 1933)
Download PDFE.P. 406,187 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed July 5, 1933; granted Feb. 22, 1934)
Download PDFE.P. 412,021 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed May 1, 1933; granted June 21, 1934)
Download PDFE.P. 417,020 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed Jan. 15, 1934; granted Sept. 26, 1934)
Download PDFE.P. 418,040 (I.G. Farbenindustrie AG; filed July 31, 1933; granted Oct. 17, 1934)
Download PDFWeil, F. (1933): The Optical-Photographic Principles of the Agfacolor Process. In: Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers, 20, (April, 1933), No. 4, p. 301-308.
Download PDF
Links
Research project doLCE by Joakim Reuteler and Rudolf Gschwind, Digital Humanities Lab, University of Basel, Switzerland.
Contemporary Reception
Eggert, John (1932): Kurzer Überblick über den Stand der Farbenkinematographie. In: John Eggert and Arpad von Biehler: Bericht über den VIII. Internationalen Kongress für wissenschaftliche und angewandte Photographie, Dresden 1931, Leipzig: J. A. Barth, pp. 214-222, on pp. 218-220. (in German) View Quote
