Zoechrome

Subtractive 3 color: Multi-layer printing

16 Images in 1 Gallery

Wolff-Heide

additive three-color: Integrated filters and rotary filter
Much like many other additive processes, the Wolff-Heide system was based on three black and white color separations printed consecutively on one film strip and projected through a rotary filter attached to the projector. However, the biggest ...

Warner-Powrie

Additive 3 color: Line screen
“The Warner-Powrie process patented in 1905 was the earliest commercial process using a screen made with bichromated colloid. A glass plate was thinly coated with bichromated gelatin or fish glue and exposed to light through a screen having ...

Vitacolor

Subtractive 2 color: Single coated

Versicolor-Dufay

Additive 3 color: Line screen plate, still photography
“The most successful of all the screen processes was the one initiated by Louis Dufay. Today the product is known as Dufaycolor, but it was first introduced about 1910 as the Dioptichrome plate. The first Dufay patents were assigned to an ...

Vericolor

Subtractive 2 color: unknown

40 Images

Urban-Joy Process, improvement of Kinemacolor, later called Kinekrom

Additive 2 color: Rotary filter
“In the design of apparatus Urban was assisted after 1905 by Henry W. Joy. The Urban-Joy perforator appeared in 1906. The Urban-Joy anti-firing device, a shutter to prevent the firing of inflammable film when projectors broke down, was another ...

Unidentified Processes

Various

Photographs of unidentified color film technologies. Several different principles and times. Feel free to contact us if you can help identifying them!

298 Images in 5 Galleries

Ulysse

Two, three or four color color additive process: multiple lenses
The process relied on two-, three- or even four-color selections being superimposed on the screen. On the positive, two, three or four images of reduced dimensions were printed on a single frame with a longitudinal and lateral distance corresponding ...

Ufacolor

Subtractive 2 color: Bi-pack, mordant toning

136 Images in 7 Galleries

Trucolor 3 color

Subtractive 3 color: Color separation on DuPont Release Positive Film

Trucolor 2 color

Subtractive 2 color: Bi-pack, double-coated with dye couplers
“By the 1940s, most of the two-colour subtractive processes, apart from Cinecolor, were obsolete. The widespread use of the high-quality Technicolor process showed up the serious deficiencies in the simpler methods. The only significant new ...

Trichromatic vision

Theory: Color vision
Theory of trichromatic vision proposed by Thomas Young.

Traube / Uvachrome

Subtractive 3 color: Mordanting, dye transfer, wash-off relief, still photography
“In the imbibition process, a dye image is transferred from a gelatin relief image to a receiving layer made either of paper or film. Charles Cros described this method of ‘hydrotypie’ transfer printing in 1880 and suggested it ...

3 Images

Traube / Diachromie

Subtractive 3 color: Mordant toning, still photography
“In the imbibition process, a dye image is transferred from a gelatin relief image to a receiving layer made either of paper or film. Charles Cros described this method of “hydrotypie” transfer printing in 1880 and suggested it ...

Toning / metallic toning (French: virage, German: Tonung)

Applied colors: Replacement of silver

In contrast to tinting, toning is not the simple immersion of a film into a dye bath but involves a chemical reaction converting the silver image. In this reaction the neutral silver image in the emulsion of the positive film is replaced by one consisting of colored metal compounds. These were usually iron ferrocyanide (Prussian Blue) for blue, copper ferrocyanide for red/brown, silver sulfide for sepia or rarely uranium ferrocyanide for reddish brown. Toning had been used in still photography before. But since film was projected on the screen it required translucent toning compounds.

1550 Images in 63 Galleries

Tinting by application of varnish

Applied colors: Tinting
Very little information is available on this very rare process. Instead of immersion into a dye-bath the positive print was coated uniformly with a varnish. This technique can be identified by the lack on dyes in the perforation area and by the ...

1 Image

Tinting (French: teintage, German: Virage)

Applied colors: Dyed gelatin

For tinting, the positive print is immersed into a variety of dye baths, scene by scene. To this end, the print has to be cut into the corresponding fragments and reassembled after the dyeing process. The dye homogeneously attaches over the entire image’s gelatin including the perforation area. Usually synthetic dyes were dissolved in a weak acid solution to form a chemical bond with the gelatin.

4499 Images in 113 Galleries

Tinted film base / Kodak Sonochrome

Applied colors: Tinted film for sound films
Kodak Sonochrome was a specially prepared tinted film for sound film that did not interfere with the spectral sensitivity of the photo-electric cell for the reading of the optical sound track. The 17 Sonochrome tints were dyed in mainly light hues ...

79 Images in 3 Galleries

Thornton

Additive two-color or four-color process: beam splitter and mosaic screen, films
In this process, two positives, one orange-red one blue-green, were cemented together. Several specifications and modifications exist, for instance the strengthening of the perforated film margins via a second exposure, in an attempt to overcome wear ...

Thomson Color

Additive 3 color: Lenticular screen

3 Images

Thomascolor

Additive 3 color: 4 images on 65 mm

5 Images

Theory of three-color photography

Theory

11 Images

1 Image

Telco Color, additive 2 color

Additive 2 color: Split optics, side by side

Telco color subtractive 2 color

Subtractive 2 color: Split optics, side by side, duplitized film

1 Image

Technicolor No. VI: Dye-transfer prints from enhanced process

Subtractive 3 color: dye transfer
In 1994, Technicolor announced the development of an enhanced dye-transfer process. This process became effective in  June 1997. There was no official denomination, so “Technicolor No. VI” is not to be confused with statements from the mid ...

Technicolor No. V: Dye transfer prints from chromogenic negative

Subtractive 3 color: Dye transfer
With the introduction of the chromogenic Eastmancolor negative/positive process it became possible to shoot with a normal one-strip camera. Three b/w color separations were produced from the Eastmancolor negative and printed by dye transfer on blank ...

2261 Images in 41 Galleries

Technicolor No. IV: Three-strip

Subtractive 3 color: Color separation, beam-splitter, dye transfer
With the fourth Technicolor process the company dominated the market for color films from the mid-1930s to the 1950s. In a special camera, three b/w negative films were exposed through a beam-splitter that consisted of two prisms to form a cube. One ...

1881 Images in 65 Galleries

Technicolor No. III

Subtractive 2 color: Beam-splitter, dye transfer

The third Technicolor process used the same camera as process no. II to combine a pair of frames of the red and green record respectively on the b/w negative (see image). In contrast to the former process, however, the two images were printed on one side of the positive by the dye transfer or imbibition process.

1298 Images in 38 Galleries

Technicolor No. II

Subtractive 2 color: 2 toned films cemented

The first subtractive 2 color process introduced by Technicolor captured the incoming light through a beam splitter with red and green filters also. However, in contrast to the first Technicolor process, the two b/w images were recorded on one negative strip. This was achieved by the pull-down of two frames simultaneously, a process that required the double speed in the camera. These two frames were arranged in pairs, whereby the green record was inverted up-side down (see image).

133 Images in 8 Galleries

Technicolor No. I

Additive 2 color: Beam-splitter

During the capturing of the film a beam-splitter in combination with filters in the camera divided the incoming light into a red and a green separation negative on black-and-white stock. When projected in the cinema the two images were combined simultaneously by additive mixture through corresponding red and green filters into one picture consisting of red and green colored light. The reduction of the whole color range to two colors (and their additive combinations) was necessary because of the complex optical arrangement.

6 Images in 1 Gallery

Technicolor Monopack / Kodachrome Professional Type 5267 / Eastman Monopack 7267

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack
During the 1940s Kodachrome was used as camera material for films that were blown up to 35mm Technicolor projection prints. Technicolor used this technology from 1942 until the mid-1950s when Eastman Kodak introduced the Eastmancolor ...

Technichrome

Subtractive 2 color: Dye transfer, 2 color bi-pack, 3 color printing

4 Images in 1 Gallery

Technic-Colour

Subtractive 2 color: Beam-splitter, duplitized

Talkicolor

Additive 2 color: Alternately stained
“Two-colour additive process Talkicolor was developed by Percy James Pearce along with Dr Anthony Bernardi who was also involved in the development of Raycol. The process was funded mainly by the author Elinor Glyn through her company Elinor ...

3 Images in 1 Gallery

Taihang Color

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack

Szczepanik

Additive 3 color: Moving lenses
“The process of J. Szczepanik in 1925 was impracticable. He used a non-intermittent camera having a chain of eighteen lenses moving together with the film behind a collimating lens, three pictures being simultaneously exposed.” (Klein, ...

Svema LN-8

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack

Svema LN-7

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack

Svema LN-6M

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack

Svema LN-5M

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack

Svema LN-3

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack

Svema LN-2

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack

Svema LN-1

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack

Svema DS-5M

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack

Svema DS-4

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack

Svema DS-3

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack

Svema DS-2

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack

Svema DS-1

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack

Svema CO-T-90 L

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack

Svema CO-T-22 D

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack

Supercinecolor / Natural Color

Subtractive 3 color: Color separation, duplitized film, third layer added

Super Anscochrome Tungsten, type 226

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack, reversal, 16mm
See Anscochrome and Super Anscochrome Daylight, type 225.

Super Anscochrome Daylight, type 225

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack, reversal, 16mm
See Anscochrome and Super Anscochrome Tungsten, type 226.

Splendicolor

Subtractive 3 color: Beam-splitter, double-coated film, bichromated gelatin, Pinatype

Spicer-Dufay

Additive 3 color: Line screen (réseau), 35 mm reversal
For a description of Spicer-Dufay see detail page on Dufaycolor)

78 Images in 2 Galleries

Spectracolor (= British version of Ufacolor)

Subtractive 2 color: Bi-pack, mordant toning

Sovcolor negative type G

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack, Tungsten

Sovcolor negative film type B

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack, daylight

15 Images in 3 Galleries

Sistema Cristiani-Mascarini

Additive four-color: beam splitter and filters, four images on 35mm black and white film.
For this four-color process, the light beam was decomposed into four parts, each of which simultaneously exposed an area equal to one quarter of the 35mm frame of a black and white negative. This was obtained optically by placing a diaphragm and a ...

2 Images

Sirius

Subtractive 2 color: Beam-splitter, double-coated
“The Dutch Sirius Color process (1929) used a camera with a beamsplitting system behind the lens to expose a single film, the film passing through two gates at right angles to each other. The double-coated print film was dye-toned. The process ...

142 Images in 4 Galleries

Silver dye-bleach

Subtractive 3 color: Dye-bleach
“Probably the first use of the catalytic property of silver was in 1889, when E. Howard Farmer disclosed the action of a silver image upon strong dichromate solutions (Eng. P. 17773/89). When a plate or film, containing a silver image, is immersed ...

Sensitizing theory

Color theory
“Dr. H. W. Vogel, the discoverer of colour sensitizers, made three-colour photography possible, and has been the first to recognise the relation between colour sensitiveness of plate and printing colour in the following principle made known in ...

Sennett Color

Subtractive 2 color: Bi-pack, double coated, toned
“Public showings of the work done at this plant in Hollywood have been given to Los Angeles audiences. The release prints are made on double sided film. Both sides are developed at one time and then toned red on one side and bluegreen on the ...

18 Images in 1 Gallery

Sakuracolor

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack, reversal

Russian two-color system

Subtractive two color

1 Image

Russian three-color process

Subtractive three color

6 Images

Rouxcolor 4 color

Additive 4 color: 4 lenses

7 Images in 1 Gallery

Rouxcolor 2 color / Cineoptichrome

Additive 2 color: Beam-splitter

2 Images

Rotocolor

Additive 2 color: Rotary filter
“The Rotocolor process was an additive system for color cinematography. The process was announced in 1931 by H. Muller. According to an article in Film Daily, April 12, 1931, and The Motion Picture Herald, April 11, 1931, the process consisted of ...

Rota Farbenfilm

Subtractive 2 color: Bi-pack, mordant toning

13 Images in 2 Galleries

Roncarolo

Subtractive 2, 3 or 4 color: Beam-splitter and bi-pack, later dye-transfer
The Roncarolo system required a camera capable of recording two panchromatic negatives (which became three or four in subsequent patents) through the use of a beam splitter and red and green filters. The chromatic information registered on the two or ...

Raycol

Additive 2 color: Beam-splitter, sawn-off lens

13 Images in 1 Gallery

Proposal of a variety of processes of three-color photography

Theory: still photography
“Louis Ducos du Hauron is reported to have become interested in the reproduction of colors by photography in 1859, when he was twentyone years old (Potonniée, 1939). In 1862 he submitted to a friend of his family, M. Lelut, a paper embodying ...

2 Images

Proposal of a variety of processes of three-color photography

Theory
Description of a variety of color processes, even for images in motion by the use of a rotary shutter.

Procédé Tetrachrome

Additive four-color process: rotating filters
Based on four primary colors, the process successively recorded two simultaneous images for two primary colors each. In projection, the four images were combined on screen, supposedly via a regular projector.

Procédé Colombier

Subtractive 3 color: Tri-pack
“M. F. de Colombier appears to have been the first to suggest the application of this system to cinematography, and like so many French patents it is a little indefinite in phraseology. Three films were employed representing the same view and ...

Prizma II

Subtractive 2 color: Toning on double coated film
“In its final form Prizma made use of duplitized positive film. As in previous Prizma systems, the original negatives were alternate frame sequential exposures. The Prizma negative was printed on both sides of the positive film in a special ...

399 Images in 14 Galleries

Prizma I

Additive 3 color: Rotary filter
“The color experiments were conducted in the basement of a house at 1586 E. Seventeenth St., Brooklyn, N. Y. During this time a double-coated stock and a bleach formula which had much to do with the success of the later Prizma process were ...

Prism

Additive 3 color: Prism

1 Image

Predecessor of Kinemacolor

Additive 2 color: Rotary filter
“Then we come upon the name of George Albert Smith, F.R.A.S., of Laboratory Lodge, Roman Crescent, Southwick, Brighton, who in E.P. 26,671, of 1906, patented the method which eventually was commercialized as Kinemacolor. In this patent he ...

Polychromide

Subtractive 2 color: Beam-splitter, later bi-pack, mordant dye
“Polychromide, a two-color subtractive process invented in 1918 by Aron Hamburger, achieved limited commercial success overseas, and was occasionally employed in England as late as 1933. Originally an orthochromatic and a panchromatic negative were ...

66 Images in 2 Galleries

Polavision

Diffusion: Line screen, super-8 mm

14 Images

Polacolor Instant Photography

instant still photography
“Polacolor was commercialized in 1963 and became an immediate success. It was acclaimed as the “most outstanding single advance in photographic science made during this century” (Crawley 1963). Indeed, Polacolor introduced important new ...

4 Images

Polacolor

Subtractive 3 color: Color separation, multicolor dye images

Polachrome

35mm Slide Film

4 Images in 1 Gallery

Pinchart

Additive 3 color: Four lenses, red-green-blue-grey

2 Images

Pinatype / Pinatypie

Subtractive 3 color: Dye transfer, still photography
“In the imbibition process, a dye image is transferred from a gelatin relief image to a receiving layer made either of paper or film. Charles Cros described this method of “hydrotypie” transfer printing in 1880 and suggested it ...

4 Images

Photocolor

Subtractive 2 color: Beam-splitter, double-coated

42 Images

Pathécolor / Pathéchrome / stencil coloring

Applied colors: Stencil, dyed gelatin
Stencil coloring required the manual cutting, frame by frame, of the area which was to be tinted onto another identical print, one for each color. Usually the number of colors applied ranged from 3 to 6. The process was highly improved by the ...

2265 Images in 73 Galleries

Pantachrom

Subtractive 3 color: Bi-pack and lenticular film recording, duplitized film with toning and silver dye-bleach
“In October, Eggert of the Agfa Research Department, read a paper at the Berlin meeting of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für photographische Forschung, on the Pantochrom subtractive lenticular bipack tricolor process. (Fig. 1) The green and blue ...

19 Images in 3 Galleries

Panchromotion

Additive 4 color: Rotary filter
”Kelley’s first color process was a four-color additive system introduced in 1913. Called Panchromotion, Kelley formed a company which would exploit the process commercially and, he hoped, provide strong competition for Kinemacolor. He apparently ...

2 Images

Panacolor

Subtractive 3 color: Color separation, multilayer print

11 Images in 1 Gallery

Orwocolor NC 3

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack

Orwocolor NC 1

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack

Orwocolor

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack

1026 Images in 27 Galleries

Orwochrom

Subtractive 3 color: Chromogenic monopack, reversal, 16 mm

84 Images in 3 Galleries

Orthochromatic stock

b/w photography: Orthochromatic b/w stock
“In 1873 Dr Vogel discovered that by adding dyes to the sensitive material, its sensitivity could be extended, so that it would record green as well as blue. The new ‘orthochromatic’ plates were available commercially from 1882. The ...

2 Images