AGFACOLOR’S 25 YEARS

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29746, 13 February 1962, Page 8

AGFACOLOR’S 25 YEARS

The European Silver Jubilee Of Colour Photography

AGFACOLOR PHOTOGRAPHY was born in 1936. The first European colour film based on chromogenic development. It was an unparalleled success. Behind this success lay years of research by Agfa’s scientific and technical department, headed by Dr. Gustav Wilmanns. a director of Agfa, from 1924 to 1941. Today, the principle of Agfacolor developed by Dr. Wilmanns and his colleagues, based on non-diffusing colour formers is still just as applicable as in its original form 25 years ago.

The Decisive Discovery “Chromogenic” and “nondiffusing colour components" are terms frequently used in colour photography. What do they mean? How were they developed? Here is a brief explanation of these terms.

Even before 1936 there were colour photography processes. For example the Agfa mosaic process provided a colour transparency of the three primary colours red. blue and green. This was done by minute colour filters of mosaic type. However, these pictures were coarsegrained. required long exposure times, powerful projection lamps, and it was impossible to obtain opaque colour pictures and prints. It was realised that colour process deficiencies could be overcome if three emulsions in the basic colours (Yellow, magenta, blue-green) could be superimposed in ONE film. Something like a housewife washing yellow, magenta and blue-green articles in boiling water without the colours running (or diffusing). Dr. Wilmanns and his research chemists discovered and perfected this new colour processing method. It involved a single development operation in which each of the three colours formed a separate emulsion layer in the required strength or density. Each layer was nondiffusing. It did not “bleed” into the adjoining layer. Today, each layer of film is less than 0003 millimetres. Almost 20 times thinner than a sheet of newspaper.

An All-embracing System From the outset the Agfacolor principle was planned as an all-embracing system. It includes the reversal process for colour transparencies and the negative-positive process for colour prints on paper. The practical side of the process was adapted to the methods used in black and white photography. This means photographers can make use of experience gained in black and white work. It means ONE film. ONE exposure. ONE development process—with all the colours occurring in nature. In 1936 Agfacolor reversal film was introduced. In 1940 the first Agfacolor cinema film was produced “Frauen

sind doch bessere Diplomaten” (“Women are better diplomats"). The world's first entertainment film produced by the colour negative process. The First Colour Print* On Paper In 1942 Agfacolor negative film and Agfacolor paper were introduced to the public. This was a world “first” and the exhibition of Agfacolor paper prints which travelled Europe during the war was a sensation. However, due to the war and post-war events, this material was not available to the amateur until 1949. During that year a new Agfa film factory was built in Leverkusen.

1949 marked the start of the world-wide popularity of Agfacolor. Since then continual improvement, speed increases and extension of the range have maintained Agfa's leadership. Uses have widened. Agfacolor today is used in narrow-gauge film, in science and technology, in research and in school work.

Increase In Speed Of 1:100 In 1916 an outdoor photograph in bright sunshine on mosaic material required a full second at aperture f 11. In 1936 Agfacolor reversal film had a speed of 70DIN. A shutter speed of l/10sec was required at the same lens aperture. Today l/100sec is sufficient for Agfacolor CTIB film. A hundredfold increase in speed. In the first Agfacolor cinema film the lighting power required was 20,000 lux. Filming with modern Agfacolor cinema film requires only 1000 lux to produce the same effect. Rationalisation of Processing Method* To produce and develop materials for colour photography is one thing. To produce these materials economically for a brood retail market is another. But Agfa has done just that. Agfa has pioneered the field of rationalisation and automation of photographic processing methods by introducing electronic* to the photo - finishing establishments. Intensive research and development in all fields of colour photography mean steady progress. In addition, a quarter of a century’s experience means that Agfa will be to the fore in technical development. Newest Agfa developments in New Zealand in colour photography are AUTO PRINTS from Agfacolor CNI7 film. Use it in your present camera 620, 120. 127 or 35 mm. Final print*—b.g true-to-life prints are in colour—Agfacolor. Sizes are 4” x 3"—from all oblong Agfacolor CNI7 Negatives, and 3J" x 3J" from all square Agfacolor CNI7 negatives. Agfacolor prints from 2s 9d each. —Advt.