Hurter & Driffield began pioneering work on the light sensitivity of film in 1876 onwards. Their work enabled the first quantitative measure of film speed to be devised.
Early photography in the form of daguerreotypes did not use film at all. Eastman Kodak developed the first flexible photographic film in 1885. This original "film" was coated on paper. The first transparent plastic film was produced in 1889. Before this, glass photographic plates were used, which were far more expensive and cumbersome, albeit also of better quality.
The first photographic film was made from highly flammable nitrocellulose with camphor as a plasticizer (celluloid). Beginning in the 1920s, nitrate film was replaced with cellulose acetate or "safety film". This changeover was not completed until 1933 for X-ray films (where its flammability hazard was most acute) and for motion picture film until 1951.
Spectral sensitivity
The first films were sensitive to blue light only. Orthochromatic film sensitive to the spectral range from green to blue was introduced in 1879 and was dominant until the mid-1920s, when panchromatic film sensitive to the entire visual spectrum, became standard. All of these films were used to produce black and white images, regardless of spectral sensitivity.
Experiments with color photography were first made in 1861, but generally usable emulsions only became available in the 1930s. After World War II much progress was made, and color became used for the overwhelming majority of photographs.
Effect on lens and equipment design
Photographic lenses and equipment are designed around the film to be used. The earliest lenses needed to focus blue light only. The introduction of orthochromatic film required the spectrum from green to blue to be brought to the same focus. A red window could be used to view frame numbers of rollfilm; any red light which leaked beyond the film backing would not fog the film; and red lighting could be used in darkrooms.
With the introduction of panchromatic film the whole visual spectrum needed to be brought to the same focus. In all cases a color cast in the lens glass or faint colored reflections in the image were of no consequence as they would merely change the contrast a little. This was no longer acceptable with the introduction of color film. More highly corrected lenses for newer emulsions could be used with older emulsion types, but the converse was not true.
The filters used were different for the different film types.
The progression of lens design for later emulsions is of practical importance when considering the use of old lenses, still often used on large-format equipment; a lens designed for orthochromatic film may have visible defects with a color emulsion; a lens for panchromatic film will be better but not as good as later designs.
While color processing is more complex and temperature-sensitive than for monochromatic film, the great popularity of color and almost disappearance of monochrome prompted the design of monochromatic film which is processed in exactly the same way as a standard color film.
Early photography in the form of daguerreotypes did not use film at all. Eastman Kodak developed the first flexible photographic film in 1885. This original "film" was coated on paper. The first transparent plastic film was produced in 1889. Before this, glass photographic plates were used, which were far more expensive and cumbersome, albeit also of better quality.
The first photographic film was made from highly flammable nitrocellulose with camphor as a plasticizer (celluloid). Beginning in the 1920s, nitrate film was replaced with cellulose acetate or "safety film". This changeover was not completed until 1933 for X-ray films (where its flammability hazard was most acute) and for motion picture film until 1951.
Spectral sensitivity
The first films were sensitive to blue light only. Orthochromatic film sensitive to the spectral range from green to blue was introduced in 1879 and was dominant until the mid-1920s, when panchromatic film sensitive to the entire visual spectrum, became standard. All of these films were used to produce black and white images, regardless of spectral sensitivity.
Experiments with color photography were first made in 1861, but generally usable emulsions only became available in the 1930s. After World War II much progress was made, and color became used for the overwhelming majority of photographs.
Effect on lens and equipment design
Photographic lenses and equipment are designed around the film to be used. The earliest lenses needed to focus blue light only. The introduction of orthochromatic film required the spectrum from green to blue to be brought to the same focus. A red window could be used to view frame numbers of rollfilm; any red light which leaked beyond the film backing would not fog the film; and red lighting could be used in darkrooms.
With the introduction of panchromatic film the whole visual spectrum needed to be brought to the same focus. In all cases a color cast in the lens glass or faint colored reflections in the image were of no consequence as they would merely change the contrast a little. This was no longer acceptable with the introduction of color film. More highly corrected lenses for newer emulsions could be used with older emulsion types, but the converse was not true.
The filters used were different for the different film types.
The progression of lens design for later emulsions is of practical importance when considering the use of old lenses, still often used on large-format equipment; a lens designed for orthochromatic film may have visible defects with a color emulsion; a lens for panchromatic film will be better but not as good as later designs.
While color processing is more complex and temperature-sensitive than for monochromatic film, the great popularity of color and almost disappearance of monochrome prompted the design of monochromatic film which is processed in exactly the same way as a standard color film.
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