1. Before Ektachrome Transparency Slide Film; Kodacolor Aero Reversible Film
2. E-1 to E-6 ~ Process Chronology
3. Early Ektachrome Film, from 1946
   Boxes of Ektachrome Sheet Film, early 1950s
   Ektachrome Type B Sheet Film, as made in the UK, 1949~1952
   Prices of Ektachrome Sheet Film and Processing in the UK in 1950~1952
   Ektachrome Exposure
   Ektachrome Processing
   1946 Processing sequence
4. 1954 Processing Sequence ~ Process E-1 from 1955
   Boxes of Ektachrome Process E1 film, from mid 1950s to 1960
   Box of Ektachrome Process E1 film ~ 6102
   Exposure of Ektachrome Type B Process E1 film using the supplementary data sheet
5. 1955 ~ Process E-2 ~ Daylight Films
   Ektachrome Process E2 ~ Type F Film
   1959 ~ Improved E-2 Films and Processing
   Process E2 'Improved Type' Procedure
   High Speed Ektachrome Film
   High Speed Ektachrome Processed to Colour Negatives
   E2 Formulae from the British Journal of Photography Annual 1980
6. 1959 to 1977 ~ Process E-3
   Two Very Early Ektachrome Process E3 Film Boxes
   Processing Procedure for E3
   Ektachrome E3 Daylight Type Sheet Film ~ 6115
   Ektachrome Professional 120 Roll Film ~ Process E3 (6115)
   Ektachrome E3 Artificial Light Type B Sheet Film for 3200°K lamps
7. Process E-4 ~ Ektachrome Daylight and Tungsten films (and SO-371 & SO-375 sheet films)
   Processing Procedure for E-4 (i) commercial size and (ii) amateur
   Storage Life of Solutions
8. Process E-6
   Ektachrome Professional 64 ~ 6117
   Ektachrome Professional film 6118
   Ektachrome Professional 100 film for daylight, Sheet ~ 6122 and Roll Film
   Kodak Ektachrome E6 Processing Kits
   Kodak Hobby Pac Colour Slide Kit for Process E6
   Processing Procedure for E-6
   AP test of Ektachrome 200 for Process E6 (Jan 18th 1978)
   Ektachrome 64X, 100X and 400X Pro T-Grain (Spring 1992)
9. Processing Out-of-Date E-2 (and E-3 / E-4) films
   

1. Kodak Reversal Color Print Material
   Type R Paper from 1955 (becoming Ektachrome Paper in 1958)
   Processing Type R Paper, using Kodak Color Print Process P-111, from 1955
   Kodak Ektachrome Paper, from 1958
   Availability of Kodak Ektachrome Paper in the USA in 1960
   Machine Printing Kodak Ektachrome Paper and Processing in Ektaprint R Chemicals; 1963 – 64
   Kodak Ektachrome Paper in the UK
   Processing Ektachrome Paper using Ektaprint R, from 1965
   Ektachrome RC Paper, from 1969
   Processing Ektachrome & Ektachrome RC Papers using Kodak 11 & 16 Rapid Processors, 1965 to 1973
   Processing Ektachrome RC Paper using Ektaprint R, 1969 to 1973
   Chronology: Ektachrome Papers Manufactured in the USA from 1973 to 1990
   Chronology: Ektachrome Papers used in the UK, imported from France and USA; 1973 to 1990
   Ektachrome RC Paper Type 1993 (in the USA from 1973)
   Processing Type 1993 using Ektaprint R-5, from 1973
   Ektachrome 2203 Paper, in the USA from 1977
   Ektachrome 14RC Paper, in the USA from 1972
   Processing Ektachrome 14RC Paper using Ektaprint R14, from 1974
   Ektachrome 14RC Type 5262 Paper, from 1976
   Processing Ektachrome 14RC Paper Type 5262
   Processing Ektachrome 14RC Paper Type 5262 in Ektaprint R14, from 1978
   Ektachrome 19 Paper, from 1980
   Processing Ektachrome 14RC Type 5262 and Ektachrome 19 Papers in Ektaprint R-3 from 1980
   Ektachrome 22 Paper, from 1984
   Ektachrome Radience III, from 1997
   
2. Experiences of Printing on Ektachrome RC Paper
3. Duplicating Transparencies
   Kodachrome as a Duplicating Film, from 1941, posssibly 1938
   Duplicating Transparencies by the Unsharp Mask Technique
   Early Ektachrome Duplicating Materials
   Kodak Ektachrome Reversal Print Film 5386, from 1962
   Kodak Special Color Duplicating Film, SO-271, mid-1966
   Ektachrome Duplicating Film, from 1967
4. Ektachrome Duplicating Film 6119 from 1969
   Ektachrome Duplicating Film 6119 in use
   Lowering the Contrast by “Flashing”
   Lowering the Contrast by Chemical Means
   Processing the Duplicates
5. Ektachrome Duplicating Film, 6120 from 1971
   Duplicating Film 6120, In Use
   Duplicating Film 6120, Exposure Times
   Duplicating Film 6120, Filtration Techniques
6. Ektachrome Duplicating Film, 6121 from 1977
7. Chronology for Ektachrome Print Films, 1981 to 1987; 3-Bath Processing
   Ektachrome Duplicating Film Type K, 7121 from early 1990s

In 1939, Vittum and Jelly, of Eastman Kodak, discovered a type of colour coupler which, unlike the Kodachrome developer couplers, could be combined with the three emulsion layers of a colour film. The new couplers were incorporated into a resinous binder. They were known as “Protected Couplers”, as they were carried in small particles of organic materials which protected them from any reactions of the silver bromide emulsions. The colour couplers were then within the emulsion but not in complete physical contact with it.

Like Agfa’s Agfacolor Neu film of 1936, any colour material, film or paper, having the colour couplers combined with the three emulsion layers at the time of manufacture, could be processed in a much simpler, and much faster, manner than that of Kodachrome. Only one colour developer and one bleach bath were required.

The first film manufactured by Eastman Kodak containing “Protected Couplers” was Kodacolor Aero Reversible Film in 1940.
Despite the name “Kodacolor”, the film produced a transparency after processing, and bore no relationship, apart from the colour couplers, to the eventual Kodacolor negative film. Kodacolor Aero was mainly used by the United States Army Air Force for reconnaissance purposes, the special feature of this film was that it could be processed anywhere without elaborate equipment.

The processing sequence and chemical baths for Kodacolor Aero Reversible film were not unlike the processing procedure and baths for the earliest type of Kodak Ektachrome sheet films. Kits of chemicals for making up the five processing baths were available. The procedure was much like Process E1 but with longer times, very likely at 68°F (20°C). The time taken to process the film, not including drying, was around 90 minutes.

It was probably about 6 to 10 ASA and had a high contrast.

Two sets of filters were supplied with the film, one filter to correct for the various emulsion differences, and to balance it for average daylight. The other filter, or filters, were to correct for “haze”, or blueishness in distant subjects. The “Haze” filters were likely to have been, “Wratten Filter No.1”, and “Wratten Filter No.2A”, 2A being slightly stronger.

It was replaced, or renamed, ”Ektachrome Aero film – High contrast”, possibly in 1946.

The chronology of the Kodak Ektachrome processing chemistry, E1 through to E6, can be learned by reading the Sections below. Because the colour couplers were included in the emulsions (unlike Kodachrome), Ektachrome film could be processed using a much simpler procedure than Kodachrome, involving only one colour developer.

Essentially, the E1 Process, though not known by that title at the outset, was available from 1946 in the US and 1947 in the UK.
The early process was ammended at least once and the processing sequence that became known as E1 is not the same as the earliest sequence. It is arguable, therefore, whether the E1 Process can be claimed to have appeared in 1946/47 or in 1954. From 1955, with the arrival of Process E2 films and chemistry (see this Section), the earlier 1954 chemistry became known as Process E1.

The E2 Process appeared around 1955 for Kodak's 32ASA (ISO) film. Process E3 arrived in 1959 with a 50ASA film. Then a jump was made to a 160ASA Ektachrome (also known as High Speed Ektachrome) later that year.

1966 saw the introduction of Process E4 for Ektachrome X and High Speed Ektachrome. Processes E3 and E4 were used during the same years and some films were occasionally mixed up by users, so Kodak tried for a single new improved process with accompanying new films.

Process E5 proved to be a development hiccup.

Process E6 appeared from 1976 and three new E6 Ektachrome films accompanied this introduction, namely Ektachrome 64, Ektachrome 200 (ISO; Daylight balanced) and Ektachrome 160 (ISO; Tungsten balanced).
The Amateur Photographer magazine tested Ektachrome 200 and Ektachrome 64 in their January 18th 1978 issue, see below.

Ektachrome film was first introduced in sheet film format in 1946. Based on the earlier Kodacolor aero film, Ektachrome had a much lower contrast and was obtainable in a Daylight balanced film and an Artificial light balanced film. The artificial light type film was known as 'Type B', balanced for 3200°K lamps (see picture, below). The Daylight film had a speed of 8ASA (ISO), and the Type B film was rated at 10ASA (ISO). Both versions were designed for processing by the photographer in the “Ektachrome Processing Kit”. There are reports of Ektachrome film being processed in “Kodacolor Aero Reversible film” chemical kits, but the first developer had to be substituted for another type. One report states that the Kodacolor Aero kit gave “bright, contrasty transparencies with slight blueness in the shadows” on Ektachrome film.

About a year later, a daylight type roll film was put on the market. The emulsion was exactly the same as the daylight sheet film. It was supplied in 620 and 120 sizes and the data sheet warns “It cannot be used satisfactorily in box or other simple cameras”. It’s speed to daylight exposures was 8 ASA, but Michael Talbert has seen where some sources mention a speed of 6ASA. It has also been reported that Kodak reduced the speed by one third of a stop for the daylight film in 1948 due to a re-assessment of the film’s capabilities. The actual film was not changed and no evidence can be found of this appearing in the official Eastman Kodak data sheets for the daylight type film.

Both films were “code notched” for identification in the dark. It was not possible to use a safelight; both films had to be handled in total darkness. The daylight film had one notch cut into the edge of the film and the Type B film had two notches.

It was possible to expose the Type B film to daylight using a Kodak Wratten filter No. 85B on the lens. The speed of the film then dropped to 6ASA. Flash exposures, with clear flashbulbs, were made with a Kodak Wratten filter No. CC95 and the instruction sheet gives tables listing various guide numbers for average and large reflectors when using clear flashbulbs.

From 1946, both types of sheet film were packed in boxes of 12 sheets. This quantity may have been changed to 10 sheets per box as from the early 1950s. Included in the earlier boxes of 12 sheets were 12 “Kodapak” transparency sleeves. When each sheet of Ektachrome film had been processed and dried, the finished transparency was inserted into a “Kodapak” sleeve for ease of handling to prevent fingerprints while also protecting the transparency from scratches.

Below is shown an Ektachrome 4 x 5 inch sheet film box, dating from 1948. This film was balanced for Daylight. The “Develop Before” date is July 1949, meaning that the film was likely manufactured around September 1948. Some information has been taken from a 1948 Data sheet for the film.

The Daylight Type film had a speed of 8 ASA (ISO). Best colour rendering was obtained by exposing in bright or hazy sunlight. Blue casts would result in exposing on an overcast day, or under a clear blue sky, or photographing distant views. To correct the blue cast Kodak recommended placing yellow filters over the lens such as CC13, CC14, CC15. The CC13 was the weakest but CC15 would correct a fairly strong blue cast.

The film could be exposed to other light sources such as:
White Flame Carbon Arc lamps with a Kodak CC23 filter. This filter would be approximately equal to a Colour Compensating filter of 10 Yellow, CC-10Y.
Kodatron Flash Tube FT-402 with a Kodak CC33 filter. CC33 was approximately equivalent to a Colour Compensating filter of 10 Magenta, CC-10M.
The same filter was given for exposing the film under Daylight Fluorescent lamps.

The rear label shows the “Code Notch” in the top left hand corner. The processing procedure with the “Ektachrome Processing Kit” became “Process E1” in 1955. This film would have likely been processed at 68°F, as film intended for 75°F processing was not manufactured until 1949. The emulsion number stamped on the left hand side of the box is: A 6101 91 31. The actual box is fairly deep as it had to contain not only the 12 sheets of Ektachrome film but also 12 protective Kodapak sleeves to be placed over the transparencies after processing.

Prices of Ektachrome Sheet Film in the UK in 1950~1952
In the “Amateur Photographer“ magazine for April 19th 1950 “George Childe Ltd.” of Leeds takes a half page spread to advertise 'for sale' an assortment of black and white printing papers and various gadgets, books, and materials for colour photography. Listed for sale is “Ektachrome Cut Film, Type B” in 3¼ x 2¼ inches, and 4¼ x 3¼ inches in boxes of 12 sheets.

The 3¼ x 2¼ inch is for sale at £1.16s.5d (£1.82p) per box. The quarter plate 4¼ x 3¼ inch is for sale at £2.10s.11d (£2.54p) per box. These prices did not include the cost of processing the film. It is very likely that this is “in date” film.

However, the George Childe prices for the Ektachrome sheet film boxes may have been either trade prices or the price without Purchase Tax. This possibility exists because, in the “Kodak Price Supplement” to a Kodak catalogue for May 1952, a box of 2½ x 3½ inch size Ektachrome film cost £1 15s 0d (£1.75) for 10 sheets. The quarter plate size film, of the same quantity was £2 10s 0d (£2.50).
These were the costs without Purchase Tax which in 1952 was levied at about 45.5%.
Hence, the 2½ x 3½ inch size including Purchase Tax = £2 11s 0d (£2.55), and the quarter plate was £3 12s 8d (£3.63).

The “Kodak Price Supplement” for May 1952 lists both the Daylight and the Type B film for sale in sizes from 2¼ x 3¼ inches to 8 x 10 inches in boxes of 10 sheets.

The film listed for sale may have been manufactured by Kodak at their factory at Wealdstone, Harrow, although the advertisements for Ektachrome film in the British Journal Photographic Almanacs for the early 1950s give the impression that only the Type B film was being made at Harrow, and the Daylight type film was not available.

The title printed in the price list: “Ektachrome Type B sheet film and Ektachrome Daylight Type sheet film (Not available for export)” further suggests that the film was being manufactured in the UK.

Processing Service
Kodak UK were undertaking a processing service for sheet film Ektachrome in May 1952.

Kodak would accept film sizes from 2¼ x 3¼ inches to half plate 6½ x 8½ inches for processing. For some reason, 8 x 10 inch film was not processed by Kodak, but at that time other trade laboratories were beginning to set up 3 gallon tank lines of the five solutions required to process Ektachrome film.

John Piercy, Ltd, 34A Bryanston Street, London (near Marble Arch), was one of the first colour processing laboratories in the country to offer a processing service for Ektachrome, although I believe they first were established in Leicester Square, London as long ago as 1948.

The Kodak processing service operated on a basis whereby the more sheets of film sent in for processing at one time, the lower was the price charged to process each individual sheet.

Examples of processing charges, May 1952.

For processing 4 x 5 inch Ektachrome:
1 or 2 sheets	3 to 5 sheets	6 or more sheets
4 shillings (20p)	3 shillings and 6 pence (18p)	3 shillings (15p)
For processing 6 ½ x 8 ½ inch Ektachrome:
1 or 2 sheets	3 to 5 sheets	6 or more sheets
10 shillings and 6 pence (53p)	9 shillings (45p)	7 shillings and 6 pence (37p)

The prices are per sheet of film processed and were free of Purchase Tax.

In 1950, a box of black and white sheet film, such as Kodak Super XX, size 4¼ x 3¼ inches, would have cost about 14 shillings (70p) for a 24 sheet box.
Glass Plates, packed in boxes of 12, were usually slightly more expensive.

In the same advertisement are “Ektachrome Processing Outfits” for sale at £1 10s 0d each (£1.50 ) but it does not say what size of outfit or how many films can be processed in each outfit.

Kodachrome Professional sheet film was withdrawn from sale in May 1951 and was no longer manufactured. The processing service for this film was discontinued on 31st July 1952.

Ektachrome Exposure
Eastman Kodak recommended “Expose for the highlights and light the shadows” when exposing Ektachrome films. The instruction sheet contained a table of shutter speeds and apertures for general exposure of the daylight type Ektachrome.

The instruction sheet and data sheet for the 'Type B' film included an exposure table for exposures to 3200°K lamps with subject to lamp distances ranging from 5feet to 20feet (6.1m).

It is interesting to note that neither the instruction sheet nor the data sheet for the earliest made Ektachrome Type B film included any reference to increasing the exposure over a certain exposure time length due to Reciprocity Failure effects. The book “Ektachrome/Kodachrome Professional Films” states in the chapter “Exposure of Color films”, that the photographer must make his own tests using his own lighting set-up for exposure onto Type B film. For critical work film the same emulsion number was used to make the trial exposures and the final exposures.

Eastman Kodak stated that the manufacturing variations between successive batches of film were small, with colour differences easily corrected within the range of Kodak CC23, CC33, and CC43 filters. The CC range of Kodak Colour Compensating filters marked in subtractive colours did not exist in the mid-1940s. The equivalent to CC23, CC33, and CC43 was likely to be the 10 densities of Yellow, Magenta and Cyan. (CC10Y, CC10M,CC10C)

The speed of the film was unlikely to vary much more than half a stop at the time of manufacture. As far as Michael is aware, the standard exposure for the earliest Ektachrome film was about 1 second, and production tests by Eastman Kodak may have been made at this exposure. It is likely that exposures longer than 5 seconds may have had to be increased somewhat because of Reciprocity Failure effects. This increase would have varied slightly from one batch of film to another.

By the late-1940s, a supplementary instruction sheet was being packed into Ektachrome Type B film boxes giving exposure and filter recommendations for times of 10 seconds and 120 seconds.

An idea of the exposure increases are given by a later table dating from the early-1950s. An exposure of 10 seconds required an exposure increase of about 1 stop, (i.e. equivalent tp an exposure increase to 20 seconds), and 120 seconds required an increase of around four times the 120 second exposure (i.e. equivalent to an exposure increase to 8 minutes !). At longer exposure times the colour balance would change necessitating the use of Colour Compensating filters to correct the balance.

Ektachrome Processing
From the beginning, the film was designed to be processed by the photographer in his own darkroom. Because the colour couplers were included in the emulsions (unlike Kodachrome), Ektachrome film could be processed using a much simpler procedure than Kodachrome, involving only one colour developer.

From 1946, all Ektachrome film was made by the Eastman Kodak Company at Rochester, N.Y., U.S.A. As far as Michael Talbert understands, the film was first marketed in the U.K. in 1947. As the film was intended to be processed by the user, kits of chemicals were available in 2 litre and 5 litre sizes.

In the U.K., in 1947 to 1948, only small amounts of Ektachrome sheet film and the necessary processing kits were imported into the U.K., mainly for bonefide professional photographers. Owing to import restrictions at that time, and to make the most of the processing chemicals that could be imported, Kodak in the U.K. set up a processing service for Ektachrome film at Harrow. By 1948, only the Type B film was available (see Early Ektachrome Film, above).

Michael believes (ref: the British Journal Photographic Almanacs) that Kodachrome sheet film was not actually sold in the UK after the war. Although the BJ Almanac for 1947 mentions “Kodachrome Professional Film” in the Kodak advertisement (referring to sheet film Kodachrome), this "Kodachrome Professional Film" had been replaced by “Ektachrome Film” in the Kodak advert in the 1948 BJ Almanac. By 1950 Ektachrome film had replaced Kodachome in sheet film format and by 1951 Kodachrome sheet film production had ceased altogether.

Eastman Kodak presumably wanted to sell an alternative to Kodachrome sheet film and hence made Ektachrome available. The main reason for Kodak deferring from Kodachrome is likely to be that Kodachrome in sheet film format would have been difficult and expensive for them to process. 35mm film is quite the opposite, since multiple films can be spliced together in the same way as Motion Picture film, and passed through machines as one continuous band of film. But you can’t splice together sheet film, and also it comes in different sizes. No wonder they stopped making it altogether in 1951!.

1946 Processing sequence
The table immediately below is a more legible version of Kodak's actual September 1946 Ektachrome Processing Chart, see to the right hand side. This processing chart is believed to be from the very first print run that was enclosed with Ektachrome chemicals. The number on the left hand side, at the bottom, is KP31320. There is no letter after the number denoting a reprint.
Some alternative times have been pencilled onto the chart at some time. They may be times that were used when the chemicals were nearing their exhaustion point.

Lower down are two pages of processing instructions, which date to October 1946. These instruction sheets have the number KP31336 with an A suffix, suggesting they are a first reprint.

Solution	Time (Minutes)	Temperature (°F)
1. First Developer	15	68 +/- ½ F
2. Rinse	1	65 – 72
3. Hardening Bath	5 – 10	66 – 70
4. Re-exposure	10 seconds
5. Wash	5	65 – 72
6. Colour Developer	25	66 – 70
7. Wash.	5	65 – 72
8. Clearing and Fixing Bath	5	66 – 70
9. Rinse	1	65 – 72
10. Bleach Bath	10	66 – 70
11. Rinse	1	65 – 72
12. Clearing and Fixing Bath	5	66 – 70
13. Wash	10	65 – 72
14. Wetting Agent Rinse	1	65 – 72
15. Dry

Notes:-

1. The first Developer time was extended to 20 minutes in the late 1940s but as far as I can find out, the time could vary according to different film batches.
2. The film could remain in the Hardening bath for up to 10 minutes. The re-exposure to light could only take place after the film had been in the Hardening Bath for 3 minutes. Film was taken from the Hardening Bath, re-exposed, and then put back in the Hardening bath until all films were re-exposed.
3. The film could be exposed to white light after 3 minutes in the Hardening bath.
4. Re-exposure, step 4. The film was exposed for 5 seconds to a No.1 Photoflood lamp. Sheet films were exposed for 5 seconds each side and roll films were exposed in their spirals, each end of the spiral exposed for 5 seconds. If the spiral was made of an opaque material, the film had to be taken out of the spiral, exposed both sides, and then re-loaded. If the film was not exposed for long enough, the processed transparencies retained a colour cast, usually towards green.
5. The Clearing and Fixing Baths, steps 11 & 12, were the same solution The same bath was used twice.

By 1949 Ektachrome film was being made at Kodak’s Harrow plant in the U.K.

Various formulae for the five processing solutions were suggested in the late 1940s to early 1950s, many of them published in the British Journal of Photography magazine and “BJ” Almanacs. Most formulae for the Colour Developer used May and Baker’s “Genochrome” for the colour developing agent. The quantity of this could be varied to alter the colour balance when making up the colour developer.

In 1949, the process times were reduced by enabling the higher temperature of 75°F. The film was now hardened during manufacture, to withstand the higher processing temperature. As far as Michael knows, by 1952 the film was only manufactured by Eastman Kodak at Rochester, N.Y., and Ektachrome film was no longer made in the U.K.

Below is a later sequence, dating from 1954, with the higher 75°F temperature timing. At this time, Ektachrome film was obtainable in Daylight and Type B sheet film, and Daylight type 120 and 620 roll film. Various sizes of processing kits were available. Post 1955, with the arrival of Process E2 films and chemistry (see next Section), this earlier chemistry became known as Process E1.

Solution	Time (Minutes)	Temperature (°F)
1. First Developer	10	75 +/- ½°F
2. Rinse	1	73 – 77
3. Hardening Bath	3 – 10	73 – 77
4. Re-exposure	5 seconds
5. Wash	3	73 – 77
6. Colour Developer	15	73 – 77
7. Wash.	5	73 – 77
8. Clearing and Fixing Bath	5	73 – 77
9. Rinse	1	73 – 77
10. Bleach Bath	8	73 – 77
11. Rinse	1	73 – 77
12. Clearing and Fixing Bath	3	73 – 77
13. Wash	8	73 – 77
14. Wetting Agent Rinse	1	73 – 77
15. Dry

Notes:-

1. Like the previous sequence, the Clearing and Fixing Bath was one solution, used twice.
2. It was possible to process the film at the lower (1947) temperature of 66 – 70°F, except for the First and Colour Developers, which had to be used at 75 +/- ½°F, and 73 – 77°F respectively. The times for the 1947 previous processing sequence could then be used for all the other stages.
3. White light could be turned on after the films had been in the Hardening Bath for 3 minutes. The re-exposure step was the same as previously (see 1947 sequence) and the films could remain in the Hardening Bath for up to 10 minutes.

E1 sheet films and E1 processing chemicals only were listed for sale in the February 1960 Kodak Professional Catalogue for the UK.
E1 chemicals were available in kits to make 2 litres and 3 gallons of each of the five solutions. Separate components of the chemical baths were also obtainable to make 3 gallons of each bath.

Below are two further boxes of Ektachrome film for Process E1.
The left hand box has a mid-1950's label and is dated: ”Dev. Before April 1959”
The right hand box has the then new “Picture in a Dark slide” label and is dated “Dev. Before June 1959”. This was the first “picture label”. Both are “Daylight” type films rated at 12 ASA (ISO).

Rear label from Ektachrome E1 film box (left hand side, above) dated April 1959.

Box of Ektachrome Process E-1 film ~ 6102
The E1 film box (shown below) has an expiry date of January 1961. The box may contain film from some of the last batches of Process E1 film made. By 1960 the new faster Ektachrome film designed for Process E3 (see below) was becoming well established in the U.S.A. The black and white “Use Only Process E1” label was to deter any careless photographer from processing the film inadvertently through Process E3 chemicals !

Exposure of Ektachrome Type B Process E1 film using the supplementary data sheet
Packed inside each box of Ektachrome Type B E1 sheet film was a general instruction sheet plus a supplementary data sheet giving precise instructions for that particular batch of film. The supplementary data sheet gave the actual film speed of the emulsion which could vary from one third of a stop less to one third of a stop more from the normal speed of 10 ASA (ISO) i.e. 8 ASA (ISO) to 12 ASA (ISO).

It was also suggested that, for critical use, the photographer made a trial exposure at an exposure time of one second to find out if any colour correction filter was necessary at this exposure time. If a filter was found necessary it would be combined with any other colour correction filter(s) when the film was exposed at longer exposure times.

The supplementary data sheet for this particular batch of film, batch No. 6102 873 gives the emulsion speed as “Normal”, i.e. 10 ASA (ISO). The data sheet also gave information on colour balance correction for exposures at long and very long exposure times. For long exposure times of about 10seconds a CC05C filter, (5 unit Cyan filter) was suggested plus an exposure increase of half a stop. For very long exposure times of around 120seconds a CC10C filter, (10 unit Cyan filter) was suggested plus an exposure increase of 2 stops. From this information it can be concluded that the colour balance of the film turns red with longer exposures.

Example of how to use this film:
Say the exposure time given by the exposure meter is 40 seconds.
Interpolate (approximately) between the 10seconds and 120seconds exposures discussed in the above paragraph, to the 40seconds indicated by the exposure meter. Since a half stop increase is required at 10seconds and two stops increase in exposure is required at 120seconds, the meter exposure should be (approximately) increased by one stop to compensate for the indicated 40second exposure time i.e. in this case the exposure is doubled. As the film turns redder with longer exposures, a trial exposure might be 80 seconds with a 10 Cyan filter on the lens.

The supplementary data sheet also suggested any exposure adjustment when using clear flash bulbs as the light source at 1/50th second.

The sealing label on the back of the above box can be seen to the left.

It is a bit odd, totally unlike the sealing label of the later E3 boxes, and may possibly have been made for a special purpose, or perhaps Eastman Kodak ran out of the normal labels and had to print some improvised labels for the very last batches of E1 film !

Above the expiry date of "Jan 1961" can be read "MIL. EXPIRY DATE".
MIL.EXPIRY DATE stands for “Military Expiry Date.” Perhaps the film was a special order for the U.S Army and that explains the rather unusual label.

In 1955, higher speed 32ASA (ISO) Ektachrome Daylight roll and 35mm films were put on the market, specifically designed for the amateur photographer. For the 35mm photographer it was a faster alternative to the well known Kodachrome Daylight film. Average exposure was 1/50th second at f11 in bright sunlight. The film was also suitable for exposure with blue flash bulbs and electronic flash. This type of lighting could also be used in daylight as “fill in” flash. The new Ektachrome film could also be exposed to Photoflood lighting with a Kodak Wratten filter No.80B, but this cut the film speed down to 12ASA (ISO).

Film sizes available in the U.S.A. in 1955 were:
120 and 620 roll film,
828 in 8 exposure rolls (not in the UK)
35mm in 20 exposure cassettes.

Ektachrome Daylight film was first sold in the U.K. in 1956 when the same film sizes became available as in the U.S.A., except that 828 film was not supplied. At the same time, kits of chemicals for processing the film became available in 600ccs, 2 litres, and 3 gallon sizes. These chemicals were known collectively as “Process E2”. The 1954 process then became known as “Process E1”.
The new films were marked "for Process E2“, and the E2 roll and 35mm films had to be processed separately from the older Process E1 Sheet and Daylight roll films.

The helpful book shown alongside is written on the subject of the new 32ASA Ektachrome films. The book was first published in 1955, but the one shown has a 1957 printing date. It contains an “Ektachrome Pocket Exposure Guide” which can be taken out of the book.
Sections include: Daylight Exposure, Using exposure meters, Filters, How to use Kodak Ektachrome Type F film with flash and photofloods, and processing the film. Printed in October 1957 by the Eastman Kodak Company. There may have been an English equivalent.

The Process E2 processing sequence was almost identical to the 1954 Process E1 procedure (see above). But it used a different First Developer formula and had other slight differences, viz:
Step No.9, the “Rinse" changed from 1 minute to a time range from ½ minute to 1½ minutes.
Step No.14, a "Stabilizer" replaced the previous “Wetting Agent Rinse” with an identical time, i.e. 1 minute.
Films were dried directly after the Stabilizer and not washed or rinsed again.

In 1959, the E2 films were listed in the U.K. “Kodak Dealer’s Catalogue” for that year as E120, E620, and E135 (20 exposures).
Prices for the films in early 1959 were:
E120 and E620, ten shillings and sixpence per roll i.e. 10s.6d (53p).
35mm 20 exposure cassette, 14 shillings and two pence i.e. 14s.2d (71p).
Later that year a 127 size roll film was made available at the same price as the other two roll films.

Unlike all Kodachrome films, Ektachrome films were sold without the cost of the processing included in the price of the film.

Chemical kits for the original E2 processing solutions were still listed in the 1959 “Kodak Dealer’s Catalogue”. A complete kit of size 600ccs for processing 8 films cost 17 shillings i.e. 17s (85p). A complete kit of size 2litres for processing 26 films cost £2.5shillings (£2.25p).

Ektachrome Process E2 ~ Type F Film
Kodak Ektachrome Type F Film was introduced in 1955 as a film principally balanced for taking photographs with clear flash bulbs (a colour tempertaure of approximately 4000°K). Its speed to clear flash bulbs was about 16 ASA (ISO).

It was also possible to make exposures in other light sources such as:
Photoflood lamps with a filter No.82A at 16ASA (ISO).
3200°K lamps with a filter No.82C at 12ASA (ISO).
Daylight with filter No.85C at 16ASA (ISO). The exposure for subjects in bright sunlight with a No.85C filter was about 1/50th second at f8.

For the 35mm user, it gave a choice of an alternative film to Kodachrome Type F film, although Kodachrome Type F was two thirds of a stop slower.

Sizes available in the U.S.A. in 1955 were:
120, 620, 828, (8 exposure rolls), 35mm (20 exposure rolls) and 100foot rolls of 35mm film. The film was coded as E120F or E135F.

The film is not listed in the U.K. Kodak catalogues for 1956 or 1959. The U.K. “Kodak Professional Catalogue” for 1961 lists the film in EF120 and EF135 (20 exposure cassettes).

Manufacture of Ektachrome Daylight Type and Type F films were discontinued in 1962, being replaced by Ektachrome X film.

At the end of the 1950s, significant changes were made to the existing E2 roll and 35mm films, resulting in an 'Improved' Process E2 procedure with a modified First Developer and Bleach

The Improved Process E2 chemistry was introduced in the U.K. from 1959 with 600ccs size kits, but this introduction occurred too late to be included in the “Kodak Dealer’s Catalogue” for that year. The separate chemical components were packed in two plastic boxes, one box, Unit 1, containing the two developers, and the other box, Unit 2 (see image, left), containing the Hardener, Clearing bath, Bleach, Fixer, and Stabilizer chemicals. With the “Improved Type” chemical solutions, the Clearing Bath and the Fixer were now separate solutions.

A complete kit of “Improved Type“ E2 chemicals cost £1.2s.6d (£1.12p). The two Developers cost 12s (60p). The remaining chemicals cost 10s.6d (52p). All of these are late 1959 prices. The Unit 2 package shown alongside (left) is from an "Improved Type" processing kit, but dates to 1967, by which time Kodak had ceased to print “Improved Type” on the packaging.

All Ektachrome E2 films could be processed in either the 'Original' or the Process E2 "Improved Type” kits, but the Improved Type chemistry gave a better colour rendering and clearer highlights.

You could also put E2 films through E3 chemicals, as long as you then kept the two E3 developers specially for E2 films. At Art college Michael found it best to put several cut films through the process first to “ripen” the two colour developers, otherwise the freshly mixed chemistry resulted in a green cast on the film.

Michael thinks it was 1968 or 1969 when Kodak finally stopped the manufacture of E2 chemicals.

Process E2 ~ Unit 2 (see image). Michael Talbert purchased this Unit 2 part kit, along with the Unit 1 part, in January 1967, for his first attempt at processing colour film.

All the enclosed chemicals were powders, except for the Stabilizer, and had to be mixed with water to make 600ccs working solution. The liquid Stabilizer was diluted with water to make 600ccs of working solution.

The chemicals would (officially) keep for 8weeks, unused or partially used before needing replacement. This was a very conservative estimate and many users found that the chemicals would keep for at least another 4 weeks. Kodak enclosed a very informative 6 page instruction sheet with the Unit 1 part kit containing the First Developer and Colour Developer.

Notes

1. Compared with the E1 Process, the Clearing Bath and Fixer were now separate solutions. The Clearing Bath now acted as a “Stop – Bath”, to remove all traces of the Colour Developer. If the films still had any Colour Developer remaining in them when placed into the Bleach, this would result in a pink cast, mainly in the highlights, in the finished transparencies, which was impossible to remove. The new Clearing bath did not “fix” the film in any way.
2. As the Clearing Bath did not fix the film, the fixing time in step 12 was increased to 6 minutes. There were two types of fixer, a solution made up from a powder and a solution made up from a concentrated liquid. The small sized kits contained the powder version, but the liquid version was used to make up larger quantities of fixer for professional laboratories with continuous processing equipment. The film required 6minutes in the powder fixer, and 4minutes in the fixer made up from the liquid concentrate.
3. Films were now re-exposed after the wash, step 4, and were drained for at least 1 minute before colour development. The film could be taken out of the wash tank, re-exposed, and then put back into the wash tank. Steps 4 and 5 could be done simultaneously as long as the films were drained for 1 minute before placing in the colour developer.
4. The films were dried directly after the Stabilizer bath without further washing.
5. As the films looked blue from the base side and yellow from the emulsion side whilst wet, colour balance could only be judged when the films were completely dry.

The above process was also the sequence and timings for the later Ektachrome E3 process, described below.

In 1959 an increased speed Ektachrome film was introduced, at first as 35mm film format in 20 exposure cassettes for exposure in Daylight. It’s speed was 160 ISO (ASA), over two stops faster than the regular Ektachrome film, (32 ASA). It was then the fastest colour film in the world. Next fastest was Super Anscochrome D, which was rated at 100 ISO (ASA)

About a year later an artificial light type for 3200°K was made available as “High Speed Ektachrome Type B”, packed in 20 exposure 35mm cassettes, rated at 125 ISO (ASA). By 1963, 120 size roll films in both daylight and Type B films made their appearance.

Apart from processing High Speed Ektachrome using Process E2 into projectable colour slides (transparencies), it was possible to process High Speed Ektachrome as if it was a colour negative material, using the Kodacolor Process C-22. For examples, see below.

Two colour negatives taken in 1971 on Kodak High Speed Ektachrome 120 roll film exposed at 250 ASA (ISO) and then processed as negatives. The film was processed in Kodacolor C-22 chemicals at 75°F using a colour development time of 7 minutes. The remainder of the process was exactly the same procedure as when processing Ektacolor or Kodacolor negative films. The result is an unmasked colour negative with a pronounced magenta cast.

The purpose of using High Speed Ektachrome film as a negative material was to make use of a speed increase as the film could be rated at 250 ASA (ISO). High Speed Ektachrome film processed normally as a transparency in E2 or E4 chemicals was rated at 160 ASA (ISO). The fastest colour negative film obtainable in 1971 was Kodak Ektacolor Professional film Type S rated at 100 ASA (ISO). As well as a gain of about 1½ stops in speed there was also a gain in contrast as shown in these pictures taken in sunlight. There is also a slight colour “cross over” of red shadows and if the pictures were darker, cyan highlights would appear. This “cross over” would show more in a less contrasty subject. It would have been better to use this technique in very dull, flat lighting than sunlight.

The colour “cross over” shows most in the “old barn” picture as red shadows with no detail, and the highlights, (the geese), are “burnt out”.

The negatives shown here were scanned and the positive prints were made digitally but only the colour balance of the prints was corrected, the contrast was not altered. This is to show how the prints may have looked in 1971.

When making the prints in 1971 from the unmasked negatives, a blank piece of Kodacolor film, i.e. an “orange” mask, was included with the printing filters to make the negatives more like masked colour negatives. The original 1971 prints were made on Kodak Ektacolor Commercial paper and the strong magenta cast, otherwise resulting in very green prints, was filtered to neutral using Yellow and Cyan printing filters.

E2 Formulae from the British Journal of Photography Annual 1980
The processing sequence to use is the Process E2 “Improved Type” procedure, as above. The First Developer is the most critical solution. The Bleach, Fix, and Stabilizer are for E4 as well.
All these formulae make up 1 litre of each solution.

First Developer.

Metol	6g They also state Phenidone 0.5g
Hydroquinone	6g
Sodium Carbonate (anhydrous)	40g
Sodium Sulphite (anhydrous)	40g
Potassium Bromide	2g
Sodium Thiocyanate	2g
Potassium Iodide (can be omitted)	0.006g
Nitrobenzimidazole nitrate (0.2 solution ~ can be omitted)	15ml
Water to	1 litre

Hardener. This is a weak Stop Bath.

Chrome Alum	30g
Water to	1 litre

Colour Developer

Trisodium Phosphate (crystalline 12H2O)	40g
Caustic Soda (pellets)	8.6g Note: The 1967 BJPA recommends 5.6gms
Sodium Sulphite (anhydrous)	5g  Note: The 1967 BJPA recommends 2.0gms
Benzyl alcohol	5ml
EDTA No.4 (Tetrasodium salt)	3g Note: The 1967 BJPA omits the EDTA No.4
Ethylenediamine Sulphite	7.5g
Potassium Iodide (can be omitted)	0.01g
Citazinic acid (2.6dihydroxyisonicotinic acid)	1.3g
CD3	The 1980 BJPA says 10ml, but CD3 is a solid, so this must be an error. The BJPA for 1967 says either: 10 grams of CD3 powder OR 10ml of a 20% stock solution, CD3 stock solution made up as: Potassium Metabisulphite= 5 grams Tepid water= 50 ccs CD3 powder= 20 grams Add tepid water to make 100 ccs Add 10ml to Developer with a pipette or measure.
Water to	1 litre

Clearing Bath. This is a Stop Bath.

Potassium Metabisulphite	20g
Hydroquinone (can be left omitted)	1g
Water to	1 litre

Bleach

Potassium Ferricyanide	112g
Potassium Bromide	24g
Disodium hydrogen Orthophosphate (12H20)	62g
Monosodium Dihydrogen Orthophosphate (anhydrous)	15.6g
Sodium Thiocyanate	10g
Water to	1 litre

Fixer

Sodium Thiosulphate, crystalline OR Ammonium Thiosulphate	160g 120g
Potassium Metabisulphite	20g
Water to	1 litre

4 minutes should be OK using Ammonium Thiosulphate.

Stabilizer

Formaldehyde (30-40% solution)	2 - 3ml
Wetting Agent (10% solution). Believed to mean, wetting agent diluted 1+9, then 10ml of that in 1 litre of water.	10ml
Water to	1 litre

In 1959, new Process E3 Ektachrome films came onto the market, in sheet and roll film formats.

The new sheet films were named:-
Ektachrome Color Reversal Film, Daylight Type, Process E3.
Ektachrome Color Reversal Film, for Artificial Light Type B, Process E3.
Daylight type roll films, in sizes 120 and 620 (only 120 in the UK) were also obtainable, named:
Ektachrome Professional Film.

The roll films were identical to the sheet film emulsions. The Daylight Type roll film was introduced at the same time as the Daylight Type sheet film, in 1959. The Type B E3 sheet film was produced perhaps a year earlier (1958), but the Type B rollfilm was introduced much later, in 1971. Both rollfilms were replaced by Process E6 emulsions in 1976.

Two very early Ektachrome Process E3 Film boxes

Daylight Type (LHS) and Artificial Light Type B (RHS)

Size 2¼ x 3¼ inches and labeled with instructions to “only use Process E3” chemicals.

Same boxes as above.

The Daylight film was rated at 50 ASA (ISO).

The Type B film was rated at 32 ASA (ISO) for a ½ second exposure, but the speed then dropped as low as 10 ASA (ISO) for a 30 second exposure.

For exposures as long as 30 seconds, Kodak CC 05 Magenta plus Kodak CC 05 Red filters were recommended to be used in the supplementary instruction sheet.

Same boxes as above.

As can be seen, the expiry dates were:

May 1961 for the Daylight type film (RHS) and June 1960 for the Type B film.

It is likely that Eastman Kodak were manufacturing Ektachrome sheet film for Process E3 and Process E1 concurrently for a year or so. Here the Type B film has an earlier expiry date than the Ektachrome Process E1 Type B sheet film box illustrated above (January 1961).

Process E3 Procedure
This was identical as regards to temperature and timings to the 'Improved' Process E2. The solutions were replenished with the same chemicals apart from the Process E3 First Developer.
There were separate replenisher solutions for the First Developer of Process E3 compared to Process E2. These were called, appropriately enough:
First Developer Replenisher chemicals Process E2.
First Developer Replenisher chemicals Process E3.

An instruction leaflet was included with the 2 gallon replenisher chemicals giving information in tabular form of amounts of replenisher to be added after each process for single or quantities of the various sizes of sheet film, roll film, and 35mm film for both E2 and E3 processes. The two gallon size replenisher chemicals were intended for use with three gallon tank installations and not for continuous processing machines.

The E3 Process was replaced by the E6 process about 1977 (began replacement around 1976) and by then most laboratories had installed the necessary equipment to process the then new E6 films. But there must have been a short period of time during the changeover when a few laboratories were running an E3 Process, an E4 Process, and an E6 Process ! By 1978 the E3 and E4 films still on the market must have been out of date or very near their expiry date.

The new sheet films and roll films designed for the Process E3 were processed in exactly the same way as the Process E2 improved Type films (above), using the same bath sequence but employing a First Developer incorporating a different developing agent. In consequence, films designated for the E2 process, (roll films and 35mm films), had to be processed separately from the new E3 sheet and roll films by using separate First Developers and Colour Developers. All other solutions were common to both processes. However, it was possible to process small amounts of E3 film through E2 developers provided the process was operating within tolerance. Control strips of pre-exposed film were processed at regular intervals to check that the process was operating within limits as regard to speed of films, contrast, and fog level.

In the USA. and the UK, both E1 and E3 processing chemicals and kits were sold concurrently for a time. Gradually E1 film and chemicals were phased out, being replaced by the new E3 films and processing solutions. It is said (BJ Almanac 1961) that the new E3 films gave improved definition and considerably better colour rendering of yellows and greens; also cleaner whites.

Ektachrome E3 Daylight Type Sheet Film ~ 6115
In 1959, new, faster, improved Ektachrome sheet films were introduced to replace the original E1 Ektachrome sheet films which had been on the market since 1946 (see above).

The new Ektachrome sheet film was available in Daylight type, rated at 50 ISO (ASA), and also as an artificial light Type B version (3200°K), designed for exposure at times of ½second or longer with a nominal speed of 32 ISO (ASA).

This sheet film was first available for sale in the USA in 1959, in formats from 2¼ x 3¼inches to 11 x 14inches, plus 5 sizes in square centimeters. The same emulsion was obtainable in rollfilm, EP 120 and EP 620.

According to the BJ Almanac for 1960, E3 film was not available for sale in the UK in late 1959 and the same Almanac still gave information on the old E1 sheet film. A year later, E3 film was being sold in the UK and a 4 inch x 5 inch size box of 10 sheets of film cost £4 8s 2d in 1961.

A box of equivalent size black and white film in 1961, say Plus X, cost about £1 4s (£1.20), but this was for 25 sheets of film. It should be remembered that the Chancellor, Selwyn Lloyd, announced a surcharge of 10% on Purchase Tax in July 1961, so the price of film would have risen during the latter part of the year.

The Data Sheet for Ektachrome Daylight film, dated March 1959, states that the best colour rendering is obtained in clear or hazy sunlight, and gives filter suggestions for other light sources and guide numbers for blue flashbulbs and electronic flash.

The speed of the film varied between 40 ISO (ASA) and 64 ISO (ASA). A supplementary data sheet, together with an instruction sheet of 4 pages packed with the film, stated the correct speed for each emulsion. Also printed on the supplementary data sheet was a filter suggestion for exposing the film with electronic flash tubes, usually a CC10Y filter = 10 Yellow. The emulsion number of the film was printed on the sheet and on the left side of the box. Also, it was embossed on each sheet of film.

To the left are shown various E3 film boxes, containing both Daylight and Type B film. These boxes date from the early 1960s; the Type B film box on the left is dated “February 1963”, the film being manufactured about March 1962.

The “Dev. Before” date was originally printed on the back end of the box. Its position was changed to the front end in about June 1964, as is the case with the middle two boxes, and the box to the right hand side.

Alongside are Kodak Ektachrome Process E3 film boxes from the late 1960s to the mid-1970s.

The small box of Type B film (top of the 'pile') has its box sealing label fixed to the long side of the box. This change started in 1968 for Black and White and Colour sheet film but by 1970-71 Kodak had reverted to attaching the sealing label to the short side of the box for 4 x 5 inch and 5 x 7 inch sizes. The expiry date on the 2¼ x 3¼ inch Type B box is June 1971. This film was made and packed in the USA. It has a new design label and was probably manufactured about August 1970.

Note the film numbers, starting in the late 1960s, were printed on the right hand side of the labels – 6115 for E3 Daylight film, 6116 for E3 Type B film.

Ektachrome sheet film, Daylight type and Type B for process E3.

Eastman Kodak changed the design of their “Color Film” boxes in late 1968. This new design replaced the “picture in a dark slide” film box (see above) plus a new sealing label with storage recommendations printed in seven languages (as shown below). The description of the film was omitted from the label. The “Film Number”, which had always been printed on the left hand side of the box along the edge, together with the emulsion number, was also printed on the right hand side of the sealing label, 6115 for Daylight Type, 6116 for Type B. Both the illustrated boxes have a “Develop Before” date of March 1971.

The sealing labels were increased in size and were now placed on the long side of the box for film boxes up to and including 5 x 7 inches. This practise had been done by Kodak Limited London on their black and white sheet film boxes in the late 1940s and from 1962 to 1965 - see black and white section.

These label design changes were applied to Ektachrome camera sheet films as manufactured from late 1968.

Artificial Light Type B E3 film was available for sale in the USA from 1959 in sheet film format only and in the same sizes as the Daylight Type E3 film. It was sold for the first time in the UK in 1960. Each box contained a general instruction sheet and a supplementary data sheet. Similar to the Ektachrome E1 film (see above), the supplementary data sheet gave the actual speed of the film plus filter recommendations for correcting the colour balance when the film was exposed at longer times than ½ second.

The general instruction sheet gave exposure indexes for:

• 3200°K lamps: 32ASA (ISO), ½second exposure with no filters.
• Photoflood lamps: 25ASA (ISO) ½second exposure with a Kodak filter No. 81A.
• Daylight: 25ASA (ISO) 1/50th second exposure with a Kodak Wratten No. 85B filter.

In the description of exposing sheets of Type B film designed for the Ektachrome E1 process (see above), the photographer was advised to increase exposure by between ½ stop and two stops, due to the reciprocity failure of the film. A different method of calculating the exposure was used with Ektachrome Type B E3 film.

Typical Supplementary Data sheet for a batch of Ektachrome Type B Process E3 sheet film

Emulsion No. 6116 769
Exposure Time	Effective Speed ASA (ISO)	Suggested Kodak Filters
½ second	32	(see colour balance) *
5 seconds	20	CC 10G
30 seconds	12	CC 20G

* colour balance
For critical use, Kodak recommended that the photographer made a “test” exposure at ½ second to determine if any colour filter was necessary to correct the colour balance when using this exposure time. For longer exposures, this filter, if any, was combined with the two filters suggested for exposure times of 5 seconds and 30 seconds.

Normally, the correct exposure was found by setting the exposure meter at the middle ASA speed i.e. 20 ASA, and taking a reading. If the exposure time thus calculated was much greater or much less than 5 seconds, and a different speed given in the data sheet related to this time, this different speed was used to re-calculate the exposure. For times much beyond 30 seconds, say over 60 seconds, a trial exposure definitely had to be made, as it was likely that the film speed would need to be decreased even further and the colour balance corrected with a higher strength filter than CC 20G.

Example:
The meter is set to 20 ASA (ISO), as if the photographer is expecting to use a 5 second exposure. A reading is taken from the subject and the photographer finds the indicated exposure time to be 14 seconds. As this time is much longer than 5 seconds, but much less than 30 seconds, the speed on the meter is reset to an intermediate speed, say 16 ASA (ISO), and another reading taken. This gives an exposure time of, say, 19 seconds, so the sheet of film is then exposed for a trial exposure at 19 seconds with a CC 10G (10 unit Green filter) and a CC 5G (5 unit Green filter) on the lens to make 15 Green (an intermediate correction between 10G and 20G, see table above).

Michael Talbert exposed many sheets of Ektachrome Type B E3 film and in his experience it was always best to take a “test" shot first, which would also tell the particular colour balance of the processing chemicals. In the above example, if the E3 process was tending towards a magenta balance, this might “cancel out” the results from a CC10 Green filter, making the finished transparency still slightly magenta despite exposing with the equivalent of a 15 Green filter on the lens. Thus, the "test" would give guidance of the likely need to use a stronger correction filter than CC15 Green.

Other common variables which might alter the colour balance of the processed transparencies include:

• The age of the film,
• The storage of the film,
• The colour of reflectors and spotlight lenses,
• Delay in processing the sheets of film,
• Colour of the viewing illuminant.

BUT....given the correct exposure and processing, this film was capable of producing outstanding results, far better than that of any rollfilm or 35 mm film designed for Process E2.

Ektachrome E3 Process sheet films were replaced by Ektachrome E6 sheet films in 1976.

Process E-4 was introduced by Eastman Kodak Company in 1965 as a faster reversal process operating at 83 – 87°F for machine processing of amateurs’ Ektachrome films. Unlike Process E-3, there was no need for re-exposure of the partly processed film to light for reversal; instead, reversal was accomplished by chemical fogging in the E-4 Colour Developer.

Films suitable for processing in E-4 (in 1973) were:
Ektachrome X film, High Speed Ektachrome films, Daylight and Tungsten types.
Ektachrome MS film 5256 (70mm film).
Ektachrome ER film 5257 (Daylight), and Ektachrome ER film 5258 (Tungsten).
Ektachrome Duplicating Print film 5038
Ektachrome Infrared Film.
Two sheet films, Ektachrome Film, SO-371 (160 ISO, Daylight), and Ektachrome Film, SO-375 (125 ISO Tungsten).

Other sheet film Ektachrome, 6115 and 6116, Ektachrome Duplicating Film, 6119 and 6120, and Professional roll films, 50 ASA, and 32 ASA, could not be processed in E4. These films could only be processed in E3.

As the films listed above were originally designed for processing at temperatures of 73 – 77°F, (Process E-2), emulsion reticulation would occur when processing these films at higher temperatures. Therefore, two additional baths were required,
(i) a “Pre – Hardener” bath, to harden the films to enable the emulsions to withstand the process temperature of 83 – 87°F, an increase of 10F over processes E-2 and E-3,
(ii) a “Neutralizer” bath, to prepare the films for processing in the “First Developer”.

The Pre–Hardener bath contained two powerful hardening agents, (i) Formaldehyde and (ii) DMTF, 25 – dimethoxytetrahydrofuran.
When the two chemicals were mixed they released a gas, succinaldehyde. In their processing instruction sheet for E-4 processing in 3 gallon tanks and larger installations, Kodak gave details of darkroom ventilation and the fitting of extraction fans over any tanks containing the Pre–Hardener solution.

The E-4 Colour Developer contained TBAB – tertiary butylamine borane. This chemical enabled the undeveloped parts of the film, having been developed to a negative image in the First Developer, to react in the Colour Developer to form a positive image. TBAB is very toxic, and the chemical had to be handled with great care. Kodak supplied the chemical as one part of the Colour Developer, and Colour Developer Replenisher, in pellet form, to reduce any chance of inhaling any dust or powder from the TBAB when mixing the Colour Developer or it’s Replenisher. Again, the 3 gallon instruction leaflet gave precautions in handling and mixing the components of the separate parts of the Colour Developer/Replenisher.

If the Colour Developer was mixed from separate chemicals, as to the formula, TBAB could be omitted. The films were then given a reversal light exposure after step 5, in the same way as in the E2 and E3 procedures, before placing the films in the Colour Develper.

Although the process was initially designed for use in large tank installations and continuous processing machines, it was possible to use the E-4 process in small amateur developing tanks. Small volume kits of chemicals were made available in 1 quart size (US), and 600ccs size (UK) by the end of the 1960s.

Processing Procedure for E-4 (i) large commercial tanks (ii) amateur processing tanks
(i) Processing Procedure for 3 gallon tanks and larger processing machines.

Step	Time (minutes)	Temperature (°C) (°F)
In total darkness
1. Pre-Hardener	3	29.5 +/- 0.5 85 +/- 1
2. Neutraliser	1	28 - 31 83 - 87
3. First Developer	6	29.5 +/- 0.25 85 +/- 0.5
4. First Stop Bath	2	28 - 31 83 - 87
Remaining steps can be carried out in daylight
5. Wash	4 minutes in running water	27 - 32 80 - 90
6. Colour Developer	9	28 - 31 83 - 87
7. Second Stop Bath	3	28 - 31 83 - 87
8. Wash	3	27 - 32 80 - 90
9. Bleach	5	28 - 31 83 - 87
10. Fixer	4	28 - 31 83 - 87
11. Wash	6	27 - 32 80 - 90
12. Stabiliser	1	28 - 32 83 - 87
13. Dry at a temperature not above 110°F

Notes:

1. The film needs to be agitated in the solutions continuously for the first 15 seconds, and then for 5 seconds per minute. Other agitation rates in the two developers is a more vigorous 15 seconds initial rate, then agitation at 30 second intervals.
   In the Pre–Hardener and Neutraliser the film requires to be agitated vigorously for the first 15 seconds, and then no agitation for the remainder of the times.
2. Both Stop Baths are of the same formula, but once used, they can NOT be interchanged.
3. The table above applies to the use of replenished solutions in large tank and machine processing systems. For unreplenished solutions and amateur processing kits, the Colour Development time needs to be increased to 15 minutes (See next table).
4. In large automatic processing machines it is possible to wash the films in water at temperatures down to 50°F, as long as the machine operates at a sufficiently high water flow rate.
5. This E4 process table dates from 1973.

(ii) Processing procedure for small tanks, 2 litres or less. This was the processing procedure for the Kodak (UK) amateur E-4 kits.

Step	Time (minutes)	Temperature (°C) (°F)
In total darkness
1. Pre-Hardener	3	29.5 +/- 0.5 85 +/- 1
2. Neutraliser	1	28 - 31 83 - 87
3. Wash	1	28 - 31 83 - 87
4. First Developer	6	29.5 +/- 0.25 85 +/- 0.5
5. First Stop Bath	2	28 - 31 83 - 87
Remaining steps can be carried out in daylight
6. Wash	4 minutes in running water	27 - 32 81 - 90
7. Colour Developer	15	28 - 31 83 - 87
7. Second Stop Bath	3	28 - 31 83 - 87
8. Wash	3	27 - 32 81 - 90
9. Bleach	5	28 - 31 83 - 87
10. Fixer	4	28 - 31 83 - 87
11. Wash	6	27 - 32 81 - 90
12. Stabiliser	1	28 - 32 83 - 87
13. Dry at a temperature not above 113°F

Notes:

1. Agitation rates for roll film in spiral reels, loaded onto a processing rack such as the Kodak No.3RM rack.
   Pre-Hardener and Neutralizer: Agitate continuously for the first 15 seconds. Lift the rack of films out of the solution and re-immerse it about 8 times. Then no further agitation for the remaining time.
   First Developer and Colour Developer: The same as the Pre-Hardener and Neutralizer for the first 15 seconds, then none for the next 15 seconds. For the remainder of the time in each developer, lift the rack 2 or 3 inches and lower it to the bottom of the tank. Repeat this every ½ minute.
   Other solutions: Continuous agitation for the first 15 seconds, then agitate once per minute by lifting the rack completely out of the solution, draining it from alternate corners for 5 seconds then re-immersing it.
   All times include a 20 second drain time at the end of each step.
   Automatic processing machines used Nitrogen Gas burst agitation.
2. Agitation for films wound onto spiral reels and processed in small non invertible developing tanks, usually plastic, such as Paterson, Johnson, Nebro.
   Rotation agitation: Initial – rotate the reel 4 to 5 times during the first 5 seconds. Subsequent – Rotate the reel 4 to 5 times every 30 seconds except for the Pre-Hardener, Neutralizer, and Stabilizer.
   Invertible tanks such as Nikkor, LPL, Soligor.(Stainless steel).
   Pre-Hardener. Tap the tank to dislodge any air bubbles clinging to films.
   Initial agitation: Each solution except for First Developer; Turn the tank over once per second for the first 15 seconds.
   First Developer: Turn the tank over once per second for the first two minutes.
   Subsequent agitation: No further agitation required in the Pre-Hardener, Neutralizer, and Stabilizer.
   Other solutions: Turn the tank over 4 to 5 times every 30 seconds.
   Include a drain time of at least 10 seconds when using small spiral reel tanks.
3. When processing in small amateur developing tanks it was necessary to wash the films for 1 minute between the Neutraliser and First Developer, to prevent too much contamination of the First Developer with Neutraliser. This wash was not required with larger volumes of processing solutions (see table above). The 1 minute wash step is omitted from the US E-4 processing procedure for 1 pint tanks.
4. The US E-4 procedures stated that the Fixer time should be increased to 6 minutes when using a powder type fixer (4 minutes with a liquid Fixer).
5. This E4 processing table dates from 1969 and is taken from the instruction sheet for a 2 litre and 600 ccs size E-4 chemical kit.
6. Two thirds of the first page of the instruction sheet is devoted to “Precautions in Handling Chemicals” and “Ventilation”. No special recommendations were advised by Kodak when using the smaller sized kits of chemicals because only small surface areas of the solutions were exposed in the spiral reel tanks normally used with the kits.

Storage Life of Solutions

	Full glass bottles	Tanks and partially full bottles
Developers and Pre-Hardener unused	4 weeks	10 days
Developers and Pre-Hardener partially used	2 weeks	10 days
Other solutions unused	12 weeks	12 weeks
Other solutions partially used	8 weeks	8 weeks

Ektachrome Professional film 6118
Below are shown the front and back labels on a box of Ektachrome Professional film 6118, balanced for Tungsten (3200K) lighting. The 6118 film was the first process E6 tungsten light sheet film to replace the previous E3 process Ektachrome Type B film, also intended for artificial light. It was introduced at the same time as the daylight type film, 6117 (see above).
This particular box has a “Develop Before” date of October 1980 and was possibly manufactured about December 1979.

The 6118 film was designed for exposures from 1/10 second to 100 seconds. It’s speed when exposed using 1/10 second could vary from 32 ASA (ISO) to 50 ASA (ISO). An instruction leaflet dated March 1978 was enclosed in the film box (see below) stating a speed of 40 ASA (ISO) for use at ½ second, and a speed of 32 ASA (ISO) at a 5 second exposure.

For critical use a trial exposure could be made, especially if the exposure estimated was over 20 seconds. In this case an exposure reading would be taken with the meter set at 20 ASA (ISO). For exposures over 40 seconds, it was essential that a test exposure was made, and this would show if any extra filtration (including the CC 5 red filter) was needed to correct the colour balance. For an estimated exposure of about 100 seconds, 10 ASA (ISO) might have been a good starting point plus a CC 10 Red filter.

Ektachrome Professional film 6118 Tungsten was replaced by Ektachrome 64T Professional film in 1989.

Ektachrome Professional 100 film for daylight, Sheet and Roll Film
This film was first marketed in the UK in 1984 in two sizes of sheet film, 4 x 5inches and 8 x 10 inches, film code 6122, plus a 120 size roll film coded EPN 120. The film was described at the time in the UK “Kodak Buyers Guide Professional” as having very fine grain, very high sharpness, and high resolving power. Exposure times could be between 1/10,000 second and 1/10 second without incurring any reciprocity failure. The ASA (ISO) speed was 100.

Other features:
Excellent flesh to neutral colour rendering.
Improved reproduction of some types of “anomalous reflectance” e.g. some azo dyed fabrics and blue flowers.
Less tendency to blue shadows in daylight exteriors and less blue results in open shade positions.
Excellent colour reproduction, distinguishes well between similar colours.
In the later Kodak catalogues the film was claimed to be “………….designed to give a more accurate colour reproduction than Ektachrome 64 Professional film”.

By 1985 an 11 x 14 inch size sheet film was available as well as a 220 size roll film, 35mm and bulk 35mm in 100 foot rolls. In the late 1990s the sheet film number was changed to 7058 with the same catalogue numbers.

Other Ektachrome camera films were introduced during the 1990s incorporating Kodak's T grain for much finer grain, but Ektachrome 100 Professional film continued to be manufactured using traditional technology.

A part description from the UK Kodak “Professional Products Profile” catalogue for 1999 reads:
A medium speed, fine grain colour reversal film designed to give a natural, more accurate colour reproduction. It is the only Kodak reversal film that is not enhanced in any way, so that it gives accurate results.

By 2003 the film was available in 4 x 5 inch sheet film, 120 roll film, 35mm cassettes, and bulk 35mm.

Kodak Ektachrome E6 Processing Kits
Ektachrome Film E6 Processing Kit
In 1977, Eastman Kodak introduced an Ektachrome film E6 chemical processing kit suitable for any E6 films. It consisted of seven solutions and included instructions for mixing and using. Two sizes of kit were obtainable in the USA, a 1 US pint (473 ml) size and a 1 US gallon (3785 ml) size. At that time, the chemical components could also be purchased separately in half US gallon and 1 US gallon quantities for use in situations where the solutions were not replenished. Larger volumes of concentrated solutions were available to make from 5 US gallons to 25 US gallons of working solution or replenisher.

Kodak Developer Kit Process E6
This chemical kit consisted of two units to make 1 US pint (473ml) each of First Developer and Colour Developer to extend the use of any Ektachrome Film Processing Kit. The kit was introduced in 1977 and is listed in the Eastman Kodak Professional catalogue for 1977-78. It only contained the two E6 developers, and no other E6 chemical baths.

Thanks to the Canadian ebay seller 'thrifttwins' for his permission to show the following images of an Ektachrome film E6 processing kit dating from 1979 for processing any E6 films. It combines the 1977 innovation of including two 473 ml units each of First Developer and Colour Developer, plus one 473 ml unit of all the other associated chemicals.

Kodak Hobby Pac Colour Slide Kit for Process E6
In 1987 the seven solution kits were replaced by a simpler process consisting of four solutions. The new kits consisted of chemicals to make 1 US pint (473 ml) of First Developer, Colour Developer, Bleach-Fix, and Stabilizer.

This kit of chemicals was intended for amateur photographers to process any E6 film in small developing tanks at temperatures from 96°F to 110°F. This was the recommended temperature range for best results. However, it was also possible to obtain acceptable results from processing films at temperatures from 70°F to 95°F.

The following processing sequence gives times for 96°F (35.5°C) using small capacity tanks holding half a litre of solution.

Load film into tank in total darkness. First two steps must be carried out in total darkness.
Solution	Time in minutes
First Developer	7¾	Initial and subsequent agitation (see note 5 below)
Wash	1 – 3	At least 4 complete changes of water.
Remaining steps can be done in normal room light
Colour Developer	6½	Initial and subsequent agitation
Wash	1 – 3	At least 4 complete changes of water
Bleach Fix	10	Initial and subsequent agitation
Wash	4	Wash film continuously for at least 4 minutes, or use 6 changes of water in 4 minutes
Stabilizer	1	Initial agitation only
Dry

Notes:

1. The wash water, Bleach Fix and Stabilizer temperature could be between 70°F and 110°F.
2. The First Developer and Colour Developer times and temperatures were the most critical. A handy “Kodak Hobby Pac Color Slide Quick Reference Process Guide” was enclosed with the kit giving times for the First Developer and Colour Developer at temperatures of 70°F to 110°F. The First Developer times ranged from 28 minutes at 70°F to 4¼ minutes at 110°F. The Colour Developer times ranged from 9 minutes at 70°F to 5 minutes at 110°F.
3. Each solution in the kit when mixed made 500ml of working solution. The total capacity of one kit before exhaustion was 6 off 35mm 36 exposure films, or 6 off 120 size roll films, or equivalent area.
4. The First Developer time had to be increased after 2 off 36 exposure 35mm films or 2 off 120 size roll films had been processed. In the case of the table above, the first 35mm or 120 roll films would have been developed for 7¾ minutes, the next 2 off for 8 minutes and the last 2 off for 8¼ minutes, making a total of 6 films (either 35mm or 120 roll) before exhaustion. The Colour Developer time was adjusted according to the temperature but the time remained the same for the total life of the kit. The times of the Bleach Fix and Stabilizer did not change regardless of the number of films processed before exhaustion point.
5. Initial agitation was 15 seconds of turning the developing tank over 7 or 8 times. Subsequent agitation was at ½ minute intervals, turning the tank over at least twice.
6. A 15 page instruction booklet was enclosed with the Hobby Pac kit, plus the handy “Quick Reference Guide”, which gave First Developer and Colour Developer times for the initial time and extended times for the total of the 6 films processed at temperatures from 70°F to 110°F. The above processing sequence is taken from a Hobby Pac instruction booklet dated May 1985.
7. Mixed solutions, unused or partially used, in full tightly closed bottles, could be stored from 40°F to 85°F and would keep in good condition for five weeks.

As far as is known, the Hobby Pac kits were discontinued in the late 1990s. In the UK in 1998 a 3.8 litre kit was obtainable for E6. The volume changed to 5 litres in 1999, comprising of six solutions
This information has been taken from an early 1999 UK Kodak catalogue. In their later catalogues Kodak emphasise that their E6 films needed separate Bleach and Fixing baths. They believed that other kits on the market comprising of three solutions – First Developer, Colour Developer, and Bleach-Fix, no longer gave good results with E6 films.

By 1992 the formaldehyde was removed from the E6 Stabilizer and the bath was re-named “Final Bath” or “Final Rinse”. E6 films were hardened in the Conditioner bath, now re named "Pre-Bleach”. The formalin was locked into the solution chemically and was released onto the film only when needed, thus eliminating the irritating smell of formalin.

Processing Procedure for E-6
The fundamental difference between Process E-6 and the previous Processes E-2 and E-4, is their processing temperatures. Process E-6 is officially intended for use at 38°C (100°F), while Process E-2 was 24°C (75°F) and Process E-4 (from 1965) was a 29.5°C (85°F) process, though some post-hardening stages could vary up to 32°C (90°F).

Although, at its very highest temperature of use, Process E-4 was only 10degF lower than Process E-6, an important inclusion within Process E-4 (compared to Process E2) was a 85°F Pre-Hardener stage, which toughened E-2 film emulsion layers sufficiently to withstand E-4 processing temperatures. You couldn't process E-2 Ektachrome films in Process E-4 without putting them through this Pre-Hardener step first.

Since Process E-6 did not include a Pre-Hardener, because E-6 films were intrinsically designed to tolerate the 38°C E-6 processing temperature, any E-2 film put through an E-6 process would be liable to irretrievable emulsion damage; the emulsion might even separate completely from its base.

For advice on how to process out of date E-2 films, see the following section.

The following table provides a summary of steps for Process E-6 in a typical amateur 600ml processing tank. The times shown include a 10 second drain time at the end of each step. If your tank is not a daylight-loading model, you should load it in complete darkness, but for convenience of filling, emptying and agitating with solution, it is acceptable to remove the lid of the tank at the end of step 3.

For a commercial large tank replenished system or continuous processor, the following times applied:
First Developer, 6 minutes; Bleach, 6 minutes; Final Wash, 4 minutes; Stabiliser, ½ minute.

Step	Time	Temperature (°C)
In total darkness
1. First Developer	7 minutes (see note 6); Agitate for first 15 seconds, then 2 inversions every ½ minute	38 +/- 0.3
2. Wash	2 minutes; static water bath. USA "Kodak color films dataguide" (1978 ) says either two 1 minute baths of static water or 2 minutes in running water.	25 to 39
3. Reversal Bath	2 minutes; 'Rap' tank to dislodge bubbles then no agitation. says bath time can be any time from 2 minutes to 6 minutes.	33 - 39
Remaining steps can be carried out in daylight
4. Colour Developer	6 minutes; Agitate as Step 1	38 +/- 0.6
5. Conditioner	2 minutes; Agitate as Step 3	33 - 39
6. Bleach	7 minutes; Agitate as Step 1 USA "Kodak color films dataguide" (1978 ) says 7 minutes for processing in 1 pint kits, or 6 minutes for machine processing.	33 - 39
7. Fixer	4 minutes; Agitate as Step 1	33 - 39
8. Wash	6 minutes; flowing water or frequent changes off still baths	25 - 39
9. Stabiliser	1 minute; Agitate as Step 3	ambient
10. Dry	Film removed from reel, maximum temperature 50°C

Notes:

1. The KODAK 'Ektachrome' Film Processing Kit, Process E-6, for colour slide films, consists of seven solutions: First Developer, Reversal Bath, Colour Developer, Conditioner, Bleach, Fixer and Stabilizer. All the chemicals in the 600ml size kit are supplied as liquid concentrates.
2. Two units of each of the First Developer and Colour Developer are included as the other solutions have double their processing capacity.
3. Full details of mixing and processing techniques are in the instructions supplied with the kit.
4. Once mixed, the solutions should be stored in full, tightly stoppered, glass bottles. For best results they should be kept at room temperature (5 to 30°C) and not kept longer than 4 weeks for the First Developer, Reversal Bath and Conditioner, 8 weeks for the Colour Developer, and 24 weeks for the Bleach, Fixer and Stabilizer.
5. The First Developer time of 7 minutes is for initial films through the process. The Kodak instruction leaflet gives time adjustments for subsequent films.
6. The Reversal Bath chemically fogged the silver halide that had not developed in the First Developer. It took the place of exposing the film to light during its processing, as was required with Processes E-2 and E-3.
7. The Conditioner was a Stop Bath, stopping colour development. It was essentially the same as the Process E-2 and E-3 Clearing Bath, and you could substitute the E-2 / E-3 Clearing Bath for the E-6 Conditioner.
8. Its understood that the E-6 Stabiliser Bath was the same as used for E-2, E-3 and E-4.
9. After processing, the film should be removed from the reel and air dried in a dust-free atmosphere or drying cabinet at a temperature not higher than 50°C. Your film is then ready for cutting and mounting in slide mounts if required.
10. For optimum quality, Process E-6 films should be exposed at the exposure index marked on the box, but they can be uprated by one or two stops, in conjunction with a modified process procedure, if a slight reduction in quality is acceptable. Also, when films are wrongly exposed by accident, this makes it possible to provide some compensation for the incorrect exposure. The following table gives guide values to show how the first development time can be adjusted to compensate for camera exposures other than at the normal exposure index.
11. If you wish, it's possible to produce colour prints from your slides. When selecting slides for printing, it's best to view them by reflected light from a light coloured surface. KODAK 'Ektachrome' 14 Paper is suitable for making prints from slides and may be processed in KODAK 'Ektaprint' R14 Chemicals.

From Note 10, above.
Camera Exposure Adjustment Guide	First Developer Time
2 stops under exposed; four times the official film speed (i.e. speed uprated by 2 stops)	Increase by 5½ minutes
1 stop under exposed; double the official film speed (i.e. speed uprated by 1 stop)	Increase by 2 minutes
Normal; the official film speed	Normal First Development
1 stop over exposed; half the official film speed (i.e. speed downrated by 1 stop)	Decrease by 2 minutes

The British Journal of Photography Annual for 1985 gives advice for processing E-6 film at 32°C (rather than the official 38°C), being the lowest temperature recommended. The BJPA text says that processing below 32°C “the permeability of the emulsion diminishes too greatly to permit adequate exchange of solutions through the gelatin”. In other works, below 32°C, the gelatin is too cold to let the flow of chemicals through to work on the bottom emulsion layers (but see the following section, where Photo Technology claimed processing to be possible down to 20°C).

First Developer	14 minutes
Rinse	3 minutes
Reversal Bath	3 minutes
Colour Developer	12 minutes
Conditioner	3 minutes
Bleach	12 minutes
Fixer	5¾ minutes
Final Wash	12 minutes
Final Bath (Stabilizer)	2 minutes (not critical)
Dry

Amateur Photographer test of Ektachrome 200 for Process E6 (January 18th 1978)
KODAK recently introduced three new Ektachrome transparency films to photo-graphers. The fastest one is Ektachrome 200 (ISO) film balanced for daylight. All the new Ektachromes are designed to be used with the E6 process, which is a comparatively faster processing technique with greater stability and improved conservation of water and energy.

The new Ektachrome 200 has significantly improved grain characteristics while offering a 1/3stop increase in speed over the former E4-process High Speed Ektachrome (160 ASA). It has improved colour reproduction with better separation of subtle hues of the same colour. The new film is not only sharper than High Speed Ektachrome, but seems to have lost the traditional blue/green bias. The makers also say that the new product gives excellent results when push-processed by one f/stop to obtain an effective film speed of 400ASA. This is one of the most useful advantages of this new film. Fast film speed ratings do, however, come with certain disadvantages - something has to be slightly sacrificed in order to achieve the speed. You'll still have to go a long way to beat the colour saturation and sharpness of Kodachrome 25, but the new film isn't far off the quality of Kodachrome 64.

Professional users of the new Ektachrome 200 claim that the Professional version shows better flesh tones, neutrals, greens and browns; especially better brown tones found in wood grain and other "rich" surfaces. Professional films, though, are aimed at a specific user and therefore these films must be carefully stored in refrigerated conditions. The capacity of a film to faithfully reproduce colours can change over a period of time, so the new films aimed at the amateur take this into consideration. Amateur users have nothing to worry about if they use the film before the expiry date on the carton. However, it is reported by some users to be less forgiving, storage-wise, than High Speed Ektachrome.

Processing services for Kodak Ektachrome films of the E4 process will continue to be available for an undetermined length of time. This will be until the manufacturer feels that photographers have had sufficient time to finish all their E4 films and have gone over to the new E6 films. Amateurs who wish to process their own new E6 Ektachrome films can obtain an E6 processing kit which will make 600ml of solution. At the moment the new Ektachrome 200 is available only 35mm cassettes viz: 20 exposures for about £1.58 and 36 exposures for about £2.50.

In our user tests of the films compared here, three cameras were used - a Nikkormat FTn, a Canon AT-1 and a Fujica ST705. All three of the films were then sent to Kodak for processing to obtain the best results. The advantage of the new 200ASA film is only slight when compared to the former 160ASA variety, but when used at 400ASA it really does become more important. This means that a faster shutter speed may be used to stop action or alternatively a smaller aperture may be used for increased depth-of-field.

The difference between Ektachrome 200 and Ektachrome 64 is quite small and the extra speed of the 200ASA film has the advantage that you can stop down your lens during shooting to cash in on the definition advantages of the smaller aperture. Although the difference in grain characteristics between the faster Ektachrome films and the slower Kodachrome films has not been completely eliminated, the new films are sharper than the older Ektachromes but marginally more grainy than Kodachrome 64. Kodachrome 25 still stands out as the sharpest, but with the attendant lack of speed. Although the slightly increased grain of Ektachrome 200 (compared with Kodachrome) will probably not be noticed on the projection screen, it will be a bit more noticeable when using the slides to make Cibachrome prints.

Due to reciprocity characteristics, some small amount of film speed is lost when using the new films with electronic flash due to the extremely short exposure time. This is also the case with exposures longer than about 1sec.

The reversal part of the E6 process is a chemical one, so the film spiral need not be removed from the developing tank and held up to a bright light; in fact reversal is not complete by this method with the new films. All the processing chemicals are liquids and there are seven of them; first developer (6min), then first wash (2 min); reversal bath (2min); colour developer (6min); conditioner (2 min); bleach (6min); fixer (4min); final wash (4min) ; and finally the stabiliser (½min). Total time 32½min. The first developer temperature is the most critical for maintaining correct results. This should be 38.0 degrees C; +/-0.3 degrees. This is not easy to maintain, but it does affect density for effective film speed. To push process the film for a 400ASA rating, the only step required is that the first developer time must be increased by about six to eight minutes. Then carry on as usual. However, remember that this procedure of up-rating films increases contrast and grain and decreases exposure latitude. If you're really bold, or need to save a film under-exposed by two stops, then try extending the first development time to around 11½min.

So when it comes down to colour rendition, grain, sharpness and exposure latitude, which film really scores? The short answer is that Kodak deserve a big pat on the back and a hearty "thank you" from photographers, because the new Ektachrome 200 seems to take the honours on all points. This is taking into consideration that Kodachrome has had traditionally better colour saturation and grain than the E4 High Speed Ektachrome.

Gone is the traditional Ektachrome habit of changing flesh tones in shade areas to a cadaverous blue. But now with the extra speed of the 200 film and careful exposure, this new film is a winner. Keeping Kodachrome 64 on the market ensures a good medium speed transparency film, but I would guess that the majority of photographers will choose between either the sharpness of Kodachrome 25 or the speed of the new Ektachrome 200.

The three upper shots were taken by direct summer sunlight.

The left one was taken on the new Ektachrome 200 and has not only better colour saturation, but a "richer" type of colour reproduction. Colours are more accurate compared to the real flowers.

The middle shot taken on High Speed Ektachrome (160ASA) and shows a bit of the traditional blue bias. The reds are slightly more washed out looking and the difference between the various hues of red are not as distinct as in the new Ektachrome shot.

In the shot on Kodachrome 64 (right) the colours appear to have an overall green'ish bias. This shot has slightly more exposure so all colours appear lighter and brighter, though not quite as accurate as those seen in the new Ektachrome shot.

Flesh tones reproduced in the lower pictures are more natural, yet 'rich' at the same time in the far left example on the new Ektachrome 200 film.

The exposure for all three shots was exactly the same. Compared with the High Speed Ektachrome shot in the middle, the new film shows not only better colour saturation in the highlight areas (note the deeper green grass), but also in the shadow areas (note the whiteness of the blouse). The example taken on Kodachrome 64 (on the right) still has the slight overall green bias, but you will probably be able to notice that this shot appears slightly sharper due to the finer grain of this lower speed film.

Colour saturation and accuracy may be seen perhaps a bit easier in these three examples.

The top one was shot on Ektachrome 200. The colours are more true-to-life than in either of the other two examples.

The Kodachrome 64 shot (bottom) appears slightly sharper due to its lower film speed, but shows a slight greenish colour bias.

The middle shot, taken on High Speed Ektachrome, still exhibits some of the traditional blue/green colour bias for which Ektachrome was noted. This, thankfully, is gone now and even many Kodachrome 64 users will probably switch over to the new Ektachrome 200 for its slightly better colour rendition even though it is marginally less sharp.

The following has been extracted from Amateur Photographer magazine for 22nd February 1992. It appeared in a series of announcements within a 3-page News section report from the PMA 92 trade fair held in Las Vegas. (PMA = Photo Marketing Association)

That little X-tra

Once again Kodak is adding that little bit X-tra to its film range with its new Ektachrome 400X Pro.
Coming out just six months after the introduction of Ektachrome 64X and 100X (hence = autumn 1991), 400X is the first E-6 film to feature T-Grain technology.

Designed for fast action shooting in low light, the film is the first ever 400 reversal film for professionals.

According to Kodak, 400X Pro's most significant feature is improved colour - clean whites and highly saturated greens and blues.

The latest addition to the Ektachrome family will appear (UK) in March in 35mm with the 120 format version out in April (all refers to 1992).

Processing Out-of-Date E-2 (and E-3 / E-4) films
As explained in the preceeding section, any Process E-2 film (e.g. Ektachrome X) that might be discovered undeveloped, maybe in an old camera, cannot be simply put through a 'modern' Process E-6 procedure because its emulsion will not be able to withstand the higher Process E-6 temperature.

Possible Options are:

1. Use a low temperature (unofficial) C-41 process as described on the Photomemorabilia website here. Keeping the process temperature at 75°F or below should give unmasked negatives which could be printed digitally. Michael Talbert has some precedent knowledge for this advice, having put a 120 roll of High Speed Ektachrome film through C-22 (previous to C-41) chemicals. The resulting negatives were rather contrasty, very pink and (of coutrse) unmasked, but they did print with a high yellow and cyan filtration. That was in 1971, and the HS Ektachrome film was still 'in date'.
2. Considering the uncertainties involved and the age of any E-2 film (35 or more years out of date), perhaps black and white processing at 68°F would be the best option, as here.
3. If there is an urgent need to try to obtain colour transparencies from an old E-2 film, it might be possible to improvise a low temperature E-6 process. For starters, Michael Talbert suggests the following "E6 process at 75°F" improvisation. But there is no certainty this would work !! It is based upon the old “double the time for every 10°F degrees downwards“ rule: Thus, the official E-6 First Developer time is 6 minutes at 100°F, so that would make it around 35 minutes for 75°F. Do the same with the Colour Developer, 6 minutes at 100°F, so maybe 35 minutes at 75°F. The other solutions could also be increased, perhaps by a x4 factor on each of their times, most are 2 and 4 minutes. The Bleach is 6 minutes at 100°F, so try 24 minutes at 75°F. The longer in the First Developer the better as any E-2 film will be out of date. Note that similar low temperature processing of E-6 film is not possible because (according to the BJPA for 1985) below 32°C “the permeability of the E-6 emulsion diminishes too greatly to permit adequate exchange of solutions through the gelatin”. In other works, below 32°C the E-6 gelatin is too cold to let the flow of chemicals through to work on the bottom emulsion layers (but see below; Photo Technology seemed to have found a way around this problem !).
4. Photo Technology, in their Photocolor Chrome Six kit for processing E-6 colour slide films, gave instructions with processing times for temperatures varying from 113°F down to 68°F, though they recommended processing at the official Kodak temperature of 100°F. The Chrome 6 times and temperatures are shown in the table below. This kit is no longer available and any remaining 'out of date' kits may now be unuseable - their long term shelf life is unknown.
5. Or see the E2 chemistry published the in British Journal of Photography in 1980.

Photo Chrome 6 Instructions

Tank Pre-Heat	1 minute at 110°F Moderate this appropriate to 68°F
First Developer	3 minutes & 40 seconds 6 minutes & 30 seconds 28 minutes & 15 seconds	113°F 100°F 68°F
Wash	3 minutes at 93 - 108°F Increase to perhaps 12 minutes at 68°F
Colour Developer	5 minutes 6 minutes 9 minutes	113°F 100°F 68°F
Rinse	1½ minutes at 93 - 108°F Increase to perhaps 6 minutes at 68°F
Bleach Fix	10 minutes	68 - 113°F
Wash	4 minutes at 93 - 108°F Increase to perhaps 10 minutes at 68°F
Dry

Notes for Chrome 6:

1. The above is for the first film processed. The First Developer times were increased for subsequent films processed. The Colour Developer and Bleach Fix times didn't change for the life of the kit.
2. You could also obtain a “Stabilizer” separately, or use a Wetting Agent rinse.
3. The kit made up to 600 ml of each solution and would process 6 off 120 films or equivalent area. The table above is drawn from the kit instructions which contained a chart showing First Developer and Colour Developer times from 68°F to 113°F. In the table above it has been presumed that the wash times could be increased for lower temperatures but Photo Technology didn’t say. The kit from which this information was taken is dated "Use by August 1992", so is now well out of date. To what extent any out of date kits might still be useable, is unknown.

In Conclusion:
Overall, trying simple black and white processing chemistry seems the easiest and as likely as any to give some sort of useable images, albeit without any colour.

Type R Paper from 1955 (becoming Ektachrome Paper in 1958)
This colour printing paper was designed as a reversal print material intended for printing from Kodachrome, Ektachrome, and other makes of transparency films to produce a finished colour print without the use of a colour internegative.

In 1954, the US Supreme Court ruled that the Eastman Kodak Company were required to release technical information on the printing and processing of Kodacolor films and Kodacolor paper. This ruling also extended to the making of colour prints produced directly from Kodachrome and Ektachrome transparency films. At that time, Eastman Kodak were making Kodachrome prints and Kodachrome enlargements from colour transparencies in any size film format up to 5 x 4 inches. Print sizes ranged from 2¼ inches x 3¼ inches to 8 inches x 10 inches. It was possible that these prints were made on a white pigmented cellulose acetate base material similar to the Eastman Kodak “Kotavachrome” prints ten years earlier.

In the early 1950s, Eastman Kodak were also making colour prints from 35mm transparencies by first making an internegative on Kodacolor roll film, and then printing this internegative onto Kodacolor paper.
In 1953, each internegative cost 25 American cents.

At this time, there was no actual film designed for use solely as a colour internegative film, apart from certain Eastman Color negative films being used in the Motion Picture industry.

Kodak Color Print Material, Type R, originated in 1955 jointly from Kodak Pathe, at Vicennes, France, and Kodak Ltd. Harrow, UK. It was first manufactured in roll form only, in France and the UK, solely for use in Kodak processing and printing laboratories in the UK and Europe for making reversal colour prints directly from amateur photographers’ transparencies, but was later manufactured by Eastman Kodak at Rochester, New York. Eastman Kodak marketed the product in roll and various sheet sizes in the USA to colour laboratories and professional photographers.

Although 'Type R' was sold in the USA to professional photographers, and possibly amateur photographers in the late 1950s, there is no obvious evidence that the paper was marketed or distributed to anyone in the UK other than colour laboratories operated by Kodak Ltd before 1965. The paper is not listed in the UK Kodak Professional Catalogue for 1964 – 1965.

The paper was balanced for about 3200°K, and when making prints with an enlarger the colour balance was altered by the use of, at first, Kodak Color Compensating filters, and later Kodak Color Printing filters. Enlargers equipped with colour heads could also be used, such as, Agfacolor or Chromega colour heads.

It was recommended by Kodak that the enlargers were fitted with an ultra violet filter, such as a Wratten 2B, and an Infra Red cut off filter. The Infra Red filter prevented extreme red casts in the print requiring a very high cyan filtration leading to lengthy exposure times. A first trial filtration given by Kodak was “10 Yellow plus 30 Cyan” (10 — 30).

The layer arrangement was identical to Kodak Color Print Material, Type C, with the red sensitive layer on top, the green sensitive underneath the red, and the blue sensitive layer at the bottom of the pack. Unlike the material used for making Kodachrome prints, the emulsions for 'Type R' were coated onto a paper byrata–coated base. The paper was about twice as thick as Kodak single weight Bromide paper made in the UK in the mid-1950s (Bromide WSG 2S).

Processing Type R Paper, using Kodak Color Print Process P-111, from 1955
Color Print Material, Type R, was designed to be processed in Kodak Color Print Processing Chemicals, Process P-111. Process P-111 was mainly intended for deep tank and machine processing of the paper using print baskets or continuous processing machines.

In 1960, a Kodak Color Print Processing Kit for Process P-111 could be obtained in a 3½ US gallon size. This kit contained the chemicals to make the six processing solutions, the Stabilizer being made up by the user to the Kodak formula. Separate packs of the six solutions were also available in sizes of 3½ US gallons, 10 US gallons, and 25 US gallons of each processing solution excepting the Stabilizer. A First Developer Replenisher, Process P-111, and a Color Developer Replenisher, Process P-111, were available to make 5 US gallons and 25 US gallons of each solution.

This sequence is the procedure for Tank Processing, in 3 gallon tanks or larger, using the Kodak Color Print Processing Basket. Times may have been different for continuous processing machines.

Load paper in total darkness, and total darkness for first three steps. Not permissible to handle the paper under the Wratten 10H or 10 safelights.
Solution or Wash	Temperature °F	Time (Minutes)
1. Pre-Wet	73 – 77	3
2. First Developer	75 +/– ½°F	6
3. First Stop Bath	73 – 77	4
Remaining Steps can be done in White Light.
4. Wash	73 – 77	12
5. Reversal Exposure	Expose emulsion side for 15 seconds 1 foot from a No.1 Photoflood lamp.
6. Colour Developer	73 – 77	8
7. Hardener Stop Bath	73 – 77	8
8. Wash	73 – 77	3
9. Bleach	73 – 77	8
10. Wash	73 – 77	6
11. Hardener Fixing Bath	73 – 77	7
12. Wash	73 – 77	10
13. Stabilizer	73 – 77	1
14. Rinse	73 – 77	¼
15. Dry	Not over 180 °F

Total wet processing time i.e. excluding Reversal Exposure and Drying = 74¼ Minutes

Notes:-

1. The “Pre-Wet” step was necessary to prevent “Mottle”. Mottle is the effect of uneven development, either from the First Developer or Colour Developer, or both. It shows on the print as uneven density of colour in large areas of the same tonal range, such as blue skies, or concrete roads. It is caused by the developers not being able to access the three emulsions fast enough, or developing the three layers unevenly, being “held back” by the fibres in the paper base. Print emulsions coated onto a “paper” base are much more prone to mottle than Resin Coated papers, especially in long processing sequences, such as P-111. The “Pre-Wet” step soaked the three emulsions and the paper base before the start of the First Development, to ensure a more even flow of developer through the paper.
   
   In total darkness, the print processing basket was placed in the Pre-Wet tank and agitated for 5 seconds, then removed for 10 seconds. This was done three more times in the first minute. For the remaining two minutes the basket was drained over the tank to prevent any excess water from diluting the First Developer.
   Once the print basket was in the First Developer, it was agitated for 30 seconds. Then the basket was lifted out of the solution and drained for 5 seconds. This agitation rate was continued every minute for the remainder of the first development time and followed for every other processing step and wash step.
   Apart from Step 1, a 15 second draining time was included in each step time.
   
2. Reversal Exposure Step. Each end of the print processing basket was exposed to a No.1 Photoflood lamp for 15 seconds. Alternatively, the individual prints could be removed from the basket and their emulsion sides exposed 1 foot from the lamp for 15 seconds.
   
3. The “Stabilizer” was made up to the formula:- 1¼ fluid oz. of Kodak Formaldehyde to 1 US gallon of water.
   
4. Drying. It was difficult to judge colour casts on Type R material while test strips and prints were still wet. Whilst wet, prints made on Type R appeared too blue and slightly opalescent, much the same as Type C material and the later Ektacolor papers. This effect disappeared on drying.

From 1958, Kodak Color Print Material Type R, became known as “Kodak Ektachrome Paper”.

Ektachrome Paper, from 1958
Ektachrome paper was available from 1958 to 1969. Both Ektachrome Paper and the later Ektachrome RC Paper (see below) could be processed using the Kodak H11-L and 16K Rapid Processors.

Up to 1965, Ektachrome Paper was exposed and processed in exactly the same way as the previous “Type R” material. There seems to have been no change in the product apart from its name.
By February 1965 the processing temperature was raised to 85°F, and the process name was changed to “Ektaprint R”. The 10 degree F rise enabled the total wet processing time to be reduced to 48½ mnutes excluding drying.

Availability of Kodak Ektachrome Paper in the USA in 1960
Ektachrome paper was sold in sheet sizes from 25 sheets of 8 inches x 10 inches to 50 sheet boxes of 30 inches x 40inches. Most of the available sizes were packed in 10 and 50 sheets apart from 100 sheet boxes of 8 inches x 10 inches. Rolls of paper were obtainable in 250 foot lengths from 3½ inches wide to 8 inches wide. Other wider roll sizes were 20 inches by 50 foot and 100 foot lengths, and 40 inches by 50 foot lengths.

Only three sheet sizes were “stocked”; other sizes may have been subject to delivery delay or had to be ordered specially.

Machine Printing Kodak Ektachrome Paper and Processing in Ektaprint R Chemicals; 1963 – 64
In the early 1960s, machine prints were being made onto Ektachrome paper in the USA using the Kodak Enlarging Color Printer Model 8S-2-K. This printer was designed originally to print from Kodacolor and Ektacolor negatives onto Kodak Ektacolor Type 1583 paper. It could be converted to make prints onto Kodak Ektachrome paper by installing the 'Kodak Ektachrome paper Printing Kit Model 8S' for printing mounted transparencies. The kit consisted of 9 transparency holders, a masking plate, a plug in 7 button classification switch with dual timing unit, a size compensation adapter plate and a full set of colour printing filters. As the prints were made by reversal printing, any border around the print would appear black instead of the white obtained when printing colour negatives. To eliminate the black border, a 'Kodak Border Flashing Kit, Model 8S' could be purchased for installing in the Kodak Enlarging Color Printer for exposing white borders on 5 x 7 inch, 8 x 8 inch and 8 x 10 inch prints. The 8S-2-K printer could make prints up to 8 x 10 inches from 35mm (Kodacolor or Kodacolor X negatives) to 5 x 4 inch negatives (Ektacolor Professional Type S, or Ektacolor Type L negatives).

It is thought that, in 1963, there was no Kodak colour printer designed especially for making prints from transparencies. By 1967 the 'Kodak Roll Printer Model 5B-K' was available for use with Ektacolor and Ektachrome papers.

A processing sequence for rolls of Ektachrome RC (Resin Coated) in the 'Kodak Continuous Color Print Processor Model 4R-3', introduced in 1964, processed at a speed of 1½ feet per minute at 85°F gave times of 3½ minutes in each solution and washes apart from the Stabilizer (2 minutes) and 'Spray Wash' (9 seconds). The processing sequence appeared in the 1969 instruction sheet 'How to use Kodak Ektaprint R chemicals' reproduced below on page 4 of the instruction sheet dated August 1969. The original process in 1964 for the Kodak Model 4R-3 may have included a 'Pre-Wet' step and a wash between the Hardener Stop Bath and R3 Bleach. The Ektachrome paper in 1964 did not have a Resin Coated base and would have required the 'Pre-Wet' step and longer washing times, but the speed of processing the paper and the temperature were the same. Ektachrome paper coated onto a Resin Coated base became available from 1969.

The Ektaprint R process was introduced in 1964 replacing the old P-111 process which had been used with Ektachrome paper and Kodak Color Print Material Type R since 1955. Ektaprint R was a much faster process than P-111, operating at 85°F. It seems that the new Ektaprint R chemicals and process temperature were designed to work with the (then) new Kodak 4R-3 processor. As far as is known, Eastman Kodak never manufactured a colour print processor to work with Ektachrome paper and the P-111 process chemicals, but there may have been processors made by other companies or by colour processing labs specifically for the P-111 process. It is quite likely that the formulae of some of the components of the P-111 process remained the same within the new Ektaprint R process.

Before 1964, rolls of Ektachrome paper could be wound onto Kodak Processing reels, taking widths of 3½ inch, 5 inch, and 8 inch wide paper, and processed in a P-111 3½ US gallon tank line. There were two Bleach chemicals, Ektaprint R Bleach, and Ektaprint R3 Bleach. In 1964 Ektaprint R Bleach was available in 3½, 10 and 25 US gallons. The Ektaprint R R3 Bleach was available in 25 US gallon size only. The R3 Bleach may have been made specifically for continuous colour print processors. Also in 1964, the 'Formalin Fixer' chemicals were common to both the Ektaprint R and P-122 processes as well as the later (1965) Ektaprint C process.

(References: Eastman Kodak “Products for the Professional” catalogues 1964, 1965, 1968. Kodak Color Data Guide 1966. Eastman Kodak Stores, Inc catalogue 1965. Kodak Ektaprint R instruction sheet 1969).

Kodak Ektachrome Paper in the UK
Ektachrome paper was first listed as a new product in the 'Kodak Trade Circular' for 21st March 1966 under 'New Goods', together with all the chemicals for the then new 'Ektaprint R' process which had replaced the seven bath P-111 process in 1965.

The Ektaprint R chemicals had to be imported from the USA along with the paper and were available in 3½ US gallon and 10 US gallon of each of the chemicals to make working strength solutions. The Ektaprint R 'Formalin Fixer' had replaced the P-111 'Hardener Fixer' and there was now an 'Ektaprint R Stabilizer'. There were also chemical components for replenishers for the First Developer, Colour Developer, and Formalin Fixer to make up 5 US gallons of replenisher for each solution.There were no Ektaprint R kits; the process was designed for large colour laboratories and D&P processing stations either for use as a 3 US gallon tank line or the quantity of 10 US gallons or more in continuous processing machines.

The 'Kodak Trade Circular' for 4th January 1965, printed in December 1964, gives revised prices for all of the six P-111 chemical components. It is thought that the paper and chemicals were listed in a UK 'Kodak Finisher' catalogue, distributed only to large photofinishers, and Ektachrome paper and Ektaprint R chemicals were included for the first time in the 'Kodak Trade Circular' for March 1966, hence being termed as a 'new product' in that particular Trade Circular.

Kodak Ektaprint R chemicals were included in the 'Kodak Professional Catalogue' for 1966 - 67 (catalogue dated January 1966), but Ektachrome paper was omitted. In the catalogue under the heading 'Ektaprint R Processing Chemicals' there is the note: “For processing Ektachrome Paper. For further details apply to Professional Sales Division, Kodak House, Kingsway, London WC2”.

An equivalent Professional catalogue for 1968 – 69 lists the chemicals without this additional note.

In 1966 – 67 the Formalin Fixer became common to the Ektaprint C process and the Ektaprint R process. The solution was available as 'Ektaprint Formalin Fixer', to make up 3 UK gallons, and as replenishers (Ektaprint Formalin Fixer and Replenisher) to make up 8.8 UK gallons and 22 UK gallons. By this time (1967), most of the Ektaprint R solutions were being sold as 3½ and 25 US gallon components except for the two developers, which were sold as to 3½ and 10 US gallons of working strength solution, and 5 and 25 US gallons of Replenishers. All the Ektaprint R chemicals were manufactured in the USA, except the Ektaprint Formalin Fixer, which was made in the UK.

(References: Kodak Professional UK catalogues, 1966 – 67, 1968 – 69. Various Kodak Trade Circular booklets, 1965 – 67. Eastman Kodak Professional catalogue, 1969 - 70).

Processing Ektachrome Paper using Ektaprint R, from 1965
This processing procedure was intended for 3 gallon tank lines, dishes, and some continuous processing machines. Times may have been different in certain continuous processing machines.

Load paper in total darkness, and total darkness for first three steps. Not permissible to handle the paper under the Wratten 10H or 10 safelights.
Solution or Wash	Temperature °F	Time (Minutes)
1. Pre-Wet	83 – 87	3
2. First Developer	85 +/– ½°F	3
3. First Stop Bath	83 – 87	2
Remaining Steps can be done in White Light.
4. Wash	83 – 87	7
5. Reversal Exposure	Expose emulsion side for 15 seconds 1 foot from a No.1 Photoflood lamp.
6. Colour Developer	83 – 87	4
7. Hardener Stop Bath	83 – 87	3
8. Wash	83 – 87	2
9. Bleach	83 – 87	4
10. Wash	83 – 87	4
11. Formalin Fixer	83 – 87	4
12. Wash	83 – 87	10
13. Stabilizer	83 – 87	2
14. Rinse	83 – 87	¼
15. Dry	Not over 180 °F

Total wet processing time: 48¼ minutes.

Notes:

1. The procedure for agitation in the Pre-Wet step and agitation in subsequent solutions was identical to P-111.
   Gaseous Burst agitation was also possible. Nitrogen or Compressed Air was used in the two deevloipers to raise their solution level about ½ inch with each burst of Nitrogen or Air. It is likely that a 1 second burst every 12 seconds was used in each solution.
2. The “Stabilizer” for Ektaprint R was now a packaged Kodak chemical, instead of being “user make up” as in P-111.
3. The “Hardening Fixing Bath” of P-111 was replaced by “Formalin Fixer”, as in step 11 of the above sequence. The Formalin Fixer solution was common to both Ektaprint R and Ektaprint C processes.

Ektachrome Paper was replaced by Ektachrome RC Paper in 1969.

Ektachrome RC Paper, from 1969
In the USA, Ektachrome RC paper was introduced in early 1969. This was the Ektachrome paper emulsions applied onto a Resin Coated, water resistant, base. It was first available in sheet sizes, from 8 x 10 inches to 30 x 40 inches. The previous type of Ektachrome paper, being coated onto a byrata base, was still available for a short time in roll sizes only, possibly for processing in the 1965 version of the Ektaprint R process, (see above).

By August 1969, Ektachrome RC paper was available in roll sizes from 3½ inches in width to 11 inches in width.

Prior to 1969, the non-RC Ektachrome paper emulsions were coated on a regular paper base, like Ektacolor Commercial paper. Because of the change to RC, Kodak were able to shorten tank & dish process times, as the resin coated base soaked up very little of the chemicals. Solution times and wash times were cut, and the “Pre–Soak“ step before “First Development” was eliminated. Thus, the total time for processing in Ektaprint R chemicals was reduced from 48¼ minutes to 24½ minutes.

Processing Ektachrome and Ektachrome RC Papers using the Kodak H11-L and 16K Rapid Processors, 1965 to 1973
Kodak Ektachrome RC paper was introduced in 1969, being a Resin Coated (RC) version of the earlier Ektachrome Paper. However, the Kodak Rapid processor sequence was the same for both papers.

Processing in the H11-L and 16K Rapid Processors consisted of partly using Ektaprint R chemicals and partly CP-5 chemicals.
Temperature was for the First Developer, and a 2degreeF latitude for the other chemicals and washes.

The first 4 Steps had to be in Total Darkness - the paper was so light sensitive that a safelight couldn't be used.
Processing Step	Temperature	Time, (minutes)
1. Pre-Soak	98 - 102°F	½
2. First Developer	100°F +/– ½°F	1½
3. First Stop Bath	98 - 102°F	½
4. Wash	98 - 102°F	3
5. Reversal Exposure	Remove print from drum and expose for 15 seconds each side to a No.1 photoflood lamp
The above Step 5, plus all remaining Steps, could be done in normal room lighting.
6. Colour Developer	98 - 102°F	2
7. Hardener Stop Bath	98 - 102°F	1
8. Bleach	98 - 102°F	2
9. Formalin Fixer	98 - 102°F	1
10. Wash	98 - 102°F	2
11. Stabilizer	98 - 102°F	2
12. Dry	98 - 102°F	As required

Notes:

1. Two lots of Bleach should be used, changing one for the other after 1minute.
2. Use CP-5 Bleach, Formalin Fixer, and Stabilizer. The other chemical baths should be "Ektaprint R" i.e. First Developer, First Stop-Bath, Colour Developer and Hardener Stop-Bath.
3. The above process never had any official name and was not mentioned in any Kodak Data books or their Colour Dataguide.
4. The instruction sheet on “How to use Kodak Ektaprint R Chemicals” mentions that sheets of paper can be processed on the Kodak Rapid Color Processors and advises one should write to Eastman Kodak for details of the processing sequence.
5. By 1973 the processing chemicals had gained the name “Ektaprint RD” chemicals, but now were a five solution process, based on the then new “Ektaprint R5” process.

Processing Ektachrome RC Paper using Ektaprint R, 1969 to 1973

Solution	Temperature	Time, (minutes)
Total Darkness
1. First Developer	85°F 29.5°C	4
2. First Stop-Bath	83-87°F 28-31°C	1
Turn on room lights
3. First Wash	83-87°F 28-31°C	4
4. Reversal Exposure. Exposure emulsion side to a No.1 Photoflood for 15 seconds at 1 foot (30cm)
5. Colour Developer	83-87°F 28-31°C	4
6. Hardener Stop-Bath	83-87°F 28-31°C	2
7. R-3 Bleach	83-87°F 28-31°C	2
8. Second Wash	83-87°F 28-31°C	1
9. Formalin-Fixer	83-87°F 28-31°C	2
10 Final Wash	83-87°F 28-31°C	3
11. Stabilizer	83-87°F 28-31°C	1
12. Rinse	83-87°F 28-31°C	½
13. Dry. Not above 200°F 93°C

Total Time: 24½ Minutes.

Notes:

1. Developer temperature was 8°5F +/– ½°F or 29.5°C +/– 0.3°C. The other solutions and washes could be at 83-87°F or 28-31°C
2. This particular “Ektaprint R” process was for processing “Ektachrome R.C.” paper. There was an earlier “Ektaprint R” processing procedure, designed for “Ektachrome” paper. Ektachrome paper was a fibre based product, and the earlier procedure was much longer, taking a total time of 48 ½ minutes. The older process had longer wash times, due to the fibre base of the earlier Ektachrome paper. The solution and wash temperatures were the same.
3. This process was for batch processing in tanks, using the Kodak print baskets. It was not for continuous processing machines, although the times above could be used for processing sheets of paper in dishes.
4. The Formalin- Fixer was the same as used for the Ektaprint C process.
5. Ektachrome R.C. paper was only available in a “High Gloss “ surface.

The final wash time was reduced dramatically from 10 minutes to 3 minutes. There was no “Pre-Soak” step, and the wash between the Hardener-Stop and R3 Bleach was omitted. The reduction in wash times was due to the water resistant Resin Coated base which minimized the absorption of water and processing chemicals.

The instruction sheet mainly refers to batch processing in 3½ US gallon tanks, but gives process times for two continuous colour print processing machines. Ektachrome RC paper was the second colour printing paper to be manufactured with a resin coated base.

Chronology: Ektachrome Papers Manufactured in the USA from 1973 to 1990

1973	Ektachrome RC paper Type 1993 replaced Ektachrome RC paper. Ektaprint R-5 (5 bath process) for tanks/large processing machines and Ektaprint RD (5 bath process) for drum/tube processors, were introduced. Ektachrome Type 1993 was also compatible with the older Ektaprint R process (7 bath)
1974	Ektaprint R process chemicals no longer manufactured.
1975	Ektaprint – RD chemicals became known as Ektaprint – R500 chemicals.
1977	Ektachrome RC paper Type 2203 for processing in Ektaprint R-100 chemicals (5 bath). R-100 chemicals were not compatible with earlier Ektachrome papers.
1978	Ektachrome RC paper Type 2203 became known as Ektachrome 2203 paper. Ektaprint – R1000 chemicals for tube/drum processors.
1980	Ektachrome RC paper Type 1993 no longer manufactured, replaced by Ektachrome 2203 paper. Processes Ektaprint - R5 and R-500 became obsolete.
1983	Ektachrome 2203 replaced by Ektachrome 21 and 22 papers. Three bath processing: Ektaprint - R3 (for large processors) and Ektaprint - R3000 (for tube and drum processors).
1985	Ektachrome 21 paper became known as Ektachrome Copy paper. Processes: Ektaprint - R3 and R3000.
1990	Various Ektachrome paper products available, viz: Ektachrome 22 paper Ektachrome Copy paper and Ektachrome HC (High Contrast) Copy paper Ektachrome Prestige Material Ektachrome Overhead Material (This was used to make large transparencies). All these products processed in Ektachrome R3, R3+ or R 3000 chemicals
1991	Ektachrome Radiance paper. Ektachrome Radiance Select Material replaced Ektachrome Prestige Material (see 1990).

Chronology: Ektachrome Papers used in the UK, imported from France and USA; 1973 to 1990
The products listed were not manufactured in the UK and as far as is known, Kodak Limited London never manufactured any type of reversal colour print material apart from Kodak Color Print Material, Type R, starting in 1955. In the UK, this material may have been known as Kodak Color Print Paper, Type R, and it was only for use in Kodak processing laboratories for producing colour prints from transparencies. It is unknown when the manufacture of the Type R material ceased in the UK. (Ref: Progress in Photography, 1955 to 1958, Focal Press).

1973	Ektachrome RC paper. Ektaprint R process (7 bath).
1974	Ektachrome RC paper type 1993, replaces Ektachrome RC paper. Ektaprint R or Ektaprint RD chemicals for drum/tube processing (5 bath).
1975	Ektaprint R-5 (5 bath) replaces Ektaprint R (7 bath)
1976	Changeover from Ektachrome RC Type 1993 paper, made in USA to Ektachrome 14RC paper, improved type, made in France by Kodak Pathe at their Chalon sur Saone factories. Ektaprint R-5 or Ektaprint RD chemicals.
1977	Ektachrome 14RC paper now available in the UK for Ektaprint R14 chemicals (5 bath), made in France. Alternatively, three bath processing is suggested in the British Journal of Photography magazine for 15th April 1977, with formulae and processing times, omitting the Stop Bath and Stabilizer.
1980	Ektachrome 19 paper for “Print from Print”, processed in Ektaprint R14 (5 bath), or Ektaprint R14 (3 bath). The three solution processing was used in most processing machines and small drum/tube processors. Processing times varied. Ektachrome 14RC paper 5262. The type 5262 may have been an improved version of Ektachrome 14RC paper or Kodak Pathe may have decided to print the number onto the normal Ektachrome 14RC paper labels i.e. the paper may not have changed.
1981	Ektachrome 14RC 5262 and Ektachrome 19 paper could be processed in either Ektaprint R-3 or R-5 chemicals.
1984	Ektachrome 21 paper replaced Ektachrome 19 paper for “Print from Print”. Ektachrome 22 paper replaced Ektachrome 14RC paper for prints from transparencies. Ektachrome 14RC paper, then known as Ektachrome 14 paper, and Ektachrome 19 papers still listed in Kodak UK catalogue for December 1984 for process R14. Various chemicals for processing these products, viz: Ektaprint R14 chemicals and Ektachrome R-3 chemicals for large processing machines holding 50 litres or more of solutions. Ektaprint R14-3 processing kit, 1 litre and 5 litres of solutions, and Ektachrome R-3000 processing kit for 1 litre and 5 litres of solutions.
1985	Ektaprint R-5 process now obsolete. Ektachrome 31 High contrast Copy paper surface F (glossy) for making prints from high contrast flat artwork and printed pages. Ektaprint R-3 chemicals replaced Ektaprint R-14 three bath process. Ektaprint R-3+ in Colour developer and Bleach Fix, plus Ektachrome R-3 First Developer LU for low utilization processing.
1987	Ektachrome Prestige Material.
1988	Ektachrome HC (High Contrast) Copy paper replaced Ektachrome 31 High Contrast Copy paper F and Ektachrome 21 paper.
1989	Ektachrome Thin Copy paper.
1990	At the beginning of 1990 various Ektachrome paper products were available, viz: Ektachrome 22 paper, Ektachrome Prestige Material, Ektachrome Copy paper, Ektachrome HC Copy paper, Ektachrome Thin Copy paper, Ektachrome Overhead Material. Ektachrome Overhead Material was used to make large transparencies, like a duplicating film.

Processing Type 1993 using Ektaprint R-5, from 1973

Solution	Temperature	Time, (minutes)
Total Darkness
1. First Developer	85°F 29.5°C	4
2. Stop-Bath	83-87°F 28-31°C	1
Turn on room lights
3. First Wash	83-87°F 28-31°C	4
4. Reversal Exposure. Exposure emulsion side to a No.1 Photoflood for 15 seconds at 1 foot (30cm)
5. Colour Developer	83-87°F 28-31°C	4
6. Second Wash	83-87°F 28-31°C	1
7. Bleach-Fix	83-87°F 28-31°C	3
8. Final Wash	83-87°F 28-31°C	3
9. Stabilizer	83-87°F 28-31°C	1
10. Rinse	83-87°F 28-31°C	½
11. Dry. Not above 200°F 93°C

Total Time: 21½ minutes.

Notes:

1. Developer temperature was 85°F +/– ½°F or 29.5°C +/– 0.3°C. Other solutions and washes: 83-87°F 28-31°C.
2. This process was for batch processing in tanks using print baskets. The times could also be used for processing sheets of paper in trays.
3. In 1973, the then new Ektachrome RC Type 1993 paper could be processed in either Ektaprint R or Ektaprint R-5.
4. Ektachrome RC Type 1993 paper was obtainable at first only in “High Gloss”, “F”, surface. Later a Silk surface “Y” was also available.

Ektachrome RC Type 1993 paper could be dried in a drum dryer with the emulsion side out, or rolls of paper were fed through hot air dryers.

Ektachrome 2203 Paper, in the USA from 1977
Ektachrome2203 paper was the replacement paper for Ektachrome RC Type 1993 paper from 1977. First known as “Ektachrome RC Type 2203", the name changed to Ektachrome 2203 paper about 1978 as Kodak dropped the “RC” from their colour paper labels.

To begin with it was available in roll form only, in “Y” silk surface, but by 1980 it had fully replaced the 1993 paper and was obtainable in sheets and rolls in “F” glossy surface, and “J” smooth high lustre surface.

Ektachrome 2203 was designed for processing in (then new in 1977) Ektaprint R-100 chemicals for large continuous processors working with roll paper. Ektaprint R-1000 chemicals were made available in small quantities for processing sheets of paper in drums and tube type processors.

Ektachrome 2203 was principally used for “Print from Print” viz: a service mainly for amateur photographers where only the original print (not the negative) was needed to make copies or re-prints. The original print was copied by reflection directly onto the Ektachrome 2203 paper. The 'Kodak Color Print Copy attachment, Model 5S/5B-K' was available for use with Kodak 'digital' printers and Kodak S Series colour printers, such as Models 5S, 8S and 11S, for making colour copy prints from amateur's original prints onto 8.9cm wide Ektachrome paper. The print was loaded into a “print” carrier, which took the place of a negative carrier, a light was shone on the print, the shutter of the printer was opened and light was reflected off the print onto the Ektachrome paper. No negative or transparency was required to make copies or re-prints.

The above reference to 'digital' printers should not be confused with the form of digital printing that became commonplace from the 1990s onwards. In the 1970s, 'digital' referred to the printers making use of in-built micro-processors, programmed (by Kodak) using a digital computer language. This gave the printers the facility to 'recognise' and adapt their exposure and colour filtration to suit a wider variety of 'non-standard' subjects. To read more detail of the Kodak MC Digital Printers, click the link here to download a pdf taken from a UK Kodak catalogue dated June 1980.

By the mid-1980s, 2203 had been replaced by Ektachrome 21 and 22 papers (see below).

Ektachrome 14RC Paper, in the USA from 1972
Ektachrome 14RC paper was introduced in 1972. It was manufactured by Kodak Pathe at Chalon sur Saone in France. Ektachrome 14RC paper replaced Ektachrome 09RC paper which (it is believed) was the French equivalent of the Eastman Kodak Ektachrome RC paper.

At first the paper was processed in Kodak Ektaprint R chemicals but by 1974 the paper was being processed in a modified version of the Kodak Ektaprint R-5 process. The modified process was known collectively as Ektaprint R14.

Processsing Ektachrome 14RC Paper using Ektaprint R14, from 1974

Solution	Temperature	Time
Total Darkness; no safelight to be used.
1. Pre-Wet	84 – 88°F	30 seconds
2. First Developer	86 +/- ½°F	3 minutes
3. Stop Bath	84 - 88°F	1½ minutes
Remaining steps can be done in normal room lighting.
4. Wash	84 - 88°F	2 minutes
5. Reversal Exposure	Expose emulsion side of paper for at least 15 seconds from a 60 watt lamp at about 15 inches (38cms) distance.
6. Colour Developer	84 - 88°F	3½ minutes
7. Wash	84 - 88°F	2 minutes
8. Bleach Fix	84 - 88°F	3 minutes
9. Final Wash	84 - 88°F	3 minutes
10 Stabilizer	84 - 88°F	1 minute
11. Dry	120 - 150°F

Total time: 19½ minutes excluding drying.

Notes:

1. This process was generally used in the Kodak Printank, or other amateur rapid processing tanks, (Paterson, Simmard, Durst etc), or the Wilkinson Drum processor.
2. It is unlikely that the Ektaprint R14 process would have worked successfully with the American type Ektachrome paper, Ektachrome RC Type 1993, which required the Ektaprint R-5 process.
3. A 10 second drain time was included in each processing step. This was important in Step 1, to prevent the First Developer becoming diluted with water.

Ektachrome 14RC Type 5262 Paper, from 1976
An improved version of Ektachrome 14RC paper appeared in 1976 together with three solution processing. The new paper was known as Ektachrome 14RC paper, Type 5262. It was said to have better keeping qualities and greatly increased speed compared to the previous version. Surfaces available were Glossy, F, and Lustre (semi matt), N.

Suggested three solution processing procedures at three different temperatures were published in the British Journal of Photography magazine on 15th April 1977 by Ernest C.H.Gehret. Formulae were given for the First Developer, Colour Developer, and Bleach Fix.

14RC Type 5262 was designed for making prints directly from colour transparencies. It could also be used for making copies of artworks and this included making copies of colour prints directly from a colour print, provided a method of obtaining a right way round image was employed. Starting in the mid-1970s, various colour laboratories were able to offer a “Print from Print” service to customers who sent in their colour prints instead of their negatives. This service was mainly aimed at amateur photographers, in cases where the original negative may have been lost or damaged, or where it may have been more convenient to send the colour print to the lab for additional copies. The prints obtained from the service were never as good as prints made from the negative, but provided the original print was of reasonable quality, and the contrast was not too high, a good copy could be made.

A starting filtration given by Kodak for printing from transparencies using Kodak Colour Printing filters was CP40M + CP30C (40 Magenta, 30 Cyan i.e. – 40 30).

A starting filtration for copying artworks or “Print from Print” using Kodak Colour Printing filters was CP10Y + CP25M, (10 Yellow, 25 Magenta i.e. 10 25 –).

The French instruction sheet for “Papier Kodak Ektachrome 14” dated July 1981 gives a starting filtration of “40 Bleu” = CP40M + CP40C (40 Magenta, 40 Cyan i.e. – 40 40).

Processing Ektachrome 14RC Paper Type 5262
A 3 solution process. The following is taken from the B.J Photography magazine, 15th April, 1977. These processing procedures were mainly for small amateur drums (Kodak Printank, Paterson and Durst drums and similar). It is possible the 100°F sequence could be carried out on the Kodak Rapid Processors.

Solution	Times at Different Temperatures
	86°F	94°F	100°F
In Total Darkness
1. Pre-Soak	1 minute & 0 seconds	50 seconds	40 seconds
2. First Developer	3 minutes & 0 seconds	2 minutes & 5 seconds	1 minute & 30 seconds
3. First Wash.	3 minutes & 0 seconds	2 minutes & 45 seconds	2 minutes & 30 seconds
Remaining steps can be done in normal room lighting
4. Re-Exposure. Expose emulsion side for at least 10 seconds to a 100 watt lamp at about 15 inches distance.
5. Colour Developer	3 minutes & 30 seconds	3 minutes & 15 seconds	3 minutes
6. Rinse	1 minute & 0 seconds	50 seconds	40 seconds
7. Bleach Fix	3 minutes & 30 seconds	3 minutes & 15 seconds	3 minutes
8. Final Wash	3 minutes & 30 seconds	3 minutes & 15 seconds	3 minutes
9. Dry.	120 – 150°F

Notes:

1. The drum should be drained for at least ½ minute after pouring out the Pre-Soak water before pouring in the First Developer.
2. The First Wash should have a minimum of 4 changes of water. The rinse after the Colour Developer should have two changes of water.
3. For more precise First Development timing a Stop-Bath can be included between the First Developer and First Wash for ½ minute; 48 ml (28% acetic acid) to 1 litre is suggested.
4. 10 seconds drain time, excepting the Pre-Soak, should be included in each step.

Processing Ektachrome 14RC Paper Type 5262 in Ektaprint R14, from 1978
This process was for tank and dish processing.

Solution	Temperature	Time
Total Darkness; a 10 second drain time is included in each step.
1. Pre-Soak	86 – 88°F	4 minutes
2. First Developer	86 +/- ½°F	3 minutes
3. Stop Bath	86 +/- ½°F	1½ minutes
4. Wash	82 - 95°F	3 minutes
Remaining steps can be done in normal room lighting.
5. Reversal Exposure	Expose emulsion side of print 15 seconds from 100 watt lamp about 15 inches (38cms) distance.
6. Colour Developer	86 +/- ½°F	3¼ minutes
7. Wash	82 - 95°F	1½ minutes
8. Bleach Fix (tank A)	86 +/- ½°F	1½ minutes
9. Bleach Fix (tank B)	86 +/- ½°F	1½ minutes
10. Final Wash	82 - 95°F	3¼ minutes
11. Stabilizer	86 +/- ½°F	1½ minutes
12. Rinse	82 - 95°F	15 seconds
13. Dry	Not over 190°F

Total time: 24 minutes 15 seconds, not including the Re-Exposure.

Notes:

1. Two Bleach Fix tanks were recommended for tank processing.
2. The Bleach Fix solutions could be “regenerated” by passing air through the used solutions and then adding a Bleach Fix Regenerator to make a “regenerated” Bleach Fix replenisher.
3. The temperature latitude for the Stop Bath, Bleach Fix, and Stabilizer seems to be in excessively narrow limits. Temperatures of 84°F to 88°F would have been perfectly adequate.

Ektachrome 19 Paper, from 1980
Kodak introduced Ektachrome 19 paper in 1980 as a direct reversal printing material designed for photography of artworks or any flat copy, such as “Prints from Prints”. The paper was said to produce cleaner whites and greater shadow detail when used with flat copies compared to Ektachrome 14 paper Type 5262. Processing was carried out in Ektaprint R14 chemicals, or Ektaprint R14-3 chemicals. The paper was available in Glossy (F), and Smooth Lustre (N), in sheets and rolls. It was not a replacement for Ektachrome 14 paper, Type 5262.

By this time the “RC” abbreviation had been dropped from Ektachrome papers in some of the Kodak handbooks and literature.

Also by 1980, Kodak Ektaprint R14-3 processing kits were listed in the “Kodak Professional Catalogue 1980/81” published in May 1980. The kits were mainly for dish processing in a 1 litre size, or in small discard processors, such as the Kodak printank, Durst, Simmard tanks and similar, in a 5 litre size. The three solution kits contained the First Developer, Colour Developer and Bleach Fix.

The “Kodak Professional Buyers’ Guide” for January 1981 also lists Kodak Ektaprint R14 chemicals in large quantities, including the Stop Bath and Stabilizer for 5 solution processing of Ektachrome 14 paper Type 5262 and Ektachrome 19 paper. It is believed that Ektachrome 19 paper was being made in the UK, as it is listed in the “Kodak Professional Buyers’ Guide” for January 1981 as “Kodak Ektachrome 19 Paper, F and N.
Ektachrome 14 Type 5262 is listed as “Papier Kodak Ektachrome 14 RC, F (and N), Type 5262. At this time “19 paper” was available in rolls as wide as 106 cms. (41¾ inches) in 15 metre lengths.

Processing Ektachrome 14RC Type 5262 and Ektachrome 19 Papers in Ektaprint R-3, from 1980
This table gives the summary of processing steps for a tank line or dish processing, and dates from 1980.

Solution	Temperature	Time
Total Darkness; a 10 second drain time is included in each step.
1. Pre-Soak	86 – 88°F	4 minutes
2. First Developer	86 +/- ½°F	3¼ minutes
3. Wash	82 - 95°F	4½ minutes
Remaining steps can be done in normal room lighting.
4. Reversal Exposure	Expose emulsion side of print 15 seconds from 100 watt lamp about 15 inches (38cms) distance.
5. Colour Developer	86 +/- ½°F	3 minutes
6. Wash	82 - 95°F	1½ minutes
7. Bleach Fix (tank A)	86 +/- ½°F	1½ minutes
8. Bleach Fix (tank B)	86 +/- ½°F	1½ minutes
9. Final Wash	82 - 95°F	5 minutes
10. Dry	Not over 190°F

Total time: 24 minutes 30 seconds, not including the Reversal Exposure step.

Notes.

1. Wash times in steps 3 and 9 were increased to compensate for the Stop Bath and Stabilizer steps being omitted.
2. Ektachrome 14 and 19 papers could be processed using either the 5 bath or the 3 bath sequences but, by 1982, 3 bath processing had become standard practice

Ektachrome 22 Paper, from 1984
Ektachrome 22 paper was for making prints directly from transparencies and was processed in Kodak Ektachrome R3 chemicals. It replaced Ektachrome 14 paper in 1984. Note that Ektachrome 19 paper (see text above) was a more specialist paper, while Ektachrome 22 was a replacement for the previous conventional reversal printing paper, Ektachrome 14.

Below are shown images of the front and back labels from a box of Ektachrome 22 paper. This box dates from the mid to late 1980s.

The rear label (right, below) shows storage and handling information, catalogue number, and surface F = Glossy.

It was still being sold in 1990 but was replaced by Ektachrome Radience paper in 1991. It is believed that all Kodak reversal colour printing papers since Ektachrome 14 paper were being manufactured in France by Kodak-Pathe.

The Eastman Kodak 1992 catalogue for the USA lists Kodak Radience paper as the first type of paper in the “Radience series”. Ektachrome Radience III paper was one of the last colour printing papers to be manufactured by Kodak-Pathe for producing prints directly from colour transparencies without the use of an internegative.

Production ceased in 2003 due to increasing numbers of photographers using colour negative films for digital colour printing onto colour negative print materials, or obtaining prints digitally by down loading their pictures from solid state memory cards for ink jet printing.

Kodak Ektachrome Radience III paper was introduced in 1997 as a colour reversal print material for processing in Ektachrome R-3 chemicals, Ektachrome R-3 LU (Low Utilisation) chemicals, and Ektachrome R-3000 chemical kits. The paper was available in Glossy surface (F), and Semi Matt surface (N). In 2003, the available sizes for sale in the USA ranged from 8 x 10 inches to 30 x 40 inches in sheets, and 3½ inches width to 50 inches width rolls of paper.

The UK catalogue lists a much more limited range of sizes.

The rear label (right, below) shows a trial starting filtration of 20 Cyan, 10 Magenta and 0 Yellow. This filtration was common to all batches of Ektachrome Radience III paper and did not apply to any specific batch. The same filtration was given in the Technical Data sheet. The Technical Data also gave typical Tri-Colour exposures, viz:

Red Kodak filter No.29    4seconds.
Green Kodak filter No.61 7seconds.
Blue Kodak filter No.47B 7seconds.

It seems that Radience III was the last reversal colour paper made by Kodak. By 2003, colour prints were being made digitally onto colour negative papers and Kodak were making colour negative papers specifically for digital printing, see Kodak Professional Supra Endura on the Ektacolor web page.

Michael Talbert took opportunity in early 1971, while in his final year at Art College, to make some prints using Ektachrome RC reversal paper. Most were from 5 x 4inch Ektachrome Process E3 sheet film transparencies. He printed these to 10 x 8inch for his final College Portfolio. He used the college's Beseler black & white enlarger equipped with an Agfa colour head (similar to the blue coloured Agfacolor head here).

Each packet of Ektachrome RC paper was marked with a + and – filtration value of Cyan, Magenta and Yellow. These figures were given for working out the filtration when changing from one batch of paper to another (see photograph alongside, being two labels from the back of packets of Ektachrome RC paper showing “Filter Correction” for altering the filtration when changing batches of paper).

A six page instruction leaflet was included in every packet of Ektachrome RC paper which gave a trial starting filtration of 25 Magenta and 10 Yellow, made up of Kodak Colour Printing filters. Using the Agfa colour head, Michael found himself using a very low Yellow filter setting and a Magenta filter varying from 10 to 87. A few prints were made with a low Cyan filter setting and a high Magenta filter. (Agfacolor head filter units were approximately two thirds the strength of Kodak Colour Printing filters).

Around this same time, Michael was also making prints from colour negatives on Ektacolor Commercial paper using the same enlarger. Hence, it was easy to make comparisons between the two different types of colour print. He found that the Ektachrome RC paper was at least a stop faster than Ektacolor Commercial, and was also much more forgiving to exposure errors

When filtering Ektachrome RC paper, it was necessary to add or subtract 20 to 30 filter units on the Agfacolor head to correct a fairly strong cast. Half this filter change, or less, was sufficient to correct the same strength of colour cast on Ektacolor Commercial paper. Filtrations on Ektacolor Commercial paper were normally very high Yellow and high Magenta values.

Handling and Processing
Although in 1966 Michael had made some black and white prints on a waterproof base Bromide paper, this was the first time he had any experience of a Resin Coated (RC - waterproof) colour paper. Ektachrome RC paper had to be handled in total darkness, not a disadvantage as it was easy to tell the emulsion side in the dark due to the very high glossy surface.

Ektachrome RC was slightly thicker than Ektacolor Commercial, handling like a sheet film with more rigidity than a double weight black and white paper.

All prints were processed on a Kodak Rapid Color Processor Model H11-L, and took over 15 minutes wet processing time for one 8 x 10inch or one 11 x 14inch prints. Test strips were processed up to the Bleach stage, washed briefly, and dried for assessment.

It was easier to judge colour casts and exposure density after drying as, when wet, Ektachrome RC prints took on a blue appearance and looked too dark.

Two of Michael's 8 x 10 inch Ektachrome RC prints have survived from 1971. Looking at them closely they both give the impression of being slightly unsharp, compared with an equivalent size print on Ektacolor or Agfacolor paper. The most noticeable defect in both prints is the lack of shadow detail. The shadow areas seem to be very dark, detail almost disappears in one print. Highlight detail is reproduced well, and both prints have good, if not excessive contrast. The contrast level on Ektachrome RC paper was much higher than Kodak Ektacolor Commercial paper; prints appeared much “brighter”.

Blacks were very dense, with no hint of colour cast, but this is true of most reversal materials and duplicating films. A clean white without a colour cast was almost impossible to reproduce, mainly due to very minor fluctuations in first and colour development times and temperatures on the H11-L machine.

As Ektachrome RC paper had so much latitude to filtering, it was difficult at times to “home in” on a filtration which gave no colour cast in the print. This may have been partly due to Michael's inexperience of colour printing at that time, but also he was trying (in his final college year) to become proficient with a variety of colour paper and film material, plus attempting to produce the occasional colour internegative.

After leaving Art College, Michael found he never made prints on reversal printing material at any colour laboratory that he worked in, as nearly all professional colour laboratories made prints from transparencies via an internegative. This way of working had several advantages. The contrast of the resulting print could be changed according to the contrast of the transparency when exposing the internegative. Also, the shadow to highlight balance could be altered by varying the filtration of the internegative at the time of exposure. Very little contrast variation was possible when processing a colour reversal paper. If the development times were shortened, to hopefully give a softer contrast print, other problems occurred, such as less dense blacks, or colour contrast differences, e.g pink highlights and green shadows.

Another reason why internegatives were preferred is due to processing costs. Internegatives could be processed through an existing C-41 processing machine, together with camera sheet and roll films. A separate processing line or machine was necessary to process reversal colour paper, and the machine could not be used to process any other type of material.

What is Duplicating?
Duplicating, in the photographic sense, means making a copy of, in most cases, a colour transparency. Basically, the working procedure is to:

• Either, photograph with a camera, a colour transparency illuminated by a diffuse light source such as a lightbox, or
• Print a transparency directly onto a piece of film, which when processed by reversal processing, (E2, E3, E4, or E6, see above,) will produce another transparency.

There are other ways of making copies of colour transparencies, but this section describes the procedure and types of films when copying (duplicating) onto reversal films, in which the end-product, after processing, is a transparency.

Many years ago, duplicate transparencies were being made from “Reseau” or “Screen” colour photographic plates and films by re-photographing them onto another “Reseau” plate. The reader who is interested in such early methods, would be advised to find a copy of the book :
“Colour Photography in Practice”, by D.A. Spencer, Third Edition, published in 1948, where a whole chapter is devoted to the subject of duplicating Autochrome and Dufacolor screen plates and films.

Kodachrome as a Duplicating Film
It is possible that, by 1938, Kodachrome duplicate transparencies were being made at Rochester, N.Y. by Eastman Kodak Company from 35mm original Kodachrome transparencies, most likely being 'same size' duplicates. Certainly, by 1941, 35mm and larger duplicates were being made at Rochester from Kodachrome originals in 35mm (same size duplicates) and from Kodachrome sheet film (enlarged duplicates). The largest size duplicate which could be made at that time was 11inches by 14inches.

In 1941, Kodachrome Duplicating Film Type 5265 was used specifically for duplicating 16mm Kodachrome motion picture film. It is possible that a similar type of film was used for copying 35mm Kodachrome slides.
In “Colour Transparencies”, first edition, written by C. Leslie Thomson, published in 1948, two references are of special interest.

In Chapter 16 “Duplication”, he states that “Kodak have recently developed a special material for the duplication of Kodachrome, but this is not yet available for general use” The material being referred to is most likely “Kodachrome Duplicating Film Type 5265” (see above). He goes on to state that, in the USA, Eastman Kodak were offering “a special 35mm duplicating service by which masked copies of Kodachrome originals might be obtained. These special duplicates are known as Kodachrome Duplicates M”

This probably refers to the service where Eastman Kodak were printing large sheet film transparency duplicates from Kodachrome 35mm originals, in which case a black and white negative contrast mask was first made from the transparency and then this mask was combined with the transparency when printing the duplicate to reduce contrast. For same size duplicates, i.e. 35mm to 35mm, the author believes Kodak didn't use any masking system. For an explanation of the term 'masking', see the next Section.

Original Kodachrome Professional sheet film transparencies may have been printed directly onto ”Kodachrome Professional Type B” sheet film, using an enlarger to make the exposures. At that time, the Type B sheet film was manufactured in sizes up to 11inches by 14inches.

From the late 1950s there were various Kodachrome films on the market specially made for duplicating transparencies. One of them (from 1960) was “Kodachrome Film for Duplicate Printing, Type 5294”, sold in 50 foot or 400 foot lengths, and balanced for tungsten illumination. Being Kodachrome, it had to be processed by Kodak. The price of the film included processing, but the processing plant required it returned in lengths longer than 15 feet.

Duplicating Transparencies by the Unsharp Mask Technique
When copying an original colour transparency onto another transparency film, either by photographing it in a camera or printing it by contact or making an enlarged or reduced copy with an enlarger, it is usual for the resulting copy to exhibit much higher contrast than the original. This happens with almost all photographic materials when used to make a copy of an original photograph, be it a colour slide or a print.

Normal colour film, as used in cameras, is designed to make an accurate reproduction of natural colours in bright or hazy sunlight, or in correctly balanced artificial light depending on the type of film, Type A or Type B. The contrast of the film is matched to average daylight scenes or artificial studio lighting, and will reproduce the natural contrast in such scenes provided the film is processed according to the manufacturers’ instructions.

When the same film is used to make a reproduction of an existing photographic image (colour transparency or colour print), the camera film cannot accurately reproduce the colour in the image being copied, partly:
a) because the contrast of the reproduction increases due to the film, especially transparency film, not being matched to the needs of copying a photographic image, and
b) partly because camera film is designed to reproduce “natural” dyes, and not “artificial” dyes as found in a photographic image (colour transparency or colour print).

If camera film is used to make a reproduction transparency i.e. duplicate, it is likely that accurate reproduction will be impossible, due to certain pastel colours shifting towards the principal colour in their make up, such as pinks going too red, or greens going cyan. It is usually impossible to correct these colour shifts by using colour printing filters. Also, with a contrast increase, highlights burn out, and shadows turn black and detail is lost.

The only way camera film can be used to make duplicates is by making a black and white negative contrast mask and then printing the transparency/mask combination onto camera sheet film.
The mask is made by printing the transparency onto a black and white panchromatic sheet film. The desired result is a very much underexposed black and white negative showing only the highlights and a very faint suggestion of the mid-tones. The mask is made “Unsharp”, as a perfectly sharp mask is extremely difficult to register exactly with the transparency that is to be duplicated. An unsharp mask effect is created by including a physical “spacer” between the transparency and the unexposed black and white film, and then making the exposure with the transparency on top, spacer in the middle, and black and white film on the bottom. Exposure is by contact printing using the enlarger as a light source. The “spacer” was a clear piece of unexposed and fixed black and white film. The mask, produced by processing the black & white film below the clear film 'spacer', is (almost) a clear piece of black and white film, but with the original's highlights showing feintly.

The purpose of the mask is to hold back some of the light from the original's highlight areas, giving the shadow areas of the duplicate transparency more exposure, thus lightening the shadows in the duplicate.
Colours, such as greens, could be made lighter in the duplicate by exposing the mask with a magenta filter. Then any green light in the original, when exposing the mask, reduces the exposure in the green areas on the black and white film. Then, when the duplicate is made using the black and white mask, the mask allows more green light through, making the greens lighter on the duplicate.
This works for any colour, e.g. a yellow filter lightens blues and a red filter lightens cyans, to give two examples.

Eastman Kodak published an article on this procedure in the 1950s. This was a 12 page booklet entitled: "Making Duplicate Transparencies in Sheet Film Sizes”, No.E 28, published in 1956.

Over forty years ago, the author attempted to make some duplicate transparencies by this method, but found it was much more difficult than by using duplicating film. Most of the difficulties arose when trying to achieve the correct contrast on the black and white mask, but he could see that, if he had persevered, the duplicates made would have been of very high quality. As far as he can remember, he made three or four 5inch by 4inch duplicates, and at least one 10inch by 8inch duplicate, by the masking method, but as the price of the camera film was at least three times the price of normal duplicating film, he decided to give up the masking method because the cost (in time and materials) was prohibitive.

The economic answer was to use a 'Duplicating' film (see next Section) designed specifically for producing duplicate transparencies without the need for masking.

Early Ektachrome Duplicating Materials
Films made specially for duplicating have inherently low contrast characteristics and, when processed correctly, the resulting duplicate matches the contrast of an average camera exposed correctly processed transparency, or very nearly so. Also, the dyes generated by colour development of Ektachrome Duplicating Films were specifically designed to “match”, or be very similar to, the dyes found in correctly processed transparencies.

In the case of a transparency of extreme contrast it was possible when processing the duplicate, to decrease the First Development time slightly, but this would often lead to colour balance changes, poor blacks, and a loss of saturation in the colours. If it was especially important to make a good reproduction of a transparency with an extreme contrast range, a black and white 'unsharp mask' would have to be made (see above) even when using Duplicating Film.

Another way to duplicate such a transparency would have been to make an internegative from the transparency where the contrast could be changed when exposing the internegative film, and then printing the internegative onto Ektacolor or Vericolor Print Film.

The earliest reference that Michael Talbert has found to any kind of Ektachrome Duplicating film is a short paragraph in the British Journal of Photography Almanac (BJPA) for 1951. In the “Epitome of Progress” section it states that Eastman Kodak have introduced an “Ektachrome Duplicating Film”, designed for making duplicate transparencies directly from Kodachrome and Ektachrome original transparencies. The author goes on to say that “the quality of these duplicates is claimed to be equal to that of the original transparency.” Unfortunately he omits to tell us what film format the new duplicating film is, i.e. 35mm or sheet, or any other useful details about the film.

Michael possess a great many publications by Eastman Kodak company, plus many books on colour photography and processing colour films dating from the 1950s, but cannot find any other reference to this duplicating film in any of these publications, so perhaps this was a premature announcement of material that didn't, at that time, become commercial.

Kodak Ektachrome Reversal Print Film, Type 5386
This 35mm film was introduced in the UK in October 1962 for making 35mm duplicates from original Kodachrome and Ektachrome transparencies. The film had an inherently low contrast emulsion thus avoiding the need for masking techniques or “flashing” to achieve the correct contrast. It was sensitised to 3200°K lamps (tungsten), and could be processed in Ektachrome film chemicals for Process E2 with a first development time of 10 minutes. The recommended exposure time was approximately 1 second.

In the UK the film was obtainable in 35mm size only in 100 foot lengths. It was known as “Eastman Ektachrome Reversal Print Film, 5386” by the late 1960s. There was an additional size of 46mm wide film, without perforations, sold only in the USA.

Type 5386 was replaced by Kodak Ektachrome Slide Duplicating Film, Type 5028, in 1972 for processing in Process E4 although both films were being sold concurrently for a time.

Kodak Special Color Duplicating Film, SO-271
Special Color Duplicating Film, SO-271, was a colour sheet film intended for making duplicate transparencies. It was introduced in the USA in the early to mid-1960s and was being imported into the UK from mid-1966. The “SO” description meant that the film could be withdrawn from the market at any time.

This film was essentially a sheet film version of 35mm Ektachrome Reversal Print Film, Type 5386, and was cut from the same film stock. The sheet film had the same base thickness of 0.005 inches, thinner than the standard Ektachrome camera sheet film of 0.007 inch thickness.

As there was no gelatine backing on the film, it was easier to retouch on the base side of the film.

In the UK the film was stocked in an 8 x 10 inch size only, but sizes up to 16 x 20 inches could be obtained by special order.

In 1966, the Photographic Department of the Ford Motor Company in the UK were making 900 duplicates a week using the SO-271 film, having previously made duplicate transparencies by making black and white masks and then exposing onto Ektachrome camera Process E3 sheet film.

Duplicating Film SO-271 became Kodak Ektachrome Duplicating Film (6119) in 1967 without any changes to the film.

Ektachrome Duplicating Film, from 1967
In 1967, Eastman Kodak introduced “Ektachrome Duplicating Film”, a sheet film sold in 4 x 5 inch to 16 x 20 inch formats. In the UK, the film was obtainable in 4 x 5 inch and 8 x 10 inch formats, but the entry for "Ektachrome Duplicating Film" in the UK (Ref: Kodak Professional Catalogue for 1968) also says "Sizes shown are stocked. A few other sizes are available to special order". It was intended for making large size duplicate transparencies from Kodachrome and Ektachrome original transparencies. The film base was thinner than the Ektachrome Daylight Type and Type B films for camera use (see above). The base thickness was very similar to 35mm Ektachrome films, but slightly thicker than the roll film Ektachrome.

The film was balanced for tungsten illumination and could be used for contact printing or enlarging. Handling was in total darkness; no safelight was permissible. A supplementary data sheet was included with each box of film giving the correction filters, and a suggested increase or decrease in exposure (calculated in stops), from the “normal” exposure, or the exposure compared with the last batch of film used.

A four page instruction sheet suggested a trial exposure, (if using the film for the first time), of 1 second, and to make three or four test exposures at this time, each exposure being 1 stop apart. The instructions also mention that the exposure time could be increased, but if so the quality of the duplicates may be affected because of the reciprocity failure of the film.

Processing was in E3 chemicals, (see above), but dedicated First Developer and Colour Developer were recommended for the duplicating film if processing was carried out using an existing E3 process line.

Below are shown boxes for the Ektachrome Duplicating films, 6119, 6120, and 6121 for the E3 and E6 processes. As shown on the 6120 box, by 1971 most of the Kodak sheet films, black and white, and colour, were being packed without the interleaving sheets of black paper, starting with the American made films.

The supplementary data, included in the instruction sheet for the 8 x 10 inch 6121 E6 duplicating film, suggests a filtration of 30Y+20C, a 30 Yellow and a 20 Cyan filter, (30 – 20), as a starting filtration assuming the film was exposed for a 10 second trial exposure. A supplementary data sheet, packed separately from the instruction sheet, for the Ektachrome Duplicating film, size 8 x 10 inches dated “JAN 1970”, gave 20M+30Y, a 20 Magenta filter and a 30 Yellow filter, (30 20 --), as a starting filtration. The sheet also advises that all exposures must be increased by 1 stop.

This assumes the exposure time given for a test duplicate is 1 second for an emulsion rated at “normal” speed.

Because of differences in exposing equipment, light sources, and processing techniques, the filtrations given in the supplementary data sheets were only of use for calculating the new filtration when changing over from one batch of duplicating film to another.

Ektachrome Duplicating Film 6119 from 1969
In 1969 the original duplicating film was renamed as 6119 and was sold in 4 x 5 inch, 50 sheet boxes, and 8 x 10 inch, 10 and 50 sheet boxes in the UK. The 6119 film was exactly the same as Ektachrome Duplicating Film from 1967. For reasons best known to themselves, Eastman Kodak added the film number, which had previously been stamped on the left hand side of the box, to the sealing label. They started doing this about 1968 in the US and then Kodak Limited (London) followed suit in 1969 to 1970 with film made in the UK.

The “Kodak Products for the Professional” catalogue of 1969 for distribution in the USA classifies this film as “Kodak Ektachrome Duplicating Film, Process E3, (for use with 3200°K lamps)". It was available in the USA in five sheet sizes, from 4 x 5 inches to 16 x 20 inches. The catalogue was printed in early 1969 before the 6119 code was attached to the name of the film.

Ektachrome Duplicating Film 6119 in use
From January 1971 to April 1971, the author made many 10 inch by 8 inch duplicate transparencies on Ektachrome Duplicating Film, 6119, mainly from Ektachrome daylight and Type B sheet film original transparencies, size 4 inch by 5 inch. The duplicates were enlarged and exposed on Beseler enlargers, one of which was fitted with an Agfacolor Head and the other fitted with a filter draw. The filters used within the filter draw were Kodak Colour Printing filters (CP).

The duplicating film was balanced for a 3200°K light source and the instruction sheet enclosed in each box of film suggested an exposure time of 1 second. It also stated that the exposure time could be increased, but the quality of the duplicates would be adversely affected. The author has recently (Feb 2013) found that "Amazingly, four of my 8 by 10 inch duplicates which I made on the thin base 6119 film have survived. They don’t seem to have faded much either, having been dark stored for the past 42 years !"

The film speed was extremely slow when used in the Beseler enlargers. A 5 inch by 4 inch Ektachrome transparency enlarged to make an 8 inch by 10 inch duplicate would require an exposure time of around 20 to 25 seconds at F5.6 to F8, F5.6 being the largest available aperture. This exposure time was 25 times the recommended length of exposure. A slightly over exposed (hence too little density) 6 cms by 6 cms (2¼ inch square) transparency, enlarged to 8 inches square, required 30 seconds exposure, plus an increase in the first development time to prevent the duplicate from becoming too dark. This was the only 6 cms by 6 cms transparency from which Michael attempted to make an enlarged duplicate, and was done because the original transparency was slightly over exposed.

The filtrations on the Agfacolor Head, (see the Agfacolor section), and using the Kodak Colour Printing filters, were mainly in the region of 80 yellow to 110 yellow, and from 55 magenta to 85 magenta. The filtrations were fairly similar between the enlargers but the bulbs in the enlargers were different. The Agfacolor heads took a massive bulb, 5 inches long and 250 watts, while the Beseler black and white enlargers took a 150 watt bulb. Thus, it is probably pure chance that the filtrations were similar, considering a) the different types of filter, CP filters in the Beseler and the Agfacolor head filters, plus b) the colours of the inside of the enlargers. Hence, maybe the colour of condensers or the characteristics of the enlarging lenses, coincidentally made the colour of the light coming out of the enlargers a close match.

Increasing the exposures to over 20 seconds caused the duplicating film to turn green. Increasing the magenta filter in the Agfacolor Head or adding more Kodak CP magenta filters to the filter pack, only served to increase the exposure time further. Because of this increase in exposure, it was impossible to make 10 inch by 8 inch duplicates from 6 cms by 6 cms transparencies, unless they were over exposed (low density) like the example referred to above.

Another problem was Contrast. Unless the transparency to be duplicated was of abnormally soft contrast, almost all duplicates exhibited an increased contrast compared to the original, despite the duplicating film having low contrast characteristics.

Lowering the Contrast by “Flashing”
One way of lowering the contrast was by “fogging” the duplicate after the main exposure. This was known as "Flashing".

Directly after the main exposure, the transparency was removed from the negative carrier and a Kodak Wratten Neutral Density filter, No.96, was placed under the lens of the enlarger. The duplicating film was then exposed again for the same time as the main exposure, leaving the CP filters in the enlarger, or the same filtration dialed in to the Agfacolor Head. Occasionally the “flash” exposure gave a colour cast to the shadow area of the duplicate. This could be corrected by adding a CP filter, or increasing the appropriate dial filter setting on the Agfacolor head, when exposing the duplicate to the flash exposure. A magenta filter would correct a green cast in the shadow area, a cyan filter would correct a red cast, and so on.

This method worked fairly well on the whole. All the duplicates Michael made in those days on 6119 Duplicating film were exposed with a "Flashing" exposure.

A typical duplicate exposure would be written:
85Y + 60M or 85 60 –
25 secs F5.6
Flash 20 seconds with 10M.

The flash exposure could be varied according to the amount of contrast reduction. The Flash exposure was 1/100 of the main exposure if both exposures were equal (due to the light reducing power of the Neutral Density filter No.96).

Lowering the Contrast by Chemical Means
Another method of reducing the contrast of the duplicate was to alter the chemical composition of the Colour Developer, by adding Citrazinic Acid and Sodium Hydroxide. The modified colour developer had to be kept for duplicating film use only, but it was recommended that separate First and Colour Developers were used for the duplicating film even without the chemical modification. If the contrast resulting from using the modified colour developer was slightly high, then the Flashing technique could be used to lower the contrast to an acceptable level. If the contrast turned out to be too low, a new batch of colour developer had to be mixed with lower quantities of the two additional chemicals.

The Colour Developer was altered by adding:
Citrazinic Acid: 1.4 grams per litre.
Sodium Hydroxide: 0.75 grams per litre.

Processing the Duplicates
The duplicates were difficult to process because of a very thin film base. They were processed in a “Colenta” machine, which consisted of a film holder revolving in a trough of chemicals (or water, during the wash steps). The chemicals (E3 process) were measured and then put into seven reservoirs in order of sequence. The film was then loaded into the film holder, the lid closed on the machine and the first developer was released from it’s reservoir into the trough. The machine was then switched on, and the film holder began revolving in the trough.

The duplicating film had to be handled carefully when exposing and processing. Marks and scratches on the film were common, mainly being caused during processing.

Because of the very low speed of the duplicating film, necessitating much longer exposures than recommended, very dark shadow areas showed no detail in them and reproduced as completely black. The black areas looked greenish when viewed with a fairly strong light source behind the duplicate.

(Footnote: Many years later the author used this odd characteristic, of completely black shadows with no detail in them, while making a digital colour print of a simulated 1920s fashion picture. The colours were desaturated, contrast was lowered, and the shadow areas were made progressively darker until the deepest shadow areas became completely black. Colour prints actually produced in the 1920s were made from colour separation negatives photographed directly from the subject. Tri Chrome Carbro and Jos Pe were two principal methods for making colour prints in those days. The Jos Pe method of making colour prints was a very early version of a process similar to Kodak Dye Transfer).

Ektachrome Duplicating films 6119 and 6120 with “develop before” dates of April 1972 and September 1972.

The 6120 film was a much improved version of 6119, being at least three stops faster. It had a base of the same thickness as Ektachrome camera sheet films. In the USA the new 6120 film was obtainable by the end of 1971.

Below are shown the back labels. They are almost identical apart from the film number and a new code notch for 6120. This was the final label for 6119 and the first label for 6120. 

Ektachrome Duplicating Film, 6120 from 1971
Ektachrome Duplicating Film, 6119 was replaced by Ektachrome Duplicating Film, SO-210 in 1971. This was a much faster film, so that exposure times for trial exposures could be decreased. It was intended for making large size duplicates from Kodachrome and Ektachrome original transparencies. By 1972 this film become known as Ektachrome Duplicating Film 6120 (Reference: Kodak Technical Information for Photographic Systems, Vol.2, No.2, April 1971).

Like the previous duplicating film, processing was carried out in E3 chemicals with a shorter First Development time and a higher agitation rate in the First Developer. The film could be processed in the same First and Colour Developers of an existing E3 processing line but, because of the shorter time in the First Developer and higher agitation rate, it was recommended that the duplicating film was processed separately from the regular camera sheet films. The First Developer time was 6 minutes at 75 +/– ½°F when processing the duplicating film

The new film had the same base thickness as the E3 camera sheet films. Therefore, if need be, the duplicates could be butted up together with the camera sheet films for use in displays.

In use, trial exposures of 10 seconds were suggested using tungsten illumination, exposing with the filters recommended in the supplementary data sheet enclosed with each box of film. Three exposures of 10 seconds each were made at three intensity levels, usually at one stop intervals, varying the lens aperture rather than the time.

In the U.K. in 1973, the film was available for sale in sizes from 4 inches by 5 inches to 12 inches by 15 inches in quantities of 25 sheets per box. It sold for a somewhat lower price than the Process E3 camera sheet films.

Duplicating Film 6120, In Use
Michael Talbert made many 10 inch by 8 inch duplicates on this film and (below) he describes his experiences of using the film.

Most of the duplicates were made on a Durst 138 enlarger with a CLS 300 colour head, and some duplicates were made, in 1972, on a De Vere “75” floor standing black and white enlarger fitted with an Agfacolor head. The Durst 138 negative carrier accommodated negatives or transparencies from 35mm to 4 inches by 5 inches. The enlarger was equipped with two lamps, one each side of a mirror box, containing two mirrors, each angled at 45 degrees directing light downwards through a diffuser, placed on top of a vertical “mirror tunnel”. At the bottom of the “mirror tunnel” was another diffuser, with the negative carrier underneath the diffuser. A set of dichroic filters, yellow, magenta and cyan, were fitted in front of each lamp, the lamps, filters, and mirror box were contained in a large rectangular box at the top of the enlarger. Three control knobs outside the box were used to dial the dichroic filters in and out of the light path. The maximum filtration that could be dialed of each colour was 80 units.

It is difficult to make comparisons with strengths of filters but the filter strength on the CLS 300 colour head were slightly stronger than the Kodak Colour Printing range of filters and possibly twice the strength of the filters fitted in an Agfacolor head (see Agfa section). A Kodak Colour Printing filter of 50 units would have been the equivalent of dialing in 35 units into the CLS 300 colour head.

Duplicating Film 6120, Exposure Times
Most duplicate exposures made on the Durst 138 enlarger were in the region of 10 seconds to 25 seconds. It was found that exposures of less than 7 seconds decreased the contrast of the resulting duplicate beyond an acceptable level. The 6120 film was manufactured with low contrast characteristics, taking into account the inevitable contrast increase when copying colour transparencies. Most duplicates exhibited a contrast level matching the average Ektachrome or Kodachrome transparency. The “Flashing” method of decreasing the contrast, or any changing of the chemical formula of the colour developer, were never found to be necessary when duplicating on the 6120 film. (see: Ektachrome Duplicating Film 6119).

Although exposures below 7 seconds tended to decrease the contrast of the resulting duplicate, long exposures made little or no difference to the contrast, but as the film had a fairly high speed, exposure times beyond 25 seconds were very rare.

Duplicating Film 6120, Filtration Techniques
A supplementary data sheet was included in each box of film along with an instruction sheet. The supplementary sheet gave a trial filtration for that particular emulsion number. Because of the vast differences between enlarging equipment and colour heads, the suggested filters were only useful for calculating the filtration when changing from one batch of film to another.

When making duplicates on the Durst 138 enlarger it was usual to dial all three filters into the colour head, starting with a filtration for a trial duplicate of 60 20 40 (i.e. 60 yellow, 20 magenta, 40 cyan).

Printing with three filters had two advantages.

1. the exposure time was increased slightly so that the operator was more certain of exposing the film at a minimum exposure time of 10 seconds, even with over exposed transparencies.
2. Secondly, it was easier to filter the duplicate in this way. If the first test duplicate resulted in a yellow cast, either the yellow filter could be reduced, or the magenta and cyan filters could be increased. The neutral density in the filtration (see Note below) made negligible difference to the exposure time because of the high speed of the duplicating film, and the latitude of the exposure range on duplicating film. Michael aimed to make exposures within the 10 to 25 second range without having to expose through the wider apertures of the enlarging lenses. Most exposures were made at f 11 to f 16. These were possibly the sharpest apertures of the lenses.

Note: Neutral density in filtrations means that a certain amount of “Gray” colour is present in the filtration. A filtration of (say), 65 15 50 has 15 “gray”, in it. The filtration without the "gray" would be 50 – 35. (i.e. 50 yellow, zero magenta , 35 cyan). The “gray” colour does not alter the colour of the duplicate, but does (slightly) increase the printing exposure required.

This 3 colour method of filtering the colour balance of a duplicate (or colour print), went against the advice given to beginners in colour printing where the vast majority of books, manuals, photographic magazine etc. articles on the subject recommended that at least one printing filter should always remain at zero, i.e. such articles advised that it was never necessary to dial all three colours into the colour head, or place three different colour filters in the filter draw. However, the 3 filtration method was a technique which Michael used for convenience with 6120 Duplicating Film, though he never used this technique when making prints from colour negatives. But the 3 filtration method would have worked when printing on any type of multi-layer colour material, as long as the printer realized that any filtration with three colour printing filters has an element of "gray" within the filtration which must increase the printing exposure compared to using the 2 filtration method.

The duplicates exposed on Ektachrome Duplicating Film, 6120 were of very high quality and it was possible to make a much improved copy from an under-exposed original transparency, improving both the colour and the density. Over-exposed originals could be improved, but not to the same extent and the results often showed colour mis-matches from high-light to shadow areas. (Pink highlights, green shadows as an example). Even so, the 6120 duplicating film had far more latitude in exposure compared to making colour prints from colour negatives.

Ektachrome Duplicating Film, 6121 from 1977
From 1976 to 1978, Ektachrome films for Process E3 and E4 were gradually phased out in favour of the then new Ektachrome Process E6 films. Duplicating film was no exception and “Ektachrome Duplicating Film, 6121” was introduced in 1977.

In use, it was similar to the previous 6120 E3 duplicating film, with approximately the same speed using the same exposure times. (10 seconds for a trial exposure using tungsten illumination).

The film could be processed with E6 camera films, as there was no need for a reduced First Development time. The First Development time for all E6 films was 6 minutes at 100 +/– ½°F.

In the U.K. the “Kodak Buyers’ Guide” for January 1981 listed film sizes up to 16inches by 20 inches in 25 sheet boxes. By the mid-1980s some sizes were available in 50 sheet boxes.

Chronology for Ektachrome Print Films, 1981 to 1987; 3-Bath Processing
Ektachrome 'Print' and 'Duplicating' films were essentially the same, but the 'Print' Ektachrome films had the advantage that they could be processed faster (than the Duplicating films) by using the Ektachrome paper processes, while the 'Duplicating' films needed Process E6.

Pre-1981	Ektachrome Duplicating Film 6121 for Process E-6
1981	Ektachrome 14 film; a reversal film with a clear base designed for making large transparencies for use in overhead projectors. It was a lower cost product compared to Ektachrome Duplicating Film, 6121, priced at below half the cost of the duplicating film. Processed in Ektaprint R-14 chemicals.
1984	Ektachrome R-14 film replaced by Ektachrome 23 Film. This film could be processed in Ektaprint R-14, R-14-3 or R-3000 chemicals.
1985	Ektachrome 23 Film renamed Ektachrome 23 Transparency Material
1987	Ektachrome 23 Transparency Material replaced by Ektachrome Overhead Material

Ektachrome Duplicating Film Type K, 7121 from early 1990s
In the early 1990s, Eastman Kodak introduced 7121 duplicating film in sheet film format specially for making large duplicate transparencies from 35mm and 120 size Kodachrome originals. It was intended to give an improved colour rendering as compared to the 6121 film when duplicating Kodachrome transparencies.

It was available in sheet film sizes up to 8inches by 10inches with larger sizes to special order. 10 seconds trial exposure was recommended using tungsten illumination.

All Duplicating Films were to be handled in total darkness; no safelight was permissable.

Michael Talbert
Process E2 was the first colour process Michael Talbert used. He purchased a kit of E2 chemicals and a roll of Ektachrome X film, using money someone had given him for Christmas in December 1966, and processed the Ektachrome X film at school in January 1967. It was hard work. The school darkroom in January was the coldest place on the planet ! There was only a cold water tap and no way of heating the processing solutions, and he had to run up to the toilets every now and again to fetch hot water to heat the solutions. He recalls having a dish warmer with a thermostat to keep the developing tank near the right temperature. Despite all this, the finished transparencies were fairly good; "I’ve seen worse !" They were a bit dark, but he thinks this was due to under exposure. He didn't have an exposure meter at the time and every exposure was guesswork.

He didn't do anymore colour processing until mid-1969, being his first year at Art College, when he processed an Ektachrome roll film in the Medway College colour darkroom. Then, later on that year, he started colour printing. During his second year at Art College he processed many Ektachrome sheet, roll and 35mm films in a three gallon tank line. The sheet film, (4 x 5inch), used the E3 process, and the roll and 35mm films used the E2 process. Separate developers were required for each, but the rest of the solutions were common to both processes.

He started making colour prints in 1969, using Kodak Ektacolor Commercial paper. He was a photographic colour printer in the 1970s, printing colour negatives mainly onto Agfacolor paper. He also had experience using about 10 types of Kodak paper, plus other makes, Gevacolor, Fuji, Paterson, Konica.

Michael now sets up and takes “Retro” fashion pictures, but prints them digitally.