DOCSLIB.ORG

The Quest Towards a Non-Destructive Identification Method for Polaroid Integral Film Types

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Quest Towards a Non-Destructive Identification Method for Polaroid Integral Film Types The quest towards a non-destructive identification method for Polaroid integral film types. The quest towards a non-destructive identification method for Polaroid integral film types. Master Thesis, Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage, Photography. Student: Tessa Maillette de Buy Wenniger, 10452575. Information and source image cover page: Stages of the development of an SX-70 film. The subject in the Thesis Supervisor: Katrin Pietsch (UvA) image is crystalline silver nitrate seen through crossed polarisers at 80x. University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam. Land, Edwin, Howard Rogers and Vivian Walworth. "One- Date: July 2020. step Photography", 261. All figures and tables etcetera made by the author unless stated otherwise. 1 Tessa Maillette de Buy Wenniger, UvA, 2020. The quest towards a non-destructive identification method for Polaroid integral film types. Table of content Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................................3 Abstract (Nederlands) .........................................................................................................................4 Abstract (English) ...............................................................................................................................4 Introduction .........................................................................................................................................5 Research objective. ........................................................................................................................ 5 Research methodology ................................................................................................................... 6 Section 1 Polaroid integral films: process and materiality. Chapter 1 The invention and process of Instant Colour Photography. ................................................................7 The SX-70: a system. ...................................................................................................................... 8 The process: Instant Internal Dye Diffusion Transfer. ............................................................... 9 The SX-70 film. ........................................................................................................................ 11 The final structure .................................................................................................................... 19 Chapter 2 The continuation of Instant Colour Photography ..............................................................................23 Improving on the SX-70: The SX-70 Time Zero ....................................................................... 23 The Polaroid 600 film .............................................................................................................. 27 Chapter 3 A new formula: The Hybrid integral films ........................................................................................30 The Hybrid Films: Spectra and 600 Plus. ................................................................................ 30 Section 3 Features Chapter 4 Film types and manufacturing code ..................................................................................................37 Chapter 5 Deterioration characteristics of the integral films .............................................................................40 Section 4 Evaluation Chapter 6 Discussion .................................................................................................................................... 49 Conclusion.................................................................................................................................... 54 Bibliography ......................................................................................................................................57 Summary ...........................................................................................................................................61 Appendix I Survey, Collection I .......................................................................................................62 Appendix II Survey, Collection II .....................................................................................................64 Appendix III Patent Overview ..........................................................................................................65 2 Tessa Maillette de Buy Wenniger, UvA, 2020. The quest towards a non-destructive identification method for Polaroid integral film types. Acknowledgements The thesis was written for the Master Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage, photography specialisation. During this thesis research I received help from numerous people that I would like to take the time and opportunity to thank here. First, I would like to thank my supervisor and lecturer Katrin Pietsch (UvA) for her advice and guidance. In consultation with her, the subject of my thesis was developed. Secondly, Clara von Waldthausen (UvA) for sparking my interest in Polaroids, for providing help and the condition reports that I could use for my survey. Martin Jürgens (Rijksmuseum) for allowing me to examine the Polaroid collection at the Rijksmuseum, directing me to resources and people to consult and contact for my research, and together with Rosina Herrera Garrido (Rijksmuseum) showing me how the HIROX digital microscope works. A special thanks to Stephen Herchen (Polaroid Originals) for so kindly answering in detail the numerous questions I have asked him during the research. Malin Möhrke, with whom I collaborated making the questionnaire for Stephen, for sharing the experience of going through the patents (and the confusion those patents can bring). Han Neevel (RCE) for providing sources. I am grateful to Suk Fong Chun for lending me a few of her Polaroids that I used for imaging and examining. And Fenna Engelke for her peer review. Thankfulness also goes out to prof. dr. Maarten van Bommel (UvA) for his advice and together with dr. Maartje Stols-Witlox (UvA), prof. dr. Ella Hendriks (UvA) and dr. René Peschar (UvA) for overseeing and guiding the students through the research process. I would also like to thank my friends Robert van Vorstenbosch and Ilana van Doorn with whom I have spent the days in the past two months working together, which have brought me laughter and gave me so much support. My sister, Ilse, because she so kindly took the time to go through my thesis and gave advice. Of course, my parents, Carien and Thijs, for always supporting me. And last, but not least, my fellow photography students. All these people helped me through this process with their motivational words. 3 Tessa Maillette de Buy Wenniger, UvA, 2020. The quest towards a non-destructive identification method for Polaroid integral film types. Abstract (Nederlands) De volgende film types van Polaroid Corporation worden onderzocht: de SX-70, SX-70 Time Zero, Polaroid 600 en de 600 Plus film. Het doel is om een manier te vinden om deze van elkaar te kunnen onderscheiden met een niet destructieve methode. Het fotografische proces wordt eerst besproken om daarna in te gaan op de grootste veranderingen tussen de films. De veranderingen zorgen voor eigenschappen die potentieel als indicatoren voor identificatie kunnen worden gebruikt. Abstract (English) This thesis investigates the integral films (the SX-70, SX-70 Time Zero, Polaroid 600, and 600 Plus) from Polaroid Corporation to find potential indicators to distinguish these films in a non-destructive manner. The internal dye diffusion transfer process is first explained before highlighting the major differences between the film types. The change in structure and chemicals have resulted in some unique characteristics that are discussed as potential indicators for identification. 4 Tessa Maillette de Buy Wenniger, UvA, 2020. The quest towards a non-destructive identification method for Polaroid integral film types. Introduction The company Polaroid Corporation (1937-2008) introduced a new innovative photographic process: the instant colour photographic process.1 During this process, a finished print was developed within a few minutes after exposure of the film in a Polaroid camera by just pressing the shutter button. The company pioneered this process and was for a long time the only manufacturer of instant prints. Polaroid, shortened from Polaroid Corporation, eventually became synonymous with instant photography. Instant colour prints are known as “integral” films where all components necessary are kept in a permanent laminate. Instant photographs are unique prints and bare images with a continuous tone.2 Polaroid integral films are easily identifiable due to their iconic format: between white borders the image is created within a black polyester verso and a transparent polyester recto base; the white frame has three narrow edges and at the bottom a wide border. Polaroid Corporation kept improving and developing, which resulted in several versions (film types) of their products available on the market during different periods.3 Although the integral films are easily distinguishable from other photographic processes, the different integral film types can be more difficult to distinguish from each other. In Polaroid collections the films are often left undated or not identified on a type level. For instance, the most common and popular integral film types of Polaroid, the SX-70 film and the Polaroid 600 film
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Tactical Shipping and Scheduling at Polaroid with Dual Lead-Times
    Tactical Shipping and Scheduling at Polaroid with Dual Lead-Times Kermit THREATTE and Stephen C. GRAVES, MIT This paper focuses on the development and validation of a tactical model that makes production-scheduling recommendations and specifies shipping options to reduce Abstract—We report on a project with Polaroid Corporation in total supply chain cost. The paper describes Polaroid, reviews which we developed a supply chain model to provide decision literature on inventory management with two replenishment support for planning production and transportation. Production modes, and develops a simple static network model that can be occurs in Asia to serve world-wide demand. Production planners used for decision support. We exercise the model by must determine both the production quantities as well as simulation to determine the relationship between whether to ship by sea or by air. We develop a model to optimize transportation costs, inventory costs, forecast error and a static version of this problem and then show how to use this manufacturing capacity in a typical framework where static model in a dynamic setting. We test the model with data production and shipping decisions are made periodically. from Polaroid and show its effectiveness. Index Terms—dual replenishment modes, inventory and Finally the paper recommends a course of action for Polaroid transportation planning, supply chain application, supply chain regarding model implementation. modeling II. BACKGROUND I. INTRODUCTION Polaroid is the leading instant imaging company in the world Many U.S. companies attempt to reduce labor costs by and is the only manufacturer of traditional instant cameras and 1 shifting production to overseas locations with lower wage film in the United States, with revenues in 2000 of $1.85 billion.
    [Show full text]
  • Anxiety Among Customers and Other
    Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation Research Report Summary THE ART OF THE PIVOT: MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS WITH STAKEHOLDERS WHEN CHANGING DIRECTION Dr Christian E. Hampel, Imperial College London Professor Paul Tracey, University of Cambridge & Professor Klaus Weber, Northwestern University Edited by Dr Michelle Fava Contents Key findings ........................................................................................................................... 1 Background ............................................................................................................................ 1 Emerging themes .................................................................................................................. 2 Implications and future research ......................................................................................... 5 About the project .................................................................................................................. 5 Key findings When entrepreneurs run into trouble, they are often advised to 'pivot' - radically transform their ventures' strategy, product offering or organisational identity – so that they can pursue a new direction. However, this case study of 'The Impossible Project' shows that pivoting is far from the simple option it is often portrayed to be. The risks are particularly acute where ventures rely heavily on resources from a core stakeholder group, such as a user community. In this case study of 'The Impossible Project' we show that pivoting can disrupt
    [Show full text]
  • Newsletter-Q3 2019
    NewsLetter Newsletter Team: E. Foote, July-September M. Hall, E. Kliem, W. Rosen [email protected] Polaroid Retirees Association 2019 THIS PUBLICATION IS SOLELY FOR THE USE OF THE PRA MEMBERSHIP POLAROID RETIREES ASSOCIATION, INC. P.O. BOX 541395, WALTHAM, MA 02454-1395 WEB SITE ADDRESS WWW.POLAROIDRETIREES.ORG Board of Letter from the President Dear PRA Members, Directors My three one-year terms as President of the Polaroid Retirees Association ended on June 11th. Officers Serving as the leader of this wonderful organization has been a true privilege, one which I'll always treasure. PRA members are committed to the success of our association. I've gotten to Elizabeth Foote know many more of you during my term as president, although not nearly as many as I'd like. President As I leave, I want to acknowledge the dedication and hard work of the members of your Board of Directors. Each brings a unique perspective and skill set to their role. I'm very confident that John Flynn this talented group will ensure the success of the PRA going forward. 1st Vice President I'm even more confident that our organization is in good hands with the election of Elizabeth Foote as our new President, and I wish her every success in her term of office. Arthur Aznavorian With best regards, 2nd Vice George Murray, PRA Past President President From Elizabeth Foote: Nino DiIanni Treasurer At the May Business and June board meetings, candidates were elected to serve your organiza- tion as it enters its 35th year. I thank this committed, energetic board for asking me to work Mary McCann with you as president, and I congratulate all those chosen.
    [Show full text]
  • Killed Polaroid ?
    Who Killed Polaroid ? Copyright Michael E. Gordon 2010 The Polaroid Corporation had been one of the most exciting, controversial and misunderstood companies of all time. Some might argue that it was seriously mismanaged throughout its convoluted history. Others might believe that its "growing pains" were unavoidable and to be expected for a $ 2.3 billion cutting-edge technology company. Polaroid filed for bankruptcy in 2001 and was dismembered, piece by painful piece. The remainder of the Company was acquired by an investment group in 2002, sold again to another investment group, and finally laid to rest permanently. Did this just happen, or did someone kill Polaroid? The Polaroid Corporation was founded in 1937 by Dr. Edwin Land (1909 – 1991) to commercialize his first product: polarizing light material. This unique 3-layered sheet structure found use in light control, glare reduction, 3D movies, and a variety of military applications such as goggles, smart bombs and target finders. Land was in his late 20s when he launched Polaroid. During the Second World War, the company grew rapidly. By 1949, under the relentless leadership of Dr. Land, Polaroid had developed and commercialized the Land Camera - the first instant black and white camera and film system capable of producing exceptional photos in 60 seconds. This was followed by several other break-through products, including the instant color peel- apart system (1963); SX-70 absolute on-step color photography (1972); and the Polavision instant movie camera, film and projector system (1975). Polavision was a financial disaster (-$500M) due to the complexity of the technology and the simultaneous emergence of magnetic video Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • T-55 Film Data Sheet
    Film Data Sheet T-55 (Positive/Negative) 4 x 5 Black & White Sheet Film Description Extremely high-resolution positive/negative film for finely detailed black and white prints (and negatives). Medium-speed and contrast, produces instant print and negative. 10.2 x 12.7 cm Key Applications • Proofing • Scientific imaging • Advertising and magazine photography • SEM or microscope imaging • Copystand photography • Fine-art photography • Any application requiring a negative for additional prints Film Speed Compatible Hardware ISO 50/DIN 18 • Any instrument or camera equipped with a Model Format 545/545i Film Holder 4 x 5 in. (10.2 x 12.7 cm) • MP-4+ Camera Sheet Film Special Treatment Image Area Requires print coating the positive and clearing the negative. To 1 1 3 /2 x 4 /2 in. (9 x 11.4 cm) clear the negative for reuse, immerse it in a sodium sulfite clearing bath immediately after development. Sodium sulfite powder is Finish readily available from professional photographic supply dealers Glossy and chemical supply houses. Exposures per Unit Mix in the following proportions: 20 exposures per box Warm water: 2 liter or 70 fl. oz. Development Time Sodium sulfite powder: 440 grams or 16 oz. (weight) 0 20-25 seconds at 70 F (anhydrous/desiccated) Slowly add the powder to the water; stir continuously until all Caution 0 0 This film uses a small amount of powder is dissolved. Allow to cool to approximately 70 F(21 C) caustic paste. If any paste appears, before using. Store the solution in brown, well-stoppered avoid contact with skin, eyes and bottles or in a tank with a floating lid.
    [Show full text]
  • POLAROID And. SOUTH AFRICA
    POLAROID and. SOUTH AFRICA Boycott Polaroid Support the black Until all sales revolutionary workers to South Africa at Polaroid. are discontinued . ThE STRUGGLE BEGINS .... Ken Williams Chris Nteta On Oct . 8, 1970 the PRWM intiated Prior . to the rally Polaroid tried to its struggle against Polaroid with take away some of the demonstration's a large rally before the plate glass heat by releasing & slick statement windows of Polaroid's corporate head- about its position in South Africa. quarters in Cambridge . Attended by Polaroid's_ trick back-fired when many Polaroid workers, the rally drew Chris Nteta, a black South African attention to Polaroid's sale of its exposed the lies in Polaroid's state- ID-2 identification system in South ment . With the enthusiastic support Africa . Ken Williams, a member of the crowd, Nteta called on Polaroid of the PRWM and a Polaroid employee, to meet three demands : 1)get out of accused Polaroid of supporting fascism South Africa completely and immediately, in South Africa and demanded Polaroid's 2)denounce apartheid, and 3)donate immediate withdrawal from South Africa past profits from sales in South . Africa to liberation movements. The struggle had started . POLAROID REVOLUTIONARY WORKERS MOVEMENT- JANUARY 12, /971 ON BEHALF OF BLACK SOUTH AFRICANS AND ALL OPPRESSED PEOPLES, THE,POLAROID REVOLUTIONARY WORKERS DEMAND: . 1) .' THAT POLARIOD ANNOUNCE A POLICY OF COMPLETE DISENGAGEMENT FROM SOUTH AFRICA . WE BELIEVE . THAT ALL AMERICAN COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS THERE REINFORCE THAT RACIST SYSTEM. 2.) THAT POLAROID ANNOUNCE ITS POSITION ON APARTHEID PUBL I CALLY IN THE US AND SOUTH AFRICA, SIMULTANEOUSLY.
    [Show full text]
  • Facts About the Polaroid Collections
    Contact: Barbara Hitchcock Tel: (617) 429-8600 [email protected] [email protected] FACTS ABOUT THE POLAROID COLLECTIONS What are the Polaroid Collections? The Polaroid Collections consist of more than 16,000 fine art photographs accrued over the lifetime of the Polaroid Corporation, which was founded in 1947. The late Edwin H. Land, inventor, scientist, educator and founder of Polaroid, said when his revolutionary instant sepia film was announced to the world, “The purpose of inventing instant photography was essentially aesthetic – to make available a new medium of expression to numerous individuals who have an artistic interest in the world around them.” This private and priceless corporate treasury of photographs is protected in environmentally controlled archives at a Polaroid facility located near the company’s headquarters in Massachusetts. The Polaroid Collections serve to chronicle the heritage and scientific innovations of Polaroid photography and allow the general public to view world-class art, while providing technical awareness and inspiration for artists and photographers. The Polaroid Collections are a corporate legacy of culture. Exhibits curated from the constantly expanding Polaroid Collections traveled the globe as well as circulate within the United States. In museums, Polaroid fine art photography is included in the permanent collections of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Why did Polaroid start collecting? Dr. Land’s recognition that artistic vision might test the true limits of Polaroid film led him to integrate the aesthetic dimension of photography into his company’s scientific research.
    [Show full text]
  • A Triumph of Genius: Edwin Land, Polaroid, and the Kodak Patent War'
    H-Sci-Med-Tech Johns on Fierstein, 'A Triumph of Genius: Edwin Land, Polaroid, and the Kodak Patent War' Discussion published by Sean Seyer on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 Review published on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 Author: Ronald K. Fierstein Reviewer: Anna Johns Johns on Fierstein, 'A Triumph of Genius: Edwin Land, Polaroid, and the Kodak Patent War' Ronald K. Fierstein. A Triumph of Genius: Edwin Land, Polaroid, and the Kodak Patent War. Chicago: Ankerwycke, 2015. 644 pp. $35.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-1-62722-769-8. Reviewed by Anna Johns (Duke University)Published on H-Sci-Med-Tech (April, 2016) Commissioned by Sean Seyer A patent is a powerful--yet fragile--thing. A patent-holder has a legal monopoly to use the product or process covered by the patent, as well as the right to deploy the coercive machinery of the state to enforce this monopoly. But patents are also extremely vulnerable to attack; a patent holder, intending to use a patent as a sword against another, risks invalidation with every instance of judicial scrutiny. As recounted in intricate detail in Ronald Fierstein’s A Triumph of Genius, patent infringement suits often become long, grueling, and astronomically expensive ordeals, with high stakes for inventors, businesses, and the public at large. Narratives of these contests can do more than just chronicle the strategic choices of the lawyers on each side; rather, they can offer revealing snapshots of the constantly negotiated tension between the facilitation of invention and the value of competition in American intellectual property law. Fierstein positions his work as a biography of Edwin H.
    [Show full text]
  • Laura Letinsky Polaroids Nathalie Herschdorfer
    1 Continue to Observe : Laura Letinsky Polaroids Nathalie Herschdorfer “While a painting, even one that meets photographic standards of resemblance, is never more than the stating of an interpretation, a photograph is never less than the registering of an emanation (light waves reflected by objects) - a material vestige of its subject in a way that no painting can be.” Susan Sontag1 Laura Letinsky’s work transports us in time. Working with Polaroid Type 55, the renowned instant development process yielding a unique image, Letinsky photographs fruits, flowers, food, utensils, and other fragments of everyday life. These interior spaces are a testament to their passing inhabitants, but only the ordinary, worn, used objects remain. Looking more closely, we notice the meticulous composition. The space that defines these domestic objects indicates that these pictures were not taken in a hurry but rather composed with care. Those who know Letinsky’s work will recognize in these her still lifes, a genre in which she has excelled since the 1990s2. Like the objects depicted, these Polaroids too have undergone alterations. We see smears, flecks, and other marks atop the image that disrupt the photographed scene. 1 Susan Sontag, On Photography, Doubleday, 1977, p. 154. 2 See Hardly More Than Ever (1997-2004) or more recent series: To Say It Isn’t So (2006), Fall (2009), and The Dog & The Wolf (2009). 2 In Time’s Assignation, the impurities are as much a part of the image as is its subject. Letinsky is wont to work with a 4x5” camera, and like many photographers before the digital age, she used the Polaroid to make tests.
    [Show full text]
  • 690 Instant Pack Film
    Film Data Sheet 690 Instant Pack Film Description Medium-speed, medium-contrast, medium-grain, daylight and electronic flash balanced (5500°K) color print film. It’s easy to use, professional quality instant film, with sharp, bright, well-saturated colors, anytime, every time. Key Application • Professional photography (proofing or final art) • Passport/document photography Compatible Hardware 690 • Cameras or instruments with CB-103 Back or OEM CB-100 Back (these holders are supplied by medium format camera manufacturers such as Mamiya, Hasselblad, Konica, Pentax, and Bronica) • Polaroid Model 405 Film Holder • MiniPortrait Cameras, such as M203, M403, and SPd 360. Film Speed Special Instructions ISO 100/DIN 21 Viewing: When evaluating the color balance of a print, use the same light Format source under which the print is to be viewed as a finished product. 1 1 3 /4 x 4 /4 in. (8.5 x 10.8 cm) Laminating prints: Pack Film This film is NOT recommended for use with laminates requiring a wet print to produce a photo-destruct bond. Image Area Not for use for emulsion lift. 27/8 x 33/4 in. (7.3 x 9.5 cm) Alternative Product • Finish Polacolor 669 Glossy Processing Information Exposures per Unit Temperature Proc. Equivalent Exposure 10 exposures per pack °F °C Time Film Speed Adjustment (sec.) (ISO/DIN) Development Time 70-105 21-40 90 125/22 None 90 seconds at 65-69 18-20 120 125/22 None 70°–105°F (21°– 40°C) 61-64 16-17 150 125/22 None 55-60 13-15 180 125/22 None Caution This film uses a small amount of caustic paste.
    [Show full text]
  • Polaroid After Digital: Technology, Cultural Form, and the Social Practices of Snapshot Photography Buse, P
    Polaroid after digital: technology, cultural form, and the social practices of snapshot photography Buse, P http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10304310903363864 Title Polaroid after digital: technology, cultural form, and the social practices of snapshot photography Authors Buse, P Type Article URL This version is available at: http://usir.salford.ac.uk/id/eprint/18795/ Published Date 2010 USIR is a digital collection of the research output of the University of Salford. Where copyright permits, full text material held in the repository is made freely available online and can be read, downloaded and copied for non-commercial private study or research purposes. Please check the manuscript for any further copyright restrictions. For more information, including our policy and submission procedure, please contact the Repository Team at: [email protected]. Polaroid into digital: Technology, cultural form, and the social practices of snapshot photography At its Annual Meeting in 1991, the Polaroid Corporation distributed, as part of its Shareholders’ package, a loose sheet devoted to ‘Photo-Document Integration’. Beneath an image depicting a Polaroid camera, a Polaroid print, a scanner, a computer, and a laser printer, the document details how in the future ‘image- dependent businesses’ will rely on ‘converting … images into digital data files that can be easily integrated with other computer data.’ (see Figure 1)1 By any measure it is a melancholy document. It successfully predicts the technological future but cannot see that the full arrival of this future will render the Polaroid image obsolete. In the new media landscape so accurately sketched out by the document, melancholics are of course thin on the ground: one of the pleasant, even narcotic, effects of new media, for those who have access to them, is a forgetfulness about the once new older forms they have replaced.
    [Show full text]
  • Edwin H. Land by David P
    CLICK HERE FOR MAGAZINE PAGES ChemMatters April 1984 Page 12 © Copyright 1984, American Chemical Society PROFILE Edwin H. Land by David P. Robson The other students drifted out of the laboratory as soon as they finished the assigned experiment, but one young man remained. He fiddled with a pair of tourmaline crystals, buttonsized pieces of mineral that looked like dirty glass. Holding them up to the light, he rotated one against the other and watched the illumination turn from bright to dark. At age 17, Edwin Land was beginning a lifelong involvement with crystals and light. Land knew that the light was extinguished because it was polarized. Much of the light around us is polarized, but our eyes are not sensitive to this quality and can detect it only with the aid of a special filter, such as tourmaline. Thus made visible, polarized light has many uses. Tourmaline, however, is an uncooperative mineral. It is found in nature, but only in small pieces. Edwin Land dreamed of large polarizing sheets, the size of a window, which would open up dozens of new uses. But how could he make such a giant filter? Inspiration came from an old book about the kaleidoscope, that charming toy which looks like a telescope and produces changing colored patterns. In early kaleidoscopes, the patterns were generated by chips of colored glass. Later, Sir David Brewster suggested making the colors by “optical interference” using polarized light. As Edwin Land described it: The kaleidoscope was the television of the 1850s and no respectable home would be without a kaleidoscope in the middle of the library.
    [Show full text]