Anyone recognize this edge code?

infrar3d · Jan 8, 2024

I bought a box of photo junk at an antique store just to get a stash of Kodak snap cap canisters still in their boxes. After I got them home I realized they were loaded, but no clue what's in them. One roll looked to have been shot and rewound so I took a chance and developed it, hoping to at least be able to read the edge code. But I'm still not sure what I have here. It looks to me like it reads "25 H03143," and on the other side "safety film."

I can't seem to find any information. Any ideas?

AnselMortensen · Jan 8, 2024

Those are 'motion picture' film perforations...but I don't recognize the text.

infrar3d · Jan 8, 2024

AnselMortensen said:
Those are 'motion picture' film perforations...but I don't recognize the text.

I thought they might be. They do look odd. Thanks.

infrar3d · Jan 8, 2024

Another clue: after a closer look I found another edge marking further down, "Eastman 15 1H." An old Reddit thread claims that Eastman 15 is Kodalith Orthographic Film, ISO 12.

Labeauratoire : Kodak Kodalith Orthographic 35mm Film

cmacd123 · Jan 8, 2024

the number in teh first Picture is a footage number in ink of the Base side of the film. the number would be semi unique for every foot of film. the numbers were used when editing the film so the work print could be matched to the Negative. the "H' is a code for the type of film, but I no longer can find my old list. the 25 is the ink machine number. and the Little ink lines every 4 perfs on the other edge is a way to indicate that you have "safety Film" and not Nitrate. if you look at the base of the film with an oblique light you may be able to see the ink. the advantage of the ink method was the person loading the movie camera could confirm the typeof film,and sometimes would put the footage number on the Camea report to help the editor. That method did not work with REM-Jet and so they went to just latent Image Numbers for colour film, and eventually B&W.

as far as the other picture that is the normal Movie edge print at the time. the 15 is the strip number that was cut out of the master roll. off the top of my head I think 35mm got up to strip 38. Plus - circle-triangle means the film was made in 1994. If you look closely at the word "Safety" you should see a small dot between the letters. if it says "S'AFETY" it would be from Rochester., SA'FETY would be Toronto.

Kino · Jan 8, 2024

cmacd123 said:
the number in teh first Picture is a footage number in ink of the Base side of the film. the number would be semi unique for every foot of film. the numbers were used when editing the film so the work print could be matched to the Negative. the "H' is a code for the type of film, but I no longer can find my old list. the 25 is the ink machine number. and the Little ink lines every 4 perfs on the other edge is a way to indicate that you have "safety Film" and not Nitrate. if you look at the base of the film with an oblique light you may be able to see the ink. the advantage of the ink method was the person loading the movie camera could confirm the typeof film,and sometimes would put the footage number on the Camea report to help the editor. That method did not work with REM-Jet and so they went to just latent Image Numbers for colour film, and eventually B&W.

as far as the other picture that is the normal Movie edge print at the time. the 15 is the strip number that was cut out of the master roll. off the top of my head I think 35mm got up to strip 38. Plus - circle-triangle means the film was made in 1994. If you look closely at the word "Safety" you should see a small dot between the letters. if it says "S'AFETY" it would be from Rochester., SA'FETY would be Toronto.

Bravo! What Charles said!

infrar3d · Jan 8, 2024

Wow. Thanks for that detailed info, Charles. I did notice later that those numbers increment, just as you say.

That second picture is from the Reddit article I mentioned. Here's what mine looks like.

And thanks also for the "S'AFETY" film info. It's a bit tough to see, I'm trying to use my laptop as a lightbox, but I think this looks like Rochester.

cmacd123 · Jan 9, 2024

between "eastman" and "safety" is generaly a collecton of two or three geometic sysmbols, Squares Circles Triangles Xs Plus signs which is how Kodak USED to let their own folks know when a given roll of film was made.

when they started with Key Code they planned to use two seemingly random letters for that function, and finally Gave up with the Games and started putting the actual date.

https://www.kodak.com/content/produ...anufacture-for-KODAK-Motion-Picture-Films.pdf has many of the codes to the earlier films. in the old days they resued the codes every 20 years. but they then went at least in 35mm to a unique code for each year.

infrar3d · Jan 11, 2024

That's a very useful document. Thanks. Here's what the symbols look like:

Which seems to be 1963.

Actually, I was contacted outside of the thread by a Kodak representative. It turns out this is PLUS-X Panchromatic Negative film, type 4231. Daylight, EI 80, Tungsten, EI 64.

I have several rolls, so I think I'm going to order some hardening fixer, load my K1000, and see if I can make some images with it. Thank you everyone for your help.

cmacd123 · Jan 11, 2024

Plus-X is fairly stable over time, so you may find it useable with an extra stop or two over exposure. The EI for movie use is allowing for the Lower contrast that Movie Production is aiming for.

5231 was the Code for Plux X at the time it was discontinued in 2010. even the First Plus-X in 1938 was EASTMAN Plus X Film 1231 (Nitrate Base)

the kodak time line of film shows "PLUS-X Panchromatic Negative film, 4231 35mm. Later changed to 5231. Daylight, EI 80, Tungsten, EI 64" in 1956. Double -X which many of us use, only came out in 1959.

if you want the entire history, they have it at : https://www.kodak.com/en/motion/page/chronology-of-film

the Circle Triangle code was used for 1923, 1943 and 1963 and so wih the film ID coded as Plus X, that pins it down to 1963 all right.

Anyone recognize this edge code?

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