Autochrome , Two Different Easy Processes for Absolute Success

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

There are two ways for success at Autochrome.

First : Buy an autochrome plate for 60 dollars from antiques shop , peel off the panchromatic emulsion and get screened glass that side and put a modern BW film contacting with glass and take your autochrome pictures , hundreds of them with using the same plate and register the developed films later and see the autochrome colors and pictures.

Second , get first panchromatic side removed autochrome plate , scan it , get a copy of your autochrome screen and than filter your color pictures with that original screen file and apply curves to it and get your autochrome digital file for your magazine.

You can sell that file later and turn it to money.

These are the only ways costs less than 60 dollars and absolute success.

Best ,

Mustafa Umut Sarac
Istanbul

 

[removed account4]

hi umut

if you remove the pan-emulsion won't you be removing
all the potato starch+color dyes at the same time?
or are they on the OTHER side ... and it that is the case
how do you know which side is the potato starch/dye side
and which is the b/w emulsion side ?

thanks!
john

 

[George Nova Scotia]

John, I have a few unused Agfa Farbenplatten glass plates. I decided to take one out of the box and put it in some fixer to have a look. When washing I found the pan-emulsion was very soft (likely needed some hardening) and with a little warm water peeled right off. The starch-dye layer is on the same side under the emulsion and although fragile protected with a varnish or lacquer coating. In use these plates would be used with the glass side forward. Exposing thru the glass then the starch-dye layer to the emulsion. They come with a sheet of card to protect the emulsion from the springs in the plate holder.

Geogre

 

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

Hmmm , I think John, you were very right at your question , I was thinking that they are not at the same side but George saved the day. Now I know this is possible. George , can you sell me one of your plate peeled off ?

Umut

 

[George Nova Scotia]

Umut, I replied to your PM. I not sure how much packing it would take to get a 4"x5" x 1.5mm thick glass plate safely around the world!

Did I mention that I have 7 more unexposed plates? Some year I hope to find a 4x5 plate holder and see if they still work . I did find a description and formula for reversal processing, so I'm part way there.

George

 

[Photo Engineer]

George;

Holmburgers would due for one of those plates!!!

Or give an arm or a leg or something else that he has 2 of.



PE

 

[George Nova Scotia]

Well I do need new knees. Mine are both worn out!

George

 

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

George , I replied to your pm , I am sorry for time difference and late reply but What can I do . You can figure out to protect the glasses, I am sure. I can buy broken one also a new one.

Thank you ,

Umut

 

[George Nova Scotia]

Take a look at this. It will give you an idea what I'm playing with. Still trying to get a "good" image, this setup was very shaky and hard to get a clean image.

George

 

[George Nova Scotia]

AGFA plates

It appears my link may not work everywhere. Attached are the images. (Sorry these are digital images of a very old type of colour plate.)

These are images of a Agfa Farbenplatten - glass plate. I not sure of the date likely around WWII. The B&W emulsion has been removed, peeled off with warm water.

Approx 1x1mm area - digital zoom from a shaky dig image yes the red dots often appear more orange than red.


The next two cover an area approx 25x35 mm, same area different exposure.


Now the whole 4x5 plate sitting Beseler 45 lamp house. The broken corner and heavy scratches are my fault. It been laying on desk for a while. The dark edges are from the plate.


Now my thoughts and comments.
The white lines appear to be cracks in the coating. They might be effect of age or of the coating drying.
If I recall some of research I did indicated that these plates should be used with and orange filter on the camera.
I believe this is Agfa's version/copy of the Autochrome process. I'd be interested to hear what people think.
Could these be used to "reproduce" the process with a modern emulsion? Maybe, but I doubt they could be used as a filter for film. The dots are very random.
The overall green appearance may be related to the emulsion. The box indicates a green safelight may be used.
My set-up for taking these pictures was not the best - 1:1 macros need a steadier support than what I tried!

George

 

[holmburgers]

George, you can't have my knees... I'm sorry.

I imagine that getting a usable image out of 100 year old plates would be tough, but it'd be worth a shot. Maybe as a negative?

 

[George Nova Scotia]

That's okay, I'll get new knees someday. New and improved ones I hope.

As to 100 year old plates - I did get usable prints from 80 year old AGFA/ANSCO post card paper. (See my images) I do have the instructions and formula for development and reversal of the AGFA plates so you never know.

 

[MDR]

The Agfa plates are based on the Autochrome process but are in fact different they used fine drop of paint instead of starch and don't have a carbon layer. They also have slightly different look.

Dominik

 

[George Nova Scotia]

Dominik, thanks for the info. I knew they were different but not how. Patents and trade secrets are nothing new!

I just came across these plates in some "free darkroom stuff" a couple years back and have always wanted to try them out. I did a little research back then, but lacking a holder and a working 4x5 camera they have just gathered dust.

 

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

George ,

I dont think and I did not see in years that anyone published a better close up than your images. Yes , extremelly random like an highly disturbed water flow or the pictures of deep galaxies. Wow , matchless and so beatiful. I worked at PrePress and Newspaper Web Ofset business and I was able to register 2 square meters film to another with 1/100 milimeter precision less than 5 seconds. I cant see any problem to register bw film to agfa plate with registers.
I am still wanting that plate and I will use it as it deserves and put many examples to the gallery.
Please take serious my request and think about it. If plate reaches you from Germany after 70 years and if it is still in one piece , you can send it back to Europe back in one piece. I will pay all your losses. Pack it like you are sending a baby and it will be good.

Thank you very much ,

Mustafa Umut Sarac
Istanbul