Historic: Polaroid UV film?

[AgX]

In 1953 Polaroid released a UV microscope with imageforming via a rapid access film process:

A b&w film (most probably specially sensitive for UV light) was exposed for three seperations (different UV bands) and after processing three coloured images were generated from the negatives and additively blended on a screen.

In those days these means of enhancing UV sensitivity of a film were known:

-) using AgCl crystals
-) using a low-gelatin-content emulsion
-) using a fluorescent dye

What do you know about that film?
Which means did that Polaroid film employ.
As I assume one would not manufacture a special film for a few? microscopes, was this a film by Polaroid at all?

 

[Alexander Ghaffari]

I have used a microscope designed to take UV pictures on Kodak EIR film. It was a very nice Zeiss setup...pricey, but absolutely gorgeous. It would be very handy to get nearly instant results, as opposed to developing in E-6, though all serious laboratories should have a darkroom.

Scientists are not afraid to spend their grant money on expensive equipment and supplies. My trick is to estimate the cost of something in lab and then multiply tenfold to get near the actual price...works out well for me, so far. So, with that in mind, Polaroid could have made very expensive special application film for scientists, and they would buy it, so long as it made their work easier.

Very interesting. I would not mind trying some of that out, if it were still fresh.

 

[AgX]

Alexander,

I'll think about that tenfold estimate...

In the literature on UV photography I got at hand (70-ties) only plates are referred to (Kodak, Ilford, Orwo) as being specially prepared for UV.
There the EIR is referred to as alternative. (The EIR has got no yellow, UV absorbing filter layer.) But a colour film would not neccessarily be the the first choice for `monochromatic´ light. And b&w films do not typically have an UV absorber. Though they might have got a protective dye in order to reduce the intrinsic sensitivity of the grain (blue-reduction), which may act as such.
I must admit, I have not given much thought on the EIR being exposed to UV, or maybe I'm slow on the intake again.

 

[thedarkroomstudios]

Here's a link to a guy currently producing UV camera materials: http://www.uvcamera.com/Faraghan Medical Camera Systems/Polaroid UV Detect .html
He is no longer in Philadelphia, think he moved his operation to NJ 'burbs - Moorestown area.

 

[AgX]

Interesting link (shocking...).

The b&w films used for those dermatological examinations are standard b&w films. In the colour section, it is obvious that a mixed lighting was employed in the UV samples.


But I have to emphasize, as the brand Polaroid seems to urge wrong conclusions, that the film in my question is NOT of the DTR (silver-salt-diffusion) type, but a film plain simple rapidly processed.