Color Separation Positives in Sequence on 35mm Continuous Tone, Panchromatic Black and White Microfilm for Low Cost Archiving of Color Images
Kevin L. Warnock · Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE · 1990
Black and white film is widely accepted as being more permanent than color film. Color separations on black and white film are routinely prepared from commercial color motion picture negatives to ensure that valuable film endures. At some point in the future, the separations are reconstructed onto color film and fresh release prints are struck for distribution to theaters. Color separations are rarely made from still color images to enhance their longevity, due in part to the complexity and expense of separating and reconstructing color images. The author has developed hardware and a set of procedures to make and reconstruct color separations at very low cost, and, if warranted, in high volume. Sets of separations are exposed in register sequentially onto sprocketed, continuous tone 35mm panchromatic microfilm. Sets of separations are reconstructed onto common color sheet film or electronic sensors with a registered tri-color viewer/printer that is suitable for use in room light.