PDA

View Full Version : Kodak Spectroscopic Plates



Bob Hubert
27-Nov-2012, 11:00
Hi All:

Just came in to possession of two unopened boxes of Kodak Spectroscopic Plates in 8X10 size. My understanding is that these were used in astronomy. I have gone through my trusty Kodak Reference Handbook and looked around on line, but can't find any references to using these plates in a normal photographic manner. I would appreciate any information about using or developing these plates.

Bob

David Michael Bigeleisen
27-Nov-2012, 18:06
Contact the chemistry or physics department at your local university. I am informed that the scientists at Brandeis, M.I.T., and Harvard know a few things about spectroscopy.

David Michael Bigeleisen

Nathan Potter
27-Nov-2012, 18:44
I used to use Kodak spectrographic plates many years ago. We used D19 as a developer with, as I try to recall, Plate #1. Before the days of commercial masks for lithography we used UV exposure (400 nm )
to replicate fine features. The plates were of very high contrast with high resolving ability - possibly up to 500 lp/mm. Later we used Kodak HRGP (High Resolution Glass Plates delivering on the order of 1000 lp/mm. The ASA was very low maybe around 5 to 10.

If you want to use for continuous tone imaging then you'll have to experiment. Alist of the original Kodak plates can be found on the web:

www.skyarchive.org/wgss_newsletter/issue3/kodak-2.pdf

Nate Potter, Austin TX

Nathan Potter
27-Nov-2012, 23:10
Found a bit more information on Kodak spectrographic plates. But there were a bunch of plates with different sensitization formulas used to adjust at least the wavelength and exposure sensitivity.

FOR SHORT EXPOSURES 103-F, I-F, II-F, III-F, IV-F, V-F, 649-F
FOR LONG EXPOSURES Ia-0, 103a-0, IIa-0, IIIa-0

Of these the 649F is the highest resolution, > 2000 l/mm. A spectral sensitivity plot shows a useful range of from 300 to 700 nm. It is the widest band material. The F, by the way is the Kodak designation for the spectral sensitizing class. Type O is for the basic material with no added sensitizing material.

The exposure sensitivity is given as 0.005, the reciprocal of tungsten exposure in lux-seconds to produce a net density of log 0.6 with a 1 sec. exposure and developed in D19 at 68 F. (time?, I would take as normal for D19), probably about 5 minutes.

Ref. Woodlief Thomas Editor, "SPSE Handbook of Photographic Science and Engineering" Wiley, 1973, pp 356 - 359.

Also:

"Kodak Plates and Films for Science and Industry", Kodak Publication No. P-9. Eastman Kodak Co., 1967

The Kodak P-9 I might have but would have to dig for it in my storage area.

Is there an emulsion designation on the plates you have?

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

Emmanuel BIGLER
28-Nov-2012, 06:16
In the 1980's, I have used kodak Hi-Res plates type 1A, but in small 2-1/2" square format (hence I cannot speak about them here ;) )
Spectroscopic plates were in principle panchromatic in order to record the whole visible spectrum.
The legendary 649-F, used to make holograms, was panchromatic ; at the time, many holograms were made with red laser light, hence only panchromatic plates could be used with a red laser.
Kodak plat Type 1A, on the contrary, was sensitive to UV and blue only and designed for mask or reticle fabrication. There was no blue laser at the time ... only mercury arc lamps.
I remember having processed those Hi-Res plates in D-19, in a Combi Plan tank, under a red safelight. The Combi Plan rack can accommodate glass plates, simply by reversing the holding grooves, one side = curved grooves for sheet film, the other side = straight grooves for glass plates. Too bad, no Combi Plan rack in 8x10" ;)

Hence an important point is to identify the type of spectroscopic plate, is-it panchromatic or only sensitive to UV & blue ? The best would be to find the technical data sheet in order to have at least an idea of the ISO rating as a starting point.

Bob Hubert
28-Nov-2012, 14:28
I used to use Kodak spectrographic plates many years ago. We used D19 as a developer with, as I try to recall, Plate #1. Before the days of commercial masks for lithography we used UV exposure (400 nm )
to replicate fine features. The plates were of very high contrast with high resolving ability - possibly up to 500 lp/mm. Later we used Kodak HRGP (High Resolution Glass Plates delivering on the order of 1000 lp/mm. The ASA was very low maybe around 5 to 10.

If you want to use for continuous tone imaging then you'll have to experiment. Alist of the original Kodak plates can be found on the web:

www.skyarchive.org/wgss_newsletter/issue3/kodak-2.pdf

Nate Potter, Austin TX

Hi Nate

Thanks for the link to the Kodak list. It looks like I have the IIA-0 plates.

Bob

Bob Hubert
28-Nov-2012, 14:35
In the 1980's, I have used kodak Hi-Res plates type 1A, but in small 2-1/2" square format (hence I cannot speak about them here ;) )
Spectroscopic plates were in principle panchromatic in order to record the whole visible spectrum.
The legendary 649-F, used to make holograms, was panchromatic ; at the time, many holograms were made with red laser light, hence only panchromatic plates could be used with a red laser.
Kodak plat Type 1A, on the contrary, was sensitive to UV and blue only and designed for mask or reticle fabrication. There was no blue laser at the time ... only mercury arc lamps.
I remember having processed those Hi-Res plates in D-19, in a Combi Plan tank, under a red safelight. The Combi Plan rack can accommodate glass plates, simply by reversing the holding grooves, one side = curved grooves for sheet film, the other side = straight grooves for glass plates. Too bad, no Combi Plan rack in 8x10" ;)

Hence an important point is to identify the type of spectroscopic plate, is-it panchromatic or only sensitive to UV & blue ? The best would be to find the technical data sheet in order to have at least an idea of the ISO rating as a starting point.

Thanks for the information Emmanuel. Nate Potter referenced a earlier Kodak document in a post above. It looks like I have the IIA-0 plates. I will keep poking around for a technical data sheet on these plates to get some more information but it sounds like these plates were intended for long exposures.

Bob

Nathan Potter
28-Nov-2012, 16:42
Interesting Bob. Type IIaO is an unsensitized version. I believe that means the emulsion is simply silver halide without coupled metal sensitizers added. That's OK but the spectral sensitivity will fall off sharply between 500 and 550 nm meaning poor red/orange response.
If you want to use these plates there will be exposure differences from what I mentioned above. I can refer to some data on Type 103aO which will be similar to your IIaO. For 103aO below 475 nm (practically UV) it would appear that the reciprocal of tungsten exposure would be .005 lux-sec. to produce log D 0.6 above base fog using 4 min. in D19 development. Look for somewhere around a 1 to 6 sec. exposure at a 1/lux-sec of .005 (200 lux-sec.).

All this means the coupling to the silver (quantum efficiency) is very poor as you approach the red end of the spectrum. This is really a near UV end of the spectrum sensitive material.

The emulsion specs listed show Medium Contrast material, 69 to 95 l/mm Resolving Power (at TOC = 1000:1), and RMS granularity of 32.

So for resolution the plates should exhibit up to say 45 lp/mm., reasonably OK for LF, but the images will be strongly influenced by the UV sensitivity.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

alexanderfedin
6-Oct-2015, 01:27
Hi All:

Just came in to possession of two unopened boxes of Kodak Spectroscopic Plates in 8X10 size. My understanding is that these were used in astronomy. I have gone through my trusty Kodak Reference Handbook and looked around on line, but can't find any references to using these plates in a normal photographic manner. I would appreciate any information about using or developing these plates.

Bob

Look here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lippmann_plate
You have a very unique chance...