Wetprinting, the State of the Art

A short historical overview is given of wetprinting systems and other methods for making negative scratches invisible on the print. A general classification is made, dividing the wetprinting systems into three principal classes: the surface-layer system, the aquarium gate, and the total-immersion method. Advantages and drawbacks of each of these systems are discussed. Design criteria for a total-immersion system are described and illustrated. An important innovation is that the printing light beam is directed downward. As a consequence, the negative rides on top of the print film, and rising bubbles (if present) will adhere only to the base of the print film where they cannot cause a photographic imprint. A white-light printer with this configuration is described.

Print ISSN

0036-1682

Published

1979-09

Content type

Original Research

DOI

10.5594/J16641