The Absorption of Light by Toned and Tinted Motion Picture Film

The past few years have seen a remarkable increase in the use of toned and tinted motion picture film and a large proportion of the films made are colored by some process of toning or tinting. It is quite evident that since the production of color involves the absorption of certain components of the white light ordinarily used for projection purposes the screen brightness will in general be less when colored film is used. While the lower screen brightness may be desirable in the production of certain effects, it may be very objectionable in many cases and demand an increase in the current used in the projection lamp in order to produce a picture of satisfactory brightness. A knowledge of the absorption characteristics of the film colored by these various toning and tinting processes is of considerable practical importance, and it seemed desirable to make precise quantitative measurements of the amount of light absorbed by films colored in various ways. This communication is a report of the work done on the subject and consists of a description of the apparatus and method for the measurement of these values with considerable data relating to the absorption of light by samples prepared according to certain definite methods used in the toning and tinting of positive motion picture films.

Print ISSN

0096-6460

Published

1921-05

Content type

Original Research

DOI

10.5594/J14604