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Editor's note: This excerpt first appeared in photographer and author Harold Davis' recent Focal Press book, Photographing Flowers: Exploring Macro Photography with Harold Davis.
The closer you...
I wrote this review back in 1993, which was when Wilhelm came out with his
book. You can still order the book from Amazon
The Permanence and Care of Color Photographs by Henry Wilhelm is (IMHO) the
most important photography book of the last ten years.
Wilhelm describes his research into the archival properties of color prints,
Type R prints, color slide film, color neg film, B&W paper (RC & FB).
Wilhelm also discusses techniques for the preservation and storage of
photographs, i.e. envelopes and sleeves, refrigerators, etc.
Many of Wilhelm's conclusions are injurious to the reputation of Eastman Kodak
products, especially his conclusion that Fuji paper (both Type R and C prints)
outlasts Kodak by factors of two or three (also that Fujichrome slides last much
longer than Kodachrome when projected). Presumably because no publisher would
take the book as is (it alleges that Kodak intentionally obscured the truth about
their products' non-archivalness), he publishes it himself.
Sample Color Negative Film Data
For a 20% loss of the least stable image dye in accelerated dark fading tests
at 144 deg. F and 45% RH (figures are in DAYS):
Excerpt from Color Print Paper (Type C from negs) Section
"Fujicolor Paper Super FA Type 3 and a higher-contrast version (SFA3 Type C)
for commercial labs are by far the best, longest-lasting RA-4 compatible color
negative papers available. ... When exposed to light on display, the Fujicolor
SFA3 papers will last more than four times longer than Ektacolor Edge, Ektacolor
Portra, Supra, Ultra, and teh other Kodak RA-4 papers."
Excerpt from Color Print Paper (Type R from slides) Section
"Ilford Ilfochrome [Cibachrome] are the only products that can be considered
to be absolutely permanent in dark storage at normal room temperatures. ...
Fujichrome Type 35 paper is by far the best choice among Process R-3 reversal
papers. With its good dye stability and low stain level in dark storage together
with good light fading stability, this is the slide-printing counterpart to
Fujicolor SFA3 papers for printing color negatives. It should be noted, however,
that although Fuji SFA3 and Type 35 have similar dark storage stability, SFA3
paper is much more resistant to light fading on display. For that matter, the
light fading stability of Fujicolor SFA3 paper is significantly better than that
of current Ilfochrome prints!
...
Kodak Ektachrome Radiance Paper, introduced in 1991, ... falls considerably
short of Fujichrome Type 35 paper in both light fading and dark storage
stability."
Wilhelm's book is as excellent as Phil's comments say it is. However, Wilhelm has changed his thinking on a few (minor) points. The Image Permanence Institute at RIT sometimes has comments on the Conservation Distribution mailing list from Wilhelm or IPI staff like Doug Nishimura (searchable at http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byform/mailing-lists/cdl). There's also a lot of useful information and links (albeit geared towards professional archivists, librarians and curators) at Conservation OnLine.
An dieser Stelle sollte mit aller Deutlichkeit festgehalten werden: Photographisches Material, insbesondere Farbfilme von Kodak sind noch schlechter als ihr Ruf: Nicht nur in Hinblick auf die erreichbare Farbtreue, sondern besonders betreffend der Stabilität der Farben sind
die AGFA-Filme aus Deutschland vergleichbaren Filmen von Kodak weit überlegen. Die oben gezeigten Ergebnisse sind aus leicht ersichtlichen Gründen (Filmempfindlichkeiten(!)) nicht repräsentativ, vielleicht sogar gefälscht.
Weiterhin wäre es sehr angenehm, wenn hier in Zukunft International gebräuchliche Einheiten verwendet würden: Statt "deg. F" besser "K" oder "°C", wie es sich eben für vernünftige Veröffentlichungen gehört.
On Kodak's professional section, KODACHROME 200 Professional Film / PKL will be discontinued mid-year 2001. KODAK PROFESSIONAL EKTACHROME Film E200 (Tech Pub: E-28) is the suggested replacement.
And looking at the data that means a reduction in half of the life from Kodachrome to Etachome. In this day and age when everyone is getting more atuned to preserving the past it is stange that Kodak is not thinking about that. Jim Willis
