A PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM PROCESSING SYSTEM CONCEPT AND PROPOSAL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP33-02415A000500120020-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 41
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 21, 2002
• Sequence Number: 20
• Publication Date: March 20, 1968
• Content Type: REPORT

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II
8903-68
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NRO review completed.
A PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM PROCESSING
SYSTEM CONCEPT AND PROPOSAL
OXCART/IDEALIST
GROUP t SECRET
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CONTENTS
I. GENERAL
II. PRELIMINARY SPECIFICATIONS
III. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL
IV. SENSITOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS.
V. EMPLOYMENT CONCEPT
VI. DEVELOPMENT PLAN
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TAB A. 'AF SYSTEMS COMMAND TECHNICAL OBJECTIVE
93407 (TOD 69-34)
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Pago 1
20 March 1968
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GENERAL
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At present, the processing of aerial films, both originals and
duplicates, is performed in equipment which has not changed greatly
in concept over the years. Essentially, all such equipment use "wet"
processes requiring the mixing of chemicals, complicated equipment,
skilled personnel, and large quantities of water and power. In addition,
there are several time-consuming operations involved in the production
of duplicates.
This problem is recognized and defined in the Air Systems Command
Technical Objective 93407 (TOD 69-34), a copy of which is attached as
TAB A. Thus, if a suitable processing system could be devised to provide
a transportable near-dry processing system providing the highest quality
product in a fraction of the time presently utilized, it seems to us that
ALL- TNr:Ct
such a system would have wide application in
Such a scheme would appear to be particularly attractive to the Navy for
use aboard ship where fresh water is usually at a premium.
To establish a facility for producing quality material, such as
leretails a large initial investment as well as a continuing
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cost for maintenance of operations. One of the main problems is that
regardless of where the film is recovered in the western Pacific, :.es
example, it must be transported to this facility for quality processing.
The downloading of the film from the aircraft to a local packaging facility,
transporting of the film to the processing site, unpackaging the material
and processing it all requires considerable time. We and others have
felt for a long time that there should be some suitable system for quality
processing film at the aircraft recovery site where a small team of P.I.'s
could produce the immediate photo intelligence report in the minimum of
time. Since many recovery sites conceivably would not have the water
source or power available to operate a conventional system, we searched
for some approach which would permit a virtually dry processing system.
After reviewing the various on-the-shelf materials available as well as
several systems either in development or research, we decided that a good
place to start should be the use of Eastman Kodak Bimat film involving the
Diffusion Transfer Process. In this process, chemicals are carried in
the emulsion of a film material and brought into intimate contact with the
exposed but unprocessed negative. After a short period of time to allow
the process to go to completion, the two materials are separated. This
results in (1) a processed high quality negative film and (2) a positive trans-
parency in the Bimat film. Both materials, however, contain residual
chemicals and are slightly tacky. The only solution that Eastman has
applied commercially to date to eliminate the tackiness so the film may be
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handled, is to put a clear sheet of material over the Bimat film and
either apply a clear sheet of film over the processed negative or wash
and dry the film in a conventional manner. The disadvantages with the
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latter are that the negative with thenlaminate impressed on it cannot be
used for suitable printing, and that if the film is conventionally washed
and dried, too much time is spent in producing a useable negative.
Therefore, we insisted in our specifications to Eastman that some other
approach be taken to provide a dry, original negative without either the
laminated cover sheet or the conventional wet processing involved. In
response to our requirements, Kodak produced what they have labeled
"Desimat Tape." This is the most significant new item produced for
this proposal and is mostly responsible for making it work. The tacky
FOOTNOTE: Though Bimat is not new, there were those among us
who were skeptical about its ability to produce a high
quality negative. To satisfy all concerned, we used a
regularly-scheduled training mission in the U-2 from
the Edwards Detachment and employed the Delta II
camera system. We had the forward camera film
developed at Edwards on a Versamat processor, asking
for the best job they could perform. The aft camera
was forwarded to Eastman Kodak for Bimat processing
with conventional washing and drying. The two films
were then delivered to NPIC for an evaluation and
ultimately to Eastman for an evaluation. The conclusions
reached were that Bimat can produce a negative at least
equal in quality to conventional processing.
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film, having been processed, is brought into contact with the Desimat
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Tape and reeled together on a single reel. After a suitable period of
time, at least 15 seconds, the process may be reversed and the Desimat
Tape delaminated from the original negative, providing a dry, partially
cleaned, processed original negative from which prints and duplicates
can now be made. Two items should be noted at this point: (1) that
this original negative is not archivable at this stage and (2) that the
image will deteriorate after a period of time unless steps are taken to
permanently fix the film in a conventional manner. This is not of
particular significance, since the film can be handled without measurable
deterioration for a week or more, then permanently fixed at a conven=
tional laboratory later if need be.
Thus far, it is conceivable that the film can be processed without
large quantities of chemicals or water. However, the photo interpreter
needs a high-quality dupe positive for his work, and a method had to be
found whereby the dry, original negative would be employed in dry-processing
such a positive. Eastman has developed what they call Drimat film, which
is not dissimilar from the Bimat, since it contains a chemically-imbibed
processing emulsion. However, unlike Bimat film, Drimat develops little
or no density within itself. Drimat thus provides an ideal material for
the rapid processing of exposed printed duplicates since the clear Drimat
film supplies the processing agent and simultaneously acts as a clear cover
sheet for the exposed duplicate stock film material. Eastman has designed
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 NIAGRA PRINTER
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PROCESSING CYCLES AND REPRODUCTION TECHNIQUES
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DRIAGRA PRINTER
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EXPOSED REPRODUCTION
(READY FOR TRISPIN) ?
:TO MAKE ADDITIONAL DRY, UNLAMINATED POSITIVE REPRODUCTIONS:
USE EXPOSED, UNPROCESSED REPRODUCTION FROM NIAGRA PRINTER
IN PLACE OF THE NEGATIVE IN THE TRISPIN CYCLE.
PENTASPIN!
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EXCEPT WITH THE PEF-F=ISSION OF THE
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and proven part of the equipment to accomplish this unique processing
system. The first piece of equipment developed is called a Trispin
Machine, simply consisting of three spindles each capable of holding a
film reel and with appropriate drive mechanisms., Two of the spindles
are supply spindles holding the original negative and Bimat film. The
third spindle holds the take-up reel which receives the laminated product
from reels one and two. This same.machine can be reversed after
processing is completed on reel three, and the film delaminated and
returned to reels one and two; however, as noted before, in a tacky
condition. After the delamination has taken place, the Trispin can, by
leaving the exposed material on reel one, substitute the Desimat Tape on
reel two, and proceed with the lamination and delamination as noted above.
This would provide on reel one, after delamination, a dry, unlaminated
processed original negative ready for use in production of duplicate
positives.' Also, the Bimat film can be handled in the same manner, using
the Trispin to laminate the clear cover sheet to the Bimat film. No delami-
nation is necessary in this step.
To reduce the number of times the operator handles the original
negative, a second machine was proposed, which has been informally
referred to as a "Pentaspin. " Here, the laminated Bimat and original
negative material on one reel is inserted in the machine along with a reel
of Desimat material and clear, laminate cover material on two other
spindles. Spindles four and five act as take-up spindles for the O. N.
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laminated to the Desimat and the Bimat laminated to the clear cover
sheet. Use of the Pentaspin in conjunction with the Trispin would then
provide the P. I. with a Bimat positive which he could use immediately
for selection of charts, camera operation and exposure check, aircraft
track determination, etc.
The Bimat positive is not of sufficient quality to perform quality
photo interpretation; therefore, the original negative is used on a printer
to provide high-quality dupe positives. This printer is similar to the
conventional Niagara Printer, except that an additional spindle has been
added to accommodate the Drimat film laminate material. Essentially,
the printing process is similar to the conventional process in that the
negative and conventional dupe stock material are brought together under
a print light source, then recovered on two take-up reels. The Drimat
film is laminated during the process to the unprocessed duplicate material
after exposure and prior to final take-up and thus, the film is processed
and cover sheeted in one operation. This so-called Drimat positive is
immediately useable by the photo interpreter and is of at least as good
quality as a dupe provided in a conventional wet processing system.
A brief recap of the materials used in this proposed processing
system include an off-the-shelf Bimat processing film, the newly developed
Desimat drying/cleaning tape, the recently developed Drimat material,
the Trispin Machine, which Eastman is building on its own initiative since
it realizes already the potential of this system, the Pentaspin Machine,
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which has been described but not yet fabricated, and the Driagara Printer,
which is simply a further development of the present Niagara Printer in
use throughout many facilities today. All original negative and duplicate
film materials are conventional on-the-shelf materials presently in use.
An additional specification which we felt particularly valuable
to the IDEALIST'and OXCART Programs would be that the whole system
will be designed to be installed in a suitable shelter which could be
completely transportable to the reconnaissance aircraft recovery site in
a conventional military transport, such as the C-130 or C-141. This
can be developed fairly easily we believe, incorporating all of the
equipment in the trailer, measuring 8 x 8 x 24 feet with one or more
self-contained refrigerating units measuring 8 x 8 x 9 feet each.
Further explanation of how this system functions can be noted
in the advantages and disadvantages of the complete system. Some of
the more apparent advantages are:
1. No local chemical mixing required. Transportation of
bulky chemicals is eliminated and equipment and water
necessary for solution preparation are not required.
2. Required equipment is compact and simple. Machines
operating at 100 fpm or faster occupy less floor space
than a conventional desk.
3.' Maintenance is simplified. Infrequent maintenance,
comparable to Niagara Printer maintenance, is required.
The constant care required by wet processing machines
is minimized.
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4. The processes are relatively independent of ambient
temperature and time. Close control of ambient
temperature and humidity is not required. Hence,
air-conditioning can be simple. Since the processes
go to completion, time between operations in not
critical (beyond a minimum).
5. Water requirements are extremely low. To insure
intimate contact of the negative film and the Desimat
tape, the film surface is dampened. This requires
about one-half gallon of water per 100 square feet
of film. As a corollary, no chemical waste disposal
is needed.
6. Power requirements are low. Conventional equipment
requires considerable power to drive many rollers and
to pump chemicals. Even more is required to heat
air for drying the film. These conditions are eliminated
or minimized in this system.
7. Independent of base facilities. Since little water and
power and no waste disposal are needed, operation can
be achieved almost anywhere by connection to a small
(115 vac) power source.
8. Air transportable in a ready-to-use condition. All of
the above add up to a layout which can be placed in a
shelter or hut which is easily transported intact in
conventional (C-130, C-141) cargo aircraft.
9. Reduced spare parts requirements. Since the machines
are simple and use many parts in common, the spare
parts support is greatly reduced and simplified.
10. Skilled personnel such as those used in conventional
photo labs are not required. Very little instruction
in the use of this compact and simple machinery is
required. Little, if any, skill in photo-science is
required, thus alleviating the frequent serious shortage
of laboratory personnel.
The items listed above are distinct advantages of the Diffusion
Transfer System when compared with a Conventional Processing System.
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POWER REQUIRED
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COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
NEGATIVE AND
REPRODUCTION PROCESSING SYSTEMS
FIRST REPRODUCTION NMI! FOUR REPRODUCTIONS
FLOOR SPACE, EQUIPMENT'
(IN SQUARE FEET)
PROCESSED NEGATIVE
(IN MINUTES)
K pradariion I, fimfted specifically N pro