Why 'chrome' ??

[Chris Nielsen]

I couldn't find this on a quick google search and it's been bugging me..

Why is slide film referred to as 'chrome' ????

Thanks!

[Poisson Du Jour]

Kia ora Chris,
Maybe after 'Fujichrome'? Or Kodachrome? Or Ektachrome...
It's common 'speak' to refer slides being prepared for printing "going to 'chrome", but this refers to Ilfochrome/Cibachrome print process (sometimes also the high-end inkjet Ultrachrome jobbing).

Hmmmm. Happy now you've got us all bugged!?

[Chris Nielsen]

LOL

Kia ora mate!

I thought it might be something to do with the various marketing frenzies over the years, like the time when everything had 'matic' on the end of it...

[Dirb9]

Well, Kodachrome dates back to the 30s. I've always kind of subconsciously assumed it had something to do with either using chromium in processing, or referring to how bright polished chrome is. I'd be very curious to what the origin is.

[Thomas Moraitis]

I'd suggest the greek word for colour (χρώμα - chroma).

[Ian Grant]

We had this before, the name was used to denote the fact that a film gave a full Chromatic response to the visible colour spectrum. As Thomas say's above from the Greek

It's origin has zero to do with Kodak, Fuji, Agfa and their slide films, instead it goes back to the early 1900's and the first Colour reversal plates Patented in France in 1903 - Autochrome Lumière.

The term "Chrome" was also used for B&W films Wratten & Wainwright's 1907/8 Verichrome (Kodak bought the company 4/5 years later), in the 30's Ilford Selochrome and the term is still in use in the word Panchromatic in Kodak Panchromatic-X, Ilford Pan-chromatic F, Fine Grain Panchromatic 4, and Hypersensitive Panchromatic 5.

With the advent of colour slide films though in the late 30's and 40's the therm chrome was used at the end of a films name just as in Autochrome to denote full colours and became a slang term for transparencies despite Verichrome Pan continuing well into the 1980's or 90's

Ian

[Poisson Du Jour]

We had this before, the name was used to denote the fact that a film gave a full Chromatic response to the visible colour spectrum. As Thomas say's above from the Greek
[...]

Aye, that's what I like to hear!!
Beats the colour out of dig*** "my prints are better than your prints!"

[Chris Nielsen]

Awesome! I couldn't find that on my search, thanks very much!

[Q.G.]

It has become synonymous with slide though when the manufactureres started calling their positive films [something]chrome, their negative films [something]color.

So it is after Kodachrome, Fujichrome, Agfachrome, etc. (vs Kodacolor, Fujicolor, Agfacolor, etc.)

We had this before, the name was used to denote the fact that a film gave a full Chromatic response to the visible colour spectrum. As Thomas say's above from the Greek

I don't think that's correct.
It was because the thingy produced colour pictures, rather than monochrome.

Monochrome film that gave/gives a full chromatic response also exist, and the fact that they produce a full chromatic response is denoted by the prefix "pan".

[Ian Grant]

I don't think that's correct.
It was because the thingy produced colour pictures, rather than monochrome.

Monochrome film that gave/gives a full chromatic response also exist, and the fact that they produce a full chromatic response is denoted by the prefix "pan".

It is correct, but many early monochrome films had poorer red sensitivity, but they were fully chromatic in the case of Verichrome etc. Remember that Kodak made Verichrome right into the mid 1950's before introducing Verichrome Pan, many people preferred the look and feel of films like Verichrome it was particularly good for portraits. Adox/EFKE 25 is the closest in response to these older films.

Orthochromatic means not sensitive to the red end of the spectrum, athough the degree can vary.

Panchromatic means increased red sensitivity over films like Verichrome, Selochrome etc, Wratten & Wainwright also made Panchromatic plates before 1910, so did Lumiere.

Ian