Film cassette having an indication of underexposure

Details Film cassette having an indication of underexposure Film cassette having an indication of underexposure

1999-10-13

2001-10-16

Rutledge, D. (Department: 2851)

Photography

With data recording

Data for control of subsequent processing of film

C396S567000, C396S512000, C396S599000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06304730

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a film cassette and, more specifically, to a film cassette having a barcode thereon for indicating that the film is intentionally underexposed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In traditional photography, it is customary to determine the light capturing ability of a film, or its photographic speed, through the method defined in ISO 5800 “Color Negative Films for Still Photography-Determination of ISO Speed”. The method contained therein ensures that films exposed to the calculated amount of light will have the manufacturer's intended contrast over the entire scene luminance range. Films with the ability to be exposed with lower amounts of light are referred to as “faster” and have higher calculated speed values; those requiring more light are referred to as “slower” and have lower calculated speed. For each doubling of the requisite light, the calculated speed is decreased by one half. A film that has one-half the ISO calculated speed of a second film is said to be “one stop” slower than the second film; a film that has one-fourth the calculated speed of a second film is said to be “two stops” slower than the second film.
The method defined in ISO 5800 ensures that exposures made with one-half the intended amount of light will also have acceptable contrast in the resulting print when printed under the same conditions. This so-called underexposure latitude is required because of error in exposure determination by cameras and exposure meters, and because optical printing methods for color negative films do not allow for contrast adjustment of individual exposures. When a negative is exposed to less than one-half the intended amount of light, the film is underexposed, and the resulting print has low contrast; that is, there is not sufficient density range in the negative to produce a print with the desired density range.
The ability to record images with low amounts of light is of increasing importance to consumers. In many situations, the use of artificial lighting, such as floodlight or flashbulbs is not permitted or practical. Moreover, as ISO speed increases, print graininess increases, manufacturing cost increases, and other characteristics, such as color intensity, color accuracy and sharpness generally decrease.
Consequently, a need exists for a photographic method that allows for a low cost, high quality film to be exposed at higher than the intended ISO speed and yield acceptable print results.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. Briefly summarized, according to one aspect of the present invention, the invention resides in a film cassette comprising: (a) a film for capturing a plurality of images thereon; and (b) an identification for specifically indicating that the film, when developed, is to be contrast adjusted by a digital print station.
An object of this invention is to provide a method which allows a photographic element to be exposed at higher than its calculated ISO speed and produce a photographic print with excellent contrast and graininess.
The invention provides a photographic element packaged for at least twice its rated ISO speed and identified for use with digital printing methods.


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patent: 5826112 (1998-10-01), Matsushita
patent: 5866312 (1999-02-01), Wang et al.
patent: 6104877 (2000-08-01), Smart et al.

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