Method and device for producing photographic duplicates

Abstract

 Device for producing photographic duplicates, including a color scanner (1) for producing a plurality of matrices, one for each of the primary colors, starting from an initial medium; a continuous-tone black-and-white developing unit (2) for developing the plurality of matrices; a bromography unit (3) provided with filters in the primary colors, for exposing a final color medium starting from the plurality of matrices.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and device for producing photographic duplicates.

[0002] In the field of photography it is often necessary to produce duplicates of photographic originals when one does not have access to the original plates or rather the negatives, as in the case, for example, of slides or instant pictures.

[0003] Currently, there is a device which performs said process, but it is affected by various hardly negligible problems: first of all, the copies obtained are of a typographic type, i.e. the quality definition of the copy obtained is assuredly lower than the original, regardless of whether it is a photographic copy or a developed reversible film; secondly, reproducibility, i.e. the number of copies which can be obtained, is limited, since the intermediate matrices wear intensely and rapidly; furthermore, the time required to obtain the copy of the original is very long and requires the use of specialized personnel, both for the adjustment of various machines used for this operation and for developing and the intermediate operations.

[0004] Known processes furthermore use dyes and coupling agents in order to detect the color of the photograph and obtain the reproduction matrices, constituting in actual fact a process which is almost entirely chemical rather than photographic.

[0005] The aim of the present invention is to eliminate or substantially reduce the problems described above by providing a device and method for producing photographic duplicates which allows to maintain the same resolution as the original in the produced copy.

[0006] Within the scope of the above aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a device and method which do not require specialized personnel.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a device and method which substantially reduce the time required to produce the copy starting from the original.

[0008] Not least object of the present invention is to provide a device and method which are relatively easy to execute and at competitive costs.

[0009] This aim, the objects mentioned and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a device for producing photographic duplicates, characterized in that it comprises at least one color scanner suitable for producing a plurality of matrices, one for each of the primary colors, starting from an initial medium, at least one continuous-tone black-and-white developing unit suitable for developing said plurality of matrices, at least one bromography unit provided with filters in the primary colors suitable for exposing a final medium starting from said plurality of matrices, and a color developing unit suitable for developing said photographic paper.

[0010] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the device according to the invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawing, wherein the parts which compose the present invention are schematically indicated.

[0011] With reference to the accompanying figure, a device for producing photographic duplicates comprises a color scanner 1 for producing four matrices, or rather for exposing four black-and-white sensitive photographic films, one for each of three primary colors of the additive three-color process, i.e. red, green and blue, and one for the color black, starting from an initial medium, which can be a color photograph or a color slide or a print and the like.

[0012] In said process, the role of the scanner is essential in the qualitative execution of the product.

[0013] In fact, in addition to the classic photographic process for producing the black-and-white matrices, the scanner allows to achieve unexpected qualitative results.

[0014] By virtue of this device it is possible to invert the executions and give a touch of imagination where the human eye itself is unable to distinguish the details that the latent image conceals. A type CP 340 scanner is the best for providing continuous tone: the light source is a tungsten lamp which is able to write, in an extremely fine manner, 400 perfect lines per centimeter. The result is a soft, continuous image, without breaks and at the same time with excellent detail, modeling in the lights and separation of the photographic planes and volumes in the shadows.

[0015] The scanner has a large output format on continuous-tone film (123 x 128 cm); it is able to expose four 50x60 matrices with just two scans.

[0016] Calibration, on an analog scanner of this type, allows the operator to vary and interpret the subject in the best possible manner, achieving excellent results.

[0017] The scanner in this execution is fundamentally important; without this machine it is impossible to produce work so well in this synthesis process, where technology and man's inventiveness give rise to unique technical results.

[0018] The device furthermore comprises a continuous-tone black-and-white developing unit 2 for developing the black-and-white sensitive photographic films so as to obtain a usable black-and-white negative from each exposed film.

[0019] The device furthermore comprises a bromography unit 3 which is provided with filters in the primary colors, i.e. red, green and blue, in order to expose a final color medium starting from the films developed in the developing unit. The final color medium may be color photographic paper or color reversible film or the like.

[0020] Finally, the device comprises a color developing unit 4 for developing the photographic paper or the reversible film.

[0021] The process for producing photographic duplicates comprises the following steps:
   a scanning step, during which each primary color of the additive three-color process, i.e. red, green and blue, and black, are scanned separately in the scanner 1 in continuous tone from the initial medium, which can be for example a print, a photographic positive, a color slide, a positive image of the POLAROID™ type and the like;
   a transfer step, during which the scanner 1 transfers the information related to each individual scan of the scanning step onto a black-and-white photographic plate in order to produce a plate for each of the above defined four colors. The scanning and transfer steps occur substantially simultaneously, since the time difference between the two is linked to the time required to transmit the information from the scanning section to the transfer section;
   a monochrome developing step, during which each individual black-and-white photographic plate is developed in the developing unit 2, in a per se known manner. This step is performed in continuous tone, so as to obtain the maximum color resolution on the black-and-white film, i.e. the entire range from black to white, passing through grays, in order to obtain the correct distribution of the color being considered;
   a printing step, during which a final medium, constituted for example by color photographic paper, or by color sensitive film, or by a similar medium, is exposed in the bromography unit 3 by means of the previously developed plates, using the related colored filter for each black-and-white photographic plate in order to produce the additive three-color process on the final medium;
   a developing step, during which the final medium exposed in the preceding step is developed in the color developing unit 4 in order to obtain a positive duplicate of the initial medium, or a negative copy or a color slide of the initial medium, this depending on the type of final medium used.

[0022] In the case of color photographic paper, the result is a photographic positive; instead, in the case of a reversible film, the result is a color slide, whereas in the case of conventional color film the result is a photographic negative which can easily be printed with conventional methods.

[0023] Conveniently, the process performed with the described device requires a time which varies between one and three hours to be completed, instead of the working day which is currently required with known duplication processes.

[0024] The time variation depends essentially on the physical size of the initial medium and of the final medium.

[0025] Advantageously, this process duplicates POLAROID™ positives into photographic positives, significantly improving the quality of the final copy with respect to the initial copy, thus obtaining a significant improvement in the colors, tones and resolution of said image.

[0026] Furthermore, a further advantage which is obtained consists of the fact that the duplicates currently made are affected by the typical resolution of the process used, such as for example rotogravure, which always requires a screen for printing and very accurate registration in order to obtain an acceptable final print. Instead, the resolution of the image in the described process depends exclusively on the type of color-sensitive paper or other medium used, and thus has a resolution which is assuredly higher than known processes.

[0027] As regards the device, it can be advantageously integrated in a single machine or be composed of the individual described machines, which are per se known.

[0028] Finally, by virtue of the fact that photographic films are produced in the first two steps, the last two steps of the described process can be easily and obviously repeated in order to obtain a number of final positive or negative duplicates which depends exclusively on the number of final duplicates required.

[0029] The invention thus conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept. All the details may furthermore be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

[0030] In practice, the materials employed, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to the requirements.

[0031] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. Device for producing photographic duplicates, characterized in that it comprises at least one color scanner (1) suitable for producing a plurality of matrices, one for each of the primary colors, starting from an initial medium, at least one continuous-tone black-and-white developing unit (2) suitable for developing said plurality of matrices, and at least one bromography unit (3) provided with filters in the primary colors, suitable for exposing a final color medium starting from said plurality of matrices.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a color developing unit (4) suitable for developing said final medium.

3. Device according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the number of said plurality of matrices is equal to four plates, one for each of the primary colors of the additive three-color process, i.e. read, green and blue, and one for black.

4. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said final medium is constituted by color photographic paper.

5. Device according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said final medium is constituted by a reversible film.

6. Method for producing photographic duplicates, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
   a scanning step, during which each primary color of the additive three-color process, i.e. red, green and blue, and the black from the initial medium is scanned separately in continuous tone;
   a transfer step, during which the information related to each individual scan of the scanning step is transferred onto a black-and-white photographic plate;
   a monochrome developing step, wherein each individual black-and-white photographic plate is developed;
   a printing step, during which a final medium is exposed by means of the previously developed plates, using for each black-and-white photographic plate the related colored filter in order to produce the additive three-color process on the final medium;
   a developing step, during which the final medium exposed in the preceding step is developed in order to obtain a positive duplicate or a negative duplicate of the original medium.

7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that said scanning step and said transfer step occur simultaneously.

8. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that said monochrome developing step is performed in continuous tone in order to achieve maximum color resolution on the black-and-white photographic plate.

Drawing