Photonegatives identification tips

Notch codes
Other online resources

 

Notch codes

One step toward determining whether a film negative is cellulose nitrate is to examine the notch codes and the film type wording on the edges of the negative.  Following is a chart, dated May 2001, source unknown .   (A) denotes safety film, (N) denotes nitrate.  "Possibly" indicates that in our testing using other methods (burn test, acid test, etc. described at http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/14-09.pdf ) we found that on occasion the film was nitrate whereas the notch code and the wording printed on the film would have led us to believe that it was safety film.

Arrangement of these descriptions: we have grouped these by physical type of film markings: V-shaped notches, square notches, combinations of V-shapes and squares, and no notches at all.

Description of notch on this type of  film Wording on the film Is this type cellulose nitrate?

1.     

 (A) Kodak Safety Film no  (but see also samples 14 and 18)
2A.                (A) Kodak Safety possibly
2B          (A) Kodak Safety Film no

3.                   

 		(A) Kodak Safety no
(A) Kodak Safety Film no
(A) No wording no
8.                     (A) No wording
(A) Eastman Safety Kodak		 no
14.                (A) No wording yes
18.                 (N) Eastman-Nitrate-Kodak
(N) Nitrate Kodak		 yes
19.                 (N) Eastman-Nitrate-Kodak yes
20.                                      (N) No wording yes
21.  (S) No wording ?
23.                                        (N) Eastman Nitrate Kodak
(N) Eastman Kodak
[can be safety, though]		 possibly

24. 

 (A) Eastman Safety Film no
6.             A) Ansco Safety Film no
7.                                        (A) Eastman Kodak Safety
(A) Eastman Safety Kodak		 no
10.  (A) Ansco Safety Film no
11.                         (A) Agfa Safety Film no
29.  (A) Ansco Safety Film no
4.                        (A) Eastman Safety Kodak no
5A.                   (A) Eastman-Safety-Kodak no
5B      .   (A) Eastman-Safety-Kodak
(A) Eastman-Safety-Film
(A) Kodak Safety Film		 no
9.           (A) Kodak Safety
(A) Kodak Safety Film
(A) Eastman Safety Kodak		 no
12.      (A) Eastman Safety Kodak no
25.  (A) Eastman Safety Film no
13.   No notches. (A) Kodak Safety Film
(A) Kodak Safety		 possibly
15.  No notches; film size 2 1/4" (A) Kodak Safety Film no
16.  No notches; film size 2 1/4" (A) No wording possibly
17.  No notches (A) No wording possibly
22.  No notches (A) Kodak Safety no
26.  No notches (A) Agfa Superpan Press no
27.  No notches (N) Eastman Nitrate Kodak yes
28.  No notches (A) Agfa no
30.  No notches (A) Ansco Superpan no

Additional online resources for identification of nitrate negatives:

Code notches for KODAK sheet films (by Eastman Kodak Company, April 2004, 2 pages): http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/f3/f3.jhtml

Identification of film-base photographic materials (National Park Service Conserv O Gram Number 14/9, Sept. 1999, 4 pages): http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/14-09.pdf

A short guide to film-base photographic materials: Identification, care, and duplication (by Monique Fischer, Photograph Conservator, Northeast Document Conservation Center, updated 2007, 11 pages):  http://www.nedcc.org/resources/leaflets/5Photographs/01ShortGuide.php

The dangers of cellulose nitrate film (includes a brief historical note of assistance in identifying this type of film) (by the Health and Safety Executive in the U.K., Aug. 2003, 16 pages):  http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cellulose.pdf

Methods that can be used to identify cellulose acetate within collections (National Library of Australia, Preservation Services, National and International Preservation Activities [NIPA], Australian Network for Information on Cellulose Acetate [ANICA]): http://www.nla.gov.au/anica/Guide_pg3.html

From Richard Pearce-Moses (ed.) Visual Materials Bibliography (available in Conservation OnLine):

Horvath, David.  "The Acetate Negative Survey: Final Report:" A project funded by the University of Louisville and the National Museum Act.  Louisville, Ky: Photographic Archives, Eckstron Library, University of Louisville, 1987.  Unpublished report which received limited distribution.  A  history and analysis of acetate negatives, their stability, and recommendations for preservation.  Includes a guide to notch codes.  91 pp.

Caring for cellulose nitrate film (National Park Service Conserv O Gram Number 14/8, April 1998, 4 pages): http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/14-08.pdf

This guide was compiled by J. Todd Ellison, Certified Archivist

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Page last modified:  March 27, 2011