Continuous-strip photographic filmIn 1885, commercial production began of George Eastman's flexible, paper-backed photographic film, the first continuous-strip negative able to be compactly spooled. The film consisted of a layer of paper and a coating of insoluble sensitized gelatin emulsion, separated by a layer of soluble gelatin to enable release of the film layer after developing. He incorporated the Eastman Dry-Plate and Film Co., Rochester, NY, on 1 Oct 1884, and was issued patent No. 306,594 for this invention on 14 Oct 1884. He began promoting its convenience benefits to photographers over the bulkier, heavier and fragile glass plates then in use. Eastman designed the machinery for its manufacture, and a roll holder to use instead of glass plates.«[Image: Detail from an 1887 advertisement showing Eastman's negative paper on a roll and its package.] |
