Your Question Answered:

How can a lab employee easily identify film generations and know which printer channel is appropriate?

Our Technical Service Helpline has revealed some confusion on this topic, sometimes resulting in complaints of inconsistent color balance.

As you can see from the graph (figure 1) 41% of the calls that we receive relate to either:

Confusion of old, outdated film with current generation product.
Problems in color balancing multiple generations and/or film speeds on a single printer channel.

Too Many Film Generations

Print film manufacturing is changing rapidly. As new technologies provide the consumer with faster, sharper and richer films, it has become more difficult for photofinishers to properly print different film generations from various manufacturers.

figure 1

Most film manufacturers, including 3M, continue to introduce new print film generations. Since 3M also is the world's largest manufacturer of store brand film, a generation change in Scotch brand film means a product change in more than 100 store brand films as well.
3M Film Identification
3M identifies each new film generation with a unique set of machine and human readable markings pre-flashed along the edge of the film. 3M is the only manufacturer in the industry to imprint a human readable DX code on its film. 3M films include a generation-specific colored dot pattern between the perforations. Current films generations, for example, are characterized by a series of yellow/orange dots on 135 films or orange stripes on 110 films.

The table below (figure 2) gives a chronology of our films, DX codes, and identification markers. Please note that only the last two generations are within expiry dates (green and yellow/orange dot films). Our red and blue dot films have expired, but may still show up occasionally.
Minilab Recommendation
Scotch film is designed to be printer compatible across an entire generation line. Care must be taken to be certain that each generation of Scotch (and store brand) color print film is printed on the correct channel.

Film Identification Table (oldest to newest)

DX CODE RED DOT* BLUE DOT GREEN DOT ORANGE DOT

18-2 HR 200 (1) - - -

18-4 HR 400 (1) - - -

18-1 - HR 100 (2) - -

18-6 - HR 100 - -

18-3 - HR 200 (2) - -

18-5 - HR 400 (2) - -

18-8 - HR 400 (3) - -

18-7 - - AT 100 -

18-9 - - AT 200 -

18-10 - - AT 400 -

66-6 - - - ATG 100

66-5 - - - ATG 200

66-11 - - - ATG 200 (2)

66-10 - - - ATG 400

* expired * expired

figure 2

Make sure that you have the proper 3M Test Negatives.
Note the edge dot pattern between the perforations or striping. (The most recent generation films should have a yellow/orange coding.)
We recommend setting up three channels for all 3M films still within expiration date (figure 3).

For information on how to print any of our previous generation films, check an older printer guide, or give us a call on the Technical Service Helpline. We would be glad to help.

Recommended Channels for Minilab Chart

CHANNELS FILM TYPES

AT 100 Channel 18-7 ISO 100 Green Dot

AT 200 Channel 18-9 ISO 200 Green Dot

ATG Channel 18-10 ISO400 AT Green Dot
66-6 ISO 100 ATG Yellow/Orange Dot
66-5 ISO 200 ATG Yellow/Orange Dot
66-11 ISO 200 ATG (2) Yellow/Orange Dot
66-10 ISO 400 ATG Yellow/Orange Dot

Wholesale Recommendation
You will get the best results if you maintain a separate channel for each film generation and each ISO. Please use the Film Identification table to check if you have channels and DX codes set correctly for our films. If you would like assistance in setting up an new channel please call our Technical Service Helpline.

figure 3

A New Voice

The new voice on our Technical Service Help-line is Joan Skrzypczak (pronounced Skrip-chuck). Joan will be responsible for a territory that includes Canada and several neighboring U.S. states. A five year 3M veteran, Joan has held tech-nical service positions for several divisions, including Photographic Products. She is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario, where her studies included scientific research in photographic analysis. In Joan's spare time, she enjoys backpacking, curling, and cross country skiing. Joan is located in London, Ontario and can be reached directly at 519/452-6091, or through our Technical Service Helpline.

Thank You!

We want to thank you for the positive response to our promotion for the free ATG 200 process control strips and for notifying us of your address changes. Your comments make it easier for us to keep you informed. Please continue to notify us of address changes at 1-800-233-8579.

We want to help!

Need a quick answer to a tough customer question? Don't hesitate to give your customers the number of our Consumer Helpline at 1-800-695-3456 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. central standard time. To make it easy for you to tell consumers about our helpline, we have enclosed a page of labels that include our Consumer Helpline number. Attach these labels to film envelopes as customer questions arise.

Spring 1993

3M LabLine is published quarterly by 3M Photo Color Systems Division for photo finishing laboratories in the United States and Canada.

Writer/Editor: Mary Beth Leone, Marketing Public Relations Associate

Design, layout and production supervision: Paul Deák Design

We welcome your comments and suggestions. Write us at 3M LabLine, 3M Center Bldg. 235-3C-23, St. Paul, MN, 55144-1000, or call us at 800/233-8579.

"Scotch" is a registered trademark of 3M.

3M LabLine