18 
OPTICAL AND SENSITOMETRIC DEVELOPMENTS 
Fig. 15. Dimensional stability and 
brittleness test apparatus. 
Fig. 16. Film brittleness testing vise. 
produced by the xerography process, or more correctly, the electrostatic electro 
photographic process. Xerography was originally developed by the Haloid 
Company in the form of a quick-delivery document reproduction process, which 
is now commercially available. The Air Force and U. S. Army Signal Corps 
are jointly sponsoring research to make Xerography a continuous-tone photo 
graphic process as well. The Xerographic plate, which can be used over and 
over, uses static electricity and is light sensitive. Electrically charged black 
powder is used to develop the plate; this accounts for the fast processing possi 
bilities of Xerography and also for a great eventual economy in reducing the 
requirements for light sensitized film and paper. 
Phis is not the only way of utilizing electricity in a photosensitive process. 
Many other systems, similar to the snooperscope and T.V. principles, have been 
suggested and are being worked on, 
Here is a whole field of electro image 
is just waiting for a few clever inven 
tions. The USAF is considerably in 
terested at present in the possibility 
of increasing sensitivity by a factor 
of 10 or 100, thus greatly reducing the 
speed and complexity required of 
lenses, and thereby decreasing the 
weight of photographic installations. 
The substitution of an electric im 
pulse for the shutter is desired ob 
taining thereby extremely short ex 
posures. Maybe some day such a 
process can be developed. 
Fig. 17. Pin gauges for film dimension testing. 
What is being done today in color photography would have sounded as 
fantastic 20 or 35 years ago as the previous remarks on electrophotography. 
Color photography is easily accomplished from low altitude in fast flying aircraft 
and Aerial Ektachrome has produced outstanding pictures from 42,000 feet. 
Work is also being done on negative positive color processes with Eastman 
Kodak Company and Ansco; this looks very promising. They will have greater 
ease of reproducibility, greater latitude, and better resolution. 
There is interest not only in natural color process but also in special effects 
.