Negative (photography)

As a negative film is called a photographic film, which after its development, gray values ​​or colors in the inverted ( complementary ) tones. The Tonwertumkehr requires and allows in a second photographic process a positive image, or any number of positives.

There are also the so-called reversal film ( slide film, Umkehrkinefilm ) having a brightness and color the same image of the subject by more elaborate development.

Practice

Almost all of today used in amateur photography silver films are negative materials. Individual black and white slide film, especially Fomapan R and Agfa Scala, are developed in the laboratory with a special processing to the positive.

Color negative films are now constructed as multi-layer films that are processed according to a chromogenic method, and have an orange mask.

Benefits

The practical advantages of negative films are primarily in the larger exposure latitude of the film material (up to ± 3 stops ) and the widespread development laboratories. Almost all color negative films are now processed according to the standardized development process C -41.

For special applications or effects one can develop a negative film after the E-6 process, which is actually intended for reversal films. The result is a low contrast, pastel colored positive with an orange tint. The method is referred to as a cross development.

The optimal setting of the apparatus and of the chemical processes carried out by means of Einstellnegativen.