FILM STOCK DATE CODES

Film Stock Date Codes

KODAK

Kodak/Eastman Kodak have put date codes on their motion picture films since 1916. The date codes are available on various websites. For 8mm products different codes were used. Kodak 8mm Date Codes

 The UK also identified the quarter and in the USA the half, in which the film was finished. This was by the distance of the year symbol from the ‘KODAK’ edge print.  The distance increased by 1/16 of an inch (about 1.7mm) per quarter (1/8 inch for the second half of the year in the USA).  See the samples below. Click thumbnail to enlarge.

KODAK 4 figure stock numbers: 

The first figure identifies the base type:

1-4 Nitrate 5-9 Safety Base ( Note that current stocks use 2 for 35mm Polyester and 3 for 16mm Polyester)

5 is used for 35mm Cine and 7 for 16mm Cine

The second figure further identifies the base type:

0  NC Base

1 Portrait Base

2 Cine Neg Base

3 Cine Pos Base - Cine Pos emulsion

4 Cine Pos Base - Cine Pos emulsion

5 Yellow Dyed Emulsion

Figures 3 and 4 identify the particular stock

Examples:  5302 - Fine Grain Release Positive  5= 35mm Safety Base, 3 = Cine Pos Base Cine Pos Emulsion

                 1503 - Duplicating Negative 1 =Nitrate Base 5 = yellow dyed emulsion

During the late 60's 35mm Plus-X negative was identified as 4231, I do not know why this stock had this number it was eventually changed to 5231.

Some dates of Introduction of Kodak Stocks:

IMPORTANT NOTE: Some of these dates do not correspond to the dates on the Kodak website:  I copied this information in 1969 from hand written notes and I do not have any corroboration of these dates. Also these would be the dates of introduction in the UK.

'KODAK' edge printing 1917 to 1986.  Some samples illustrating how the word 'KODAK' was printed on Motion Picture Film

Kodak AG Edge Printing for Cine Positive: 5 figures as follows:

1st Figure: Last figure of year of manufacture

2nd Figure: Factory of base manufacture 1 = Rochester; 2 = Harrow, 3 = Copenick, 4 = Vincennes

3rd Figure: Factory of Coating 1 = Rochester; 2 = Harrow, 3 = Copenick, 4 = Vincennes

4th and 5th Figure: Week of year of coating

Information of 16mm date codes for Kodak AG Copenick and Kodak and Pathe Vincennes 1934-1939.

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FUJI

Fuji identify the date by putting  a two figure year code and a two letter quarter code. JM- Jan-Mar; AJ April-June; JS July-Sep; OD Oct-Dec. See the samples below.

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Fuji 1983

AGFA

Agfa did not put date codes on their film. From the early 20's until 1924 the edge print 'Agfa' was printed in 'BOLD' typeface with the top of the A flattened. From 1924 on the type face was thinner and the A had a sharp top. See the samples below.

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Agfa 1924

SELO

Film was identified thus between approximately1928 to 1933. See the sample below.

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16mm Selo edge print

Ilford

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