This is a list of color film processes known to have been created for photographing and exhibiting motion pictures in color since the first attempts were made in the late 1890s. It is limited to "natural color" processes, meaning processes in which the color is photographically recorded and reproduced rather than artificially added by hand-painting, stencil coloring, or other arbitrary "colorization" methods.
Legend Process: the name of the process, as advertised by the company if commercialized. Known alternative names and second-party commercial aliases are also shown. Year: The earliest known year of existence based on patents, reports of demonstrations, etc. The first public showing or commercial use (if any) may be later. Projection method: a classification into one of four process types, plus a notation of how many primary colors were used:Additive: multiple black-and-white images photographed through color filters are projected through corresponding filters and united on the screen. The component images may either be projected simultaneously or in rapid succession.Subtractive: the color image is physically present as transparent coloring matter in the film. No special projection equipment is required.Mosaic (additive): the film incorporates a mosaic of extremely small color filters, allowing a color image to be photographed as one black-and-white image consisting of many microscopically small color-filtered fragments. The same mosaic reconstitutes the color when the film is projected, so no special equipment is needed.Lenticular (additive): a black-and-white film which has been embossed on its base side with hundreds or thousands of tiny lenses is used for the original photography, base side forward and in conjunction with a segmented multicolored filter on the camera lens. As in mosaic processes, the result is an array of adjacent microscopic black-and-white image fragments that record the color information. Projection must reverse the optical geometry used for photography, so it requires not only a similar segmented filter but also highly compatible and correctly adjusted projection optics. Inventor: the known inventor(s) of the process. Introductory film: the first known public showing of the process.
List Process Year Projection method Inventor(s) Introductory filmLee-Turner Colour1899Additive (3 color)Edward Raymond TurnerN/A (Experimental) (circa 1902)Biocolour1905Additive (2 color)William Friese-GreeneUntitled Film (1906)Kinemacolor1906Additive (2 color)George Albert SmithRepresentatives of the British Isles (1909)Warner-Powrie1906Mosaic (3 color)John Hutchison PowrieFlorence M. WarnerUntitled film (1928)Keller-Dorian1908Lenticular (3 color)Albert Keller-DorianRodolphe BerthonUnknownCinecolorgraph1912Subtractive (2 color)A. Hernandez-MejiaUnknownBrewster Color (I)1913Subtractive (2 color)Percy Douglas BrewsterUnknownChronochromea.k.a. Gaumont Color1913Additive (3 color)Leon GaumontUnknownPrizma (I)1913Additive (2 color)William van Doren KelleyOur Navy (1917)Cinechrome1914Additive (3 color)Colin BennettPrince of Wales in India (1921)Kodachrome (I)1916Subtractive (2 color)John G. CapstaffEastman-Kodak Concerning $1,000Technicolor (I)1916Additive (2 color)Daniel F. ComstockHerbert KalmusW. Burton WescottThe Gulf Between (1917)Douglass Color(Douglass Natural Color)1918Additive (2 color)Leon Forrest DouglassNature Scenes (1918) and Cupid Angling (1918)Kesdacolor1918Subtractive (2 color)William van Doren KelleyCarroll H. DunningAmerican Flag (1918)Prizma (II)1918Subtractive (2 color)William van Doren KelleyThe Glorious Adventure (1922)Gilmore Color1918Additive (2 color)Frederic Eugene IvesOtto C. GilmoreUnknownZoechrome1920Subtractive (3 color)T.A. MillsUnknownColorCraft1921Subtractive (2 color)W.H. PeckUnknownPolychromide1922Additive (2 color)Aron HamburgerUnknownTechnicolor (II)1922Subtractive (2 color)Daniel F. ComstockJoseph A. BallLeonard T. TrolandJarvis M. AndrewsThe Toll of the Sea (1922)Szczepanik1924Additive (3 color)Jan SzczepanikUnknownKelleycolor1926Subtractive (2 color)William van Doren KelleyMax HandschieglUnknownColor Cinema Corporation1927Subtractive (2 color)Color Cinema CorporationUnknownLignose Naturfarbenfilm1927Additive (3 color)LignoseUnknownBusch Color1928Additive (2 color)UnknownHarriscolor1928Subtractive (2 color)William Van Doren KelleyUnknownKodacolor (I)1928Lenticular (3 color)Rodolphe BerthonN/A (16 mm home movies only) (1928)Raycol1928Additive (2 color)Maurice ElveyThe School for Scandal (1930)Splendicolor1928Subtractive (3 color)UnknownTechnicolor (III)1928Subtractive (2 color)Daniel F. ComstockThe Viking (1928)Agfa bipack1929Subtractive (2 color)AgfaUnknownHorst Color1929Additive (3 color)L. HorstUnknownMulticolor1929Subtractive (2 color)William Thomas CrespinelUnknownFinlay1929Additive (3 color)Clare l. FinlayUnknownHarriscolor1929Subtractive (2 color)J.B. Harris Jr.UnknownCinechrome1930UnknownCinecolor Ltd.UnknownCineoptichrome1930Additive (2 color)Lucien RouxArmand RouxUnknownDascolor1930Subtractive (2 color)M. L. F. DassonvilleUnknownHarmonicolor1930Additive (2 color)Maurice CombsTalking Hands (1936)Hirlicolor1930Subtractive (2 color)George A. HirlimanCaptain Calamity (1936)Photocolor1930Subtractive (2 color)Photocolor Corp.The Gift of Montezuma (1930) Pilney Color1930Subtractive (2 color)UnknownAllfarbenfilm1930Additive (3 color)UnknownSennettcolor1930Subtractive (2 color)Mack Sennett (financier)Strange Birds (1930)Sirius Color1930Subtractive (2 color)L. HorstUnknownBrewster Color (II)1930Subtractive (2 or 3 color)Percy Douglas BrewsterAutumn Foliage (1930)UFAcolora.k.a. Chemicolor,Spectracolor1930Subtractive (2 color)UFA StudiosPagliacci (1936)Vitacolor1930Additive (2 color)William Van Doren KelleyMax B. Du Pont (financier)UnknownChimicolor1931Subtractive (3 color)Syndicate de la Cinematographe des CouleursUnknownMagnacolor1931Subtractive (2 color)Consolidated LaboratoriesThe Bold Caballero (1936)Dufaycolor1931Mosaic (3 color)Louis DufayDufay-Chromex Co.Sons of the Sea (1939)DuPack1931Subtractive (2 color)DuPont Co.UnknownRota Farbenfilm1931Subtractive (2 color)UnknownRussian two-color system1931Subtractive (2 color)Nikolai AgokosFedor ProvorovPavel MershinKarnaval cvetov (1935)AGFAcolor (I)1932Lenticular (3 color)AGFA N/A (16mm only)Cinecolor (I)1932Subtractive (2 color)William T. CrispinelAlan M. GundelfingerSweden, Land of the Vikings (1934)Honeymoon Hotel (1934)Technicolor (IV)1932Subtractive (3 color)Joseph A. BallFlowers and Trees (1932)Morgana Color1932Additive (2 color)Bell and HowellLady Juliet WilliamsN/A (16mm only)Gasparcolor1933Subtractive (3 color)Bela GasparKreise (1933) and Muratti Greift Ein (1934) Vericolor1933Subtractive (2 color)Vericolor Inc. The Magic Isle (1935)Francita Processa.k.a. Opticolor (UK)1935Additive (3 color)British Realita Syndica, Ltd.Jeunies filles à marier (1935)Kodachrome (II)1935Subtractive (3 color)Eastman KodakN/A (16mm only)Cosmocolor1935Subtractive (2 color)Otto C. GilmoreWings Over the Golden Gate (1935)Russian three-color process1936Subtractive (3 color)Pavel MershinFedor ProvorovAvenir MinThe Fox and the Wolf (1937)Telco-Color1936Subtractive (3 color)Cavalcade of Texas (1938)Dunningcolor1937Subtractive (3 color)Carroll H. DunningDodge DunningTehauntepec (1937)AGFAColor (II)a.k.a. Sovcolor,Chrome ColorArt Chrome Color, ORWOcolor1939Subtractive (3 color)I.G. FarbenFrauen sind doch bessere Diplomaten (1939–41)Thomascolor1942Additive (3 color)Richard ThomasUnknownTrucolor (I)1946Subtractive (2 color)Consolidated Film IndustriesOut California Way (1946)Cinefotocolor1947Subtractive (2 color)Daniel AragonésEl un rincón de España (1948)Fullcolor1947Subtractive (3 color)The Goldwyn Follies (1947 reissue)Rouxcolor1947Additive (3 color)Lucien RouxArmand RouxThe Miller's Daughter (1948)Thomson Color 1947Lenticular (3 color)Société Thomson Jour de fête (1949, color version not released until 1994)Cinecolor (II)a.k.a. SuperCineColor1948Subtractive (3 color)Alan M. GundelfingerThe Sword of Monte Cristo (1951)Konicolor1948Subtractive (3 color)Konishi RokuMagicolor1947Subtractive (3 color)The Humpbacked Horse (a.k.a. The Magic Horse, 1947)Polacolor1948Subtractive (3 color)Polaroid Corp.UnknownTechnichrome1948Subtractive (2 Color)Technicolor Company of EnglandThe Olympic Games of 1948Trucolor (II)1948Subtractive (3 color)Republic PicturesConsolidated Film IndustriesThis is Korea (1951)Eastmancolora.k.a. DeLuxe ColorMetrocolorPathécolor (II)WarnerColorand Technicolor (after 1954)1950Subtractive (3 color)Eastman KodakRoyal Journey (1951)Alfacolour a.k.a. Agfacolor1950Subtractive (2 color)Alpha Photographic LaboratoriesUnknownAnsco Color1952Subtractive (3 color)General Aniline and Film Corp.Climbing the Matterhorn (1948)Dugromacolor1952Additive (3 color)Dumas, Grosset, and MarxUnknownFerraniacolor1952Subtractive (3 color)Toto in Color (1952)Fox Lenticular Film1953Lenticular (3 color)Twentieth Century-FoxN/A (experimental)Fujicolor1953Subtractive (3 color)Adventure of Natsuko (1953)Polavision1977Additive (3 color) mosaic Polaroid Corp. Super 8mm only
References
External links
Timeline of Historical Film Colors, a comprehensive database of color film systems including bibliographies, filmographies, many photographs of historical films, patents, and links etc.