What does the "X" mean in Kodak b/w film types?

[kiemchacsu]

Dear RFF fellows,

Just curious, We have Plus-X, Double X, Tri-X (may be more that I don't know).

What does the "X" mean?

Thank you for clarification.

 

[yanchep_mike]

Not sure,
my guess
X =100
Plus-X =125
Double X =200
Tri-X =400

Only a guess.

 

[lynnb]

Looks like you're right Mike - from photo.net:

...there was Verichrome Pan (ASA64), Panatomic-X (ASA32), Plus-X (ASA50 at that time), Super-XX (ASA 100) and Tri-X (ASA200). I'm going to guess that Kodak went with Tri-X to avoid having to use XXX, which had (and still has) all kinds of different meanings -- generally danger or avoid.
- Mike Elek , Oct 19, 2002

 

[markus_h_photography]

125 and 400 are far from the original speeds so not sure about all that.

Still doesn't explain the "X" though. Maybe in its development stage it was "project X" ?

 

[Richard G]

X factor: https://www.1843magazine.com/content/features/bryan-appleyard/tri-x-factor

 

[Rob-F]

I'd say it has come to mean "no longer available" (at least for certain films), as in "ex." Panatomic-X is now "Panatomic-EX." Plus-X is now "Plus-EX." Sad.

 

[kiemchacsu]

I'd say it has come to mean "no longer available" (at least for certain films), as in "ex." Panatomic-X is now "Panatomic-EX." Plus-X is now "Plus-EX." Sad.

I chuckled while reading your comments/
I hope this phenomenon does not apply to the remained films, at least with XXX [tri-x actually]

 

[znapper]

I think you need to ask that question over at APUG, there I am sure that PhotoEngineer (former Kodak employee) will pick it up and possibly give you an (most likely historical) explanation.

I think it's just because putting 'x' behind or in-front of stuff was very cool in the 50's and 60's 😛

 

[Rob-F]

I think it's just because putting 'x' behind or in-front of stuff was very cool in the 50's and 60's 😛

I think this is true. And I think the beginnings of it goes back well before the 50's and 60's, to George Eastman. I have read that he liked to make up catchy sounding trademark names. He made up "Kodak" by starting with the letter "K," which appealed to him, and trying out various letter combinations until he hit on Kodak, which he had registered as a trademark by 1888. I suppose he must have felt that "X" was another strong letter, like "K." I'll bet he made up "Panatomic," too, along with many other trademarked names.

Eastman was very inventive, both technically and in business. If he were alive today, I'm sure Kodak would be in much better shape!

 

[arseniii]

I think this X is related to the emulsion type (classic X crystal). And the number of Xs tell you how much of grain you would get (linked to ISO pretty much)
That would be my best guess!

 

[x-ray]

"Did you know that your husband bought some triple X films?"

Hm. Trouble. 😎

Don't think there was such a thing as xxx films back then.

 

[x-ray]

I think this is true. And I think the beginnings of it goes back well before the 50's and 60's, to George Eastman. I have read that he liked to make up catchy sounding trademark names. He made up "Kodak" by starting with the letter "K," which appealed to him, and trying out various letter combinations until he hit on Kodak, which he had registered as a trademark by 1888. I suppose he must have felt that "X" was another strong letter, like "K." I'll bet he made up "Panatomic," too, along with many other trademarked names.

Eastman was very inventive, both technically and in business. If he were alive today, I'm sure Kodak would be in much better shape!

I read that Kodak was the name George came up with because it sounded like the sound of a cameras shutter.

A few other film names forgotten, Ektachrome x and Kodachrome x which were Asa 64 there was also Kodacolor x and can't remember the asa but think it was 80 but might be wrong. Forgot about Royal X pan at 1250 ASA.

 

[sevo]

I think this X is related to the emulsion type (classic X crystal).

There was no such thing as different crystal shapes when these names first turned up. At some time around 1930, Kodak revamped its films, adding a X to many modernized ones. Panatomic X was around by 1932, Double X might even be a bit earlier. As others said, it was simply a marketing scheme. Probably devised as it permitted them to keep the old names while marking them as improved, without the issues of tacking a "New" to the name which would eventually grow old.

It certainly is no speed rating. Kodak later on sometimes used a extra X (or other forms of increased emphasis) to name a new film - but while new often meant faster, it did not always do so (e.g. 4-X is slower than Tri-X), so there is no telling by the name what property they wanted to emphasize in their marketing.

 

[Larry H-L]

It costs Xtra at the camera store.

And you'll have to run it through the X-ray at the airport.

 

[Dwig]

...At some time around 1930, Kodak revamped its films, adding a X to many modernized ones. Panatomic X was around by 1932...

This is true of the Panatomic > Panatomic-X evolution; the latter being a true panochromatic film and the former was a more orthochromatic film.

After the first few "X" films it seems that Kodak began using the "X" to denote newer variants, often faster but not always. It seems to have grown along the same lines and the British fetish for "Mark II", "Mark III", ... and the Japanese fetish for "New" (aka "n") appendage to model names.

 

[Steve M.]

I'm pretty sure that these films have been optimized for adult type photo shoots :]

 

[kiemchacsu]

Just revise this thread cause the iPhone "eks" just released
Even Tim Cook pronounced iPhone X as iPhone ten but most prefer the "eks"
I kind of agree of znapper's point that adding the "X" is quite cool trend, not only in 50-60s but also at present.

I think you need to ask that question over at APUG, there I am sure that PhotoEngineer (former Kodak employee) will pick it up and possibly give you an (most likely historical) explanation.

I think it's just because putting 'x' behind or in-front of stuff was very cool in the 50's and 60's 😛

 

[jarski]

After the first few "X" films it seems that Kodak began using the "X" to denote newer variants, often faster but not always. It seems to have grown along the same lines and the British fetish for "Mark II", "Mark III", ... and the Japanese fetish for "New" (aka "n") appendage to model names.

i , sometimes also e, lowercase, in current product names came to my mind.

But what does iPhone X really mean? 😀

 

[f16sunshine]

i , sometimes also e, lowercase, in current product names came to my mind.

But what does iPhone X really mean? 😀

I think it's quite simply X is .."10" .
As in 10 years since the first iPhone 😀

 

[alfredian]

X = "one stop faster"

X = "one stop faster"

Somewhere I read that back in the 1930-50's the method Kodak used to indicate a speed-improvement of an existing film product was to add "X" to the name to indicate that the item was now one stop faster than the older model. Thus Plus-X meant that it was one stop faster, (or "XX" or "2X" or "Double-X") and Triple-X (or "XXX" or "Tri-X") was another doubling of film speed. For awhile Verichrome was K's standard B&W (most of my childhood pics were made by Mom with her Bakelite-box Brownie & Verichrome Pan in 620. VPan was the "modern' post-war version, and faster than the original Verichrome. Yes, there was a day when bumping up from ASA 20-25 was a big deal, and "XX" at 80-125 speed was rocket science.

Kodak, please bring back Plus-X AND Verichrome Pan. One blogsite states that VP was 120/620 roll format only, but I recall seeing (store ? or posed for pictures?) of Verichrome in a 35mm box, but totally "plain wrapper" = minimal text, black letters on yellow box, obviously for pro-use only. With the naming convention of X=double, Kodak had to call their ASA 1250 BW film "Royal-X" (quick math quiz: how many X's would THAT be?). alfredian