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The DX number is a number which uniquely identifies the type and manufacturer (sensitizer) of a film emulsion. These DX numbers were assigned by the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A), which published and sold a proprietary list of DX numbers for APS and 135 film yearly or as needed. The last edition of the list, entitled DX Codes for 135-Size Film, was published in January 2009.

DX number composition

A DX number has two parts separated by a dash: CCC-SS

1. CCC is the "combination code", also known as "DX Number Part 1", which identifies the manufacturer and emulsion type
2. SS is the "specifier number", or "DX Number Part 2", which distinguishes between different varieties within the same family of emulsions

For example, Agfa Perutz 3-color ISO 200/24° film is assigned 115-4, while the equivalent Perutz 3-color ISO 100/21° film is assigned 115-3.

DX Part 1 numbers, from the 2008 DX Codes document:

Encoding

DX film canister barcode

The DX film canister barcode is printed in human-readable text and also represented as an Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode, located between the electrically read silver and black DX Camera Auto-Sensing Code and the film cartridge exit lip. The size and position conform to the ANSI/NAPM IT1.14:1994 standard. Some film-processing machines optically scan the barcode when the cartridge is inserted for developing.

This film canister barcode is a six-digit number in the format PHHHHE, where:

• P = proprietary prefix ranging from 0 to 9, assigned by the manufacturer
• HHHH = hashed DX number
• E = suffix identifying the number of exposures

For 135 film cartridges the DX number is hashed to produce the four-digit code HHHH. To generate this code, the combination code (aka DX Number Part 1) is multiplied by 16 and added to the specifier number (aka DX Number Part 2). The result is prefixed with zeroes, if necessary, to make four digits. For the Agfa film assigned DX number 115-4 above, the hashed 4-digit code would be 1844:

${\displaystyle 16\times 115+4=1844}$

The DX number can be recovered from the hashed code by dividing by 16, which gives the Part 1 number as the largest whole integer and the Part 2 number as the remainder:

${\displaystyle {\frac {1844}{16}}=115+{\frac {4}{16}}}$

The suffix digit E is a code digit for the number of full-frame exposures: 1 is for 12 exposures, 2 for 20 exposures, 3 for 24, 4 for 36, 5 for 48, 6 for 60, 0 for 72 and 7 for non-standard lengths such as 24 + 3.

DX film edge barcode

Most film produced since 1983 contains barcodes along the bottom edge of the film, recorded in two parallel tracks. The upper track (closer to the sprocket holes) is called the "clock track" and the lower track (along the edge of the film) is called the "data track"; the data track contains the unhashed DX number. However, unlike the film canister DX number bar code, each frame or half-frame's data track code does not provide information about the total number of frames available in the roll.

The data track consists of:

• A six-bit entry code
• A seven-bit film product class identification array (DX Number Part 1)
• One unassigned bit, left blank
• A four-bit film specifier array (DX Number Part 2)
• A six-bit frame number
• One bit to indicate if the position is a "half-frame"
• A second unassigned bit, left blank
• A parity bit
• A four-bit exit code

This information identifies manufacturers and chemistry associated with their various film types. If the manufacturer and type of film negative is unknown, the data track can be examined to identify this information. The frame number and half-frame indicator are extensions to the original data track, added by Kodak in 1990.

For each of the three encoded numerals, the most significant digit is on the left and the least significant digit is on the right; for example, the film class is a seven-bit number encoded in positions 2 through 8; position 8 is the least significant digit, and position 2 is the most significant digit. In this example, the binary number encoded (1001111) for the film class is equal to 79 (base-10). The parity bit is set or left blank to ensure the total number of "1" bits in positions 1 through 12 plus the parity bit is even. In this example, there are nine "1" bits in positions 1 through 12, so the parity bit is set.

See also

• DX encoding

References

1. ^ "DX Codes for 135-Size Film". White Plains, NY: International Imaging Industry Association, Inc. (I3A). February 2008. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
2. US Patent 5661558A, David Lynn Patton; Lawrence Joseph Travis & Douglas Andrew McPherson, "Expanded film cartridge bar code", published June 2, 1998, assigned to Eastman Kodak Co 
3. US Patent 5448049A, Mark E. Shafer & Robert W. Easterly, "Film latent image bar-code (LIBC) reader", published September 5, 1995, assigned to Eastman Kodak Co. 
4. ^ US Patent 4965628A, Olliver, Richard; Johnson, Cortlandt & Patton, David, "Photographic film with latent image multi-field bar code and eye-readable symbols", published 1990-10-23, issued 1990-10-23, assigned to Eastman Kodak Company 
5. ^ ISO 1007 | Photography — 135-size film and magazine — Specifications. International Organization for Standardization. 2000.

Further reading

• "Film Emulsion Codes" (PDF). 1.14. evertz. 2012-05-01. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-06-09. Retrieved 2019-06-09.

External links

• A database of DX numbers

• Photographic film markings