Collodian and Dry Glass Plate Negative Photographic Film Scanning Service | Oxford UK
Archiving and Scanning Digitisation at Oxford Duplication Centre

Specialist Glass Plate Negatives (1850s to 1920s) - Early Photographic Film Digitisation Services
There are two basic types of glass plate negatives: collodion wet plate and gelatin dry plate. Wet plate negatives, invented by Frederick Scoff Archer in 1851, were in use from the early 1850s until the 1880's. Silver gelatin-coated dry plate negatives, on the other hand, were usable when dry and thus more easily transported. Invented by Dr. Richard L. Maddox and first made available in 1873, dry plate negatives were the first economically successful durable photographic medium. Dry plate glass negatives were in common use between the 1880s and the late 1920s.
Deterioration Issues of Glass Plate Negatives
Working with museums, historical archival companies, corporations and private clients, we can cater for small units to bulk large orders in the many 1000's. Our specialist archive department is highly recommended for the digital preservation of glass plate negative collections, for both Collodion and Gelatin Dry Plate.
It is particularly important to be aware that Collodion glass negatives can develop networks of cracks along the edges of the plate, which may lead to image loss. Glass plate negatives may also exhibit signs of glass deterioration, including a whitish surface haze and/or an efflorescence of viscous droplets.
Professional Photographic Film Scanning Solutions Corporate, Heritage and Consumer Photographic Film Scanning Solutions All plates, medium format and sheet film/X-ray are scanned to their respective dpi (900-2400dpi) unless clients have a preferred requirement. Output is to National Archive Standards TIFF with Adobe post production tone and sharpening applied. CONTACT cheryl@oxfordduplicationcentre.com TEL: 01865 457000 |
|||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SIZE (INCHES) | SIZE (MM) | GLASS PLATES | 1 | 10 | 50 | 100 | 500 | 1000 | 5000 |
3¼ × 3¼ | 83 x 83 | lantern slides | 5.00 | 2.50 | 2.25 | 2.00 | 1.75 | 1.50 | 1.25 |
3¼ × 4¼ | 83 × 108 | "quarter-plate" | 5.00 | 2.50 | 2.25 | 2.00 | 1.75 | 1.50 | 1.25 |
4¾ × 6½ | 120 × 165 | "half-plate" glass plates | 5.50 | 2.75 | 2.50 | 2.25 | 2.00 | 1.75 | 1.50 |
6½ × 8½ | 216 × 165 | "full-plate" glass plates | 5.50 | 2.75 | 2.50 | 2.25 | 2.00 | 1.75 | 1.50 |
SIZE (INCHES) | SIZE (MM) | TINTYPES | 1 | 10 | 50 | 100 | 500 | 1000 | 5000 |
15/8 × 21/8 | 41 × 57 | "sixteenth-plate" tintypes | 5.00 | 2.50 | 2.25 | 2.00 | 1.75 | 1.50 | 1.25 |
2 × 2½ | 51 × 64 | "ninth-plate" tintypes | 5.00 | 2.50 | 2.25 | 2.00 | 1.75 | 1.50 | 1.25 |
2½ × 3½ | 64 × 89 | "sixth-plate" tintypes | 5.00 | 2.50 | 2.25 | 2.00 | 1.75 | 1.50 | 1.25 |
31/8 × 41/8 | 79 × 105 | "quarter-plate" tintypes | 5.00 | 2.50 | 2.25 | 2.00 | 1.75 | 1.50 | 1.25 |
4½ × 5½ | 114 × 140 | "half-plate" tintypes | 5.50 | 2.75 | 2.50 | 2.25 | 2.00 | 1.75 | 1.50 |
6½ × 8½ | 216 × 165 | "full-plate" tintypes | 5.50 | 2.75 | 2.50 | 2.25 | 2.00 | 1.75 | 1.50 |
SIZE (INCHES) | SIZE (MM) | MEDIUM FORMAT FILM | 1 | 10 | 50 | 100 | 500 | 1000 | 5000 |
2.36 x 1.77 | 60 x 45 | 120 film 6 x 4.5 | 4.00 | 2.00 | 1.75 | 1.50 | 1.25 | 1.00 | 0.75 |
2.36 x 2.36 | 60 x 60 | 120 film 6 x 6 | 4.00 | 2.00 | 1.75 | 1.50 | 1.25 | 1.00 | 0.75 |
2.36 x 2.75 | 60 x 70 | 120 film 6 x 7 | 4.00 | 2.00 | 1.75 | 1.50 | 1.25 | 1.00 | 0.75 |
2.36 x 3.54 | 60 x 90 | 120 film 6 x 9 | 4.50 | 2.25 | 2.00 | 1.75 | 1.50 | 1.25 | 1.00 |
2.36 x 6.70 | 60 x 170 | 120 panoramic film 6 x 17 | 5.00 | 2.50 | 2.25 | 2.00 | 1.75 | 1.50 | 1.25 |
SIZE (INCHES) | SIZE (MM) | SHEET FILM | 1 | 10 | 50 | 100 | 500 | 1000 | 5000 |
4 × 5 | 102 × 127 | sheet film | 5.50 | 2.75 | 2.50 | 2.25 | 2.00 | 1.75 | 1.50 |
5 × 7 | 127 × 178 | sheet film | 5.50 | 2.75 | 2.50 | 2.25 | 2.00 | 1.75 | 1.50 |
4 × 10 | 102 × 254 | sheet film | 6.00 | 3.00 | 2.75 | 2.50 | 2.25 | 2.00 | 1.75 |
8 × 10 | 203 × 254 | sheet film | 6.50 | 3.25 | 3.00 | 2.75 | 2.50 | 2.25 | 2.00 |
7 × 17 | 178 × 432 | sheet film | 7.00 | 3.50 | 3.25 | 3.00 | 2.75 | 2.50 | 2.25 |
11 × 14 | 279 × 356 | sheet film | 7.00 | 3.50 | 3.25 | 3.00 | 2.75 | 2.50 | 2.25 |
8 × 20 | 203 × 508 | sheet film | 7.50 | 3.75 | 3.50 | 3.25 | 3.00 | 2.75 | 2.50 |
12 × 20 | 305 × 508 | sheet film | 8.00 | 4.00 | 3.75 | 3.50 | 3.25 | 3.00 | 2.75 |
14 × 17 | 356 × 417 | sheet film | 8.00 | 4.00 | 3.75 | 3.50 | 3.25 | 3.00 | 2.75 |
16 × 20 | 406 × 508 | sheet film | 8.50 | 4.25 | 4.00 | 3.75 | 3.50 | 3.25 | 3.00 |
20 × 24 | 508 × 610 | sheet film | 9.00 | 4.50 | 4.25 | 4.00 | 3.75 | 3.50 | 3.25 |