Unlike black-and-white film processing, color negative  film  cannot  be  “push  processed”  successfully; therefore, you must choose a film with an appropriate film  speed  for  the  lighting  conditions  in  which  you photograph  your  subject. COLOR REVERSAL FILM PROCESSING Color transparency film forms dyes according to a reversed silver positive; for example, a yellow dye image forms in the top emulsion that corresponds to an absence of blue in the original scene. This yellow dye subtracts blue light. A blue image is formed by magenta dye (minus green) and cyan dye (minus red), thus leaving blue. In color transparency film, the dyes subtractively produce a correct color positive image of the  scene  photographed. The Kodak E-6 Process is used in the Navy for processing color reversal film. There are seven chemical steps and two wash cycles in the Kodak E-6 Process. They are as follows: first  developer,  wash,  reversal bath, color developer, prebleach, bleach, fixer, wash, and final rinse. The first chemical step is the first developer. The first developer is a black-and-white developer that converts  the  exposed  latent  image  in  each  emulsion layer  to  a  metallic  silver.  Like  black-and-white  negative processing, after the film leaves the first developer, there are undeveloped areas where the silver halides are unaffected  by  camera  exposure.  It  is  these  undeveloped areas that the final color positive images are formed in reversal  film. After the first developer, the film is chemically fogged or “re-exposed” in the reversal bath. The reversal bath exposes the silver halides that were not developed in the first developer. This re-exposure is what forms the positive image. After 1 minute in the reversal bath, the normal  room  lights  can  be  turned  on. After fogging, the film is developed in a color developer. The color developer works the same way in color reversal processing as it does in color negative processing. It changes the fogged silver halides to black metallic silver and at the same time, cyan, magenta, and yellow dye couplers are formed by the exhausted developer. At  this  stage  the  film  looks  completely  black because the formed dyes are shielded by the developed silver. The film is then placed in a prebleach. The prebleach prepares the film for the bleach and also stabilizes  the  dye  layers. The metallic silver is removed by the bleach and fixer processes. The bleach and fixer work the same way as they do for color negative processing. After the silver is removed, only the dyes remain, forming the image. The film is then washed to rinse away any remaining chemistry and soluble silver. The last chemical step in the E-6 process is the final rinse. Final rinse provides a wetting agent to aid in uniform drying. It is possible to “push process” (underexpose and overdevelop)  or  “pull  process”  (overexpose  and underdevelop)  most  color  reversal  film;  however,  some sacrifice in quality results in "push processing." Less detail  in  the  shadow  areas  (weaker  blacks),  less exposure  latitude,  and  noticeably  increased  grain  occur when color reversal film is "push processed." When the film speed is altered, only the first developer time is changed. All other chemical steps remain the same. You should not exceed two f/stops when you intend on “push”  or  “pull”  processing. MACHINE PROCESSING Today  most  film  processing  is  performed  by machine,  especially  in  larger  imaging  facilities. Machine processing has many advantages compared to hand  processing.  Machines  can  process  high-volume production more efficiently and more consistently compared to hand processing. When machines are used, the variables involved in processing can be controlled more easily. Time, temperature, and agitation can be kept constant if the machine is properly maintained and operated  properly.  With  fully  automatic  processing machines, all you must do is feed the film or paper into the  machine  and  retrieve  the  finished  product. When   there   are   advantages,   there   are   also disadvantages  to  machine  processing.  Machines  require maintenance, can jam, occupy precious shipboard space, and may require special plumbing, ventilation, or power requirements. The need for proper maintenance is  most  critical.  Poor  equipment  maintenance  is probably  the  major  cause  of  machine  processing problems. Therefore, it is very important for scheduled preventive maintenance to be performed properly on all imaging  equipment,  especially  automatic  processors. The best images captured by a camera are not of any use if they are not processed correctly and without defects. You must be qualified completely in the Planned Maintenance System (PMS) to become a valuable member  of  an  imaging  facility. In a high-volume production facility, the advantages of automation far outweigh the disadvantages. There are 10-27