My dad used to tell me that Mr. Land at Poloroid had discovered how to make color pictures with only yellow film, and that was the reason they always look yellow at first as they develop. Supposedly the brain was actually interpreting the frequency differences between things or some such.
Does anyone have any information on this? Anyone at Poloroid willing to spill their guts? Anyone at Poloroid actually work with Tom Scholtz?
Which Poloroid film process are you discussing? I can recall three distinctly different films used by Polaroid cameras in my lifetime.
If you are talking about the film that started coming out in the 70’s where you get to watch the picture develope before your eyes, as I recall, and you can check this by reading the camera’s literature, the film developed by having three layers of photosensitive chemicals, a yellow layer, a red layer and a blue layer. The chemicals migrated upward in reaction to being hit by light at the time of exposure. The yellow layer was first, so that is why the picture looks yellow at first. This is a WAY simplified explanation, but should serve to set forth the basic idea. Others with more technical knowledge can correct and fill in the gaps. 
It’s been a lot of years - 25 or more - but what I recall is that Land discovered a way to show all colors using only two of the primary colors instead of three.
I think I read about it in a Scientific American publication (a subscription bonus maybe?)concerning how the brain perceives the world. As far as I know there was no commercial use made of the discovery.
An example of the brains ability to fill in missing info would be to realise that you can see colors when wearing sunglasses that filter out the colors you think you see.
Yeah, at least three. I’m familiar with polaroid roll film, which they quit making in the early '90s. Then there is the “professional” pack film, where you peel off the “negative.” Some of the earlier models also came with a squeegee to seal the photo to the paper. I don’t think they make any films today that require the squeegee. Most people only ever see the “spit 'em out” kind, where the photo is sealed by plastic. They also make film for large format cameras (4x5 and up).
BTW, as far as the OP is concerned, do you mean that Boston guy?
Yes, Tom Scholtz (sp?) is from the band Boston. I heard he worked for Poloroid before Boston took off. He had a masters in some kind of engineering.
Yes, Dr. Land discovered, ca. 1960, while doing early research for Polacolor, that he could take decent color pictures with only red and green elements. Worse yet, pictures taken with red and green still read when projected with red and white. It was all written up in Scientific American at the time. Still freaks people out.
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