I’m trying to organize three decades of photos, and one thing that I have found to be helpful is the code printed on the back of most prints. The codes come in various patterns - sometimes obvious, sometimes not. My guess is that the difference in the patterns is related to the company doing the processing (Back In A Flash) or to the machine that was used.
Here are some examples:
APR92 001 0111 NNNN
QSS 56 00 N N-1 N 2
<No. 02>003 22-02 NNNNN-32AU 0032
There are lots of other patterns, but these three are by far the most common.
In the case of the Date Pattern (example 1) it’s obvious that the first part of the code is the month and year the film was developed.
For the second example (the QSS Pattern) the only thing I can tell is that the number following the QSS indicates some kind of batch grouping. A single roll of film will usually have the same QSS number but sometimes it will have two or more.
For the Number Pattern (example 3) the number inside the braces corresponds to the number on the negative, the number following the braces is the order in which the print was developed, and the last number corresponds to the batch or roll being developed.
OK, do I have it right so far? And what’s all this other stuff?
Complete WAGs, and I don’t see how these ideas might be applied to the data you’ve provided, but some of the things I can imagine being encoded are:
[ul]Filter settings for that print.
[li]ID number for the printing/processing machine used.[/li][li]ID number for the operator.[/li]Status of the chemicals in the machine (e.g., number of rolls/prints processed).[/ul]
1. APR92 001 0111 NNNN
2. QSS 56 00 N N-1 N 2
3. <No. 02>003 22-02 NNNNN-32AU 0032
The owner of the machine can choose what codes are displayed.
In case '1.' It has the date 'APR 92' The frame code '001', the first shot on the roll. I'm guessing the machine or store code '0111' so a tech could tell where the shot was printed. The 'NNNN' means the machine operator made no changes to the density or color of this shot.
In case '2.' It's probably store code 'QSS 56' Density '00' not darkened or lightened. No change for cyan '0', not redder or less red. 'N-1' Less magenta or a little greener. 'N 2' Two units more yellow or less blue.
In case '3.' '<No. 02>' means the second frame on the film. '003' is the store code. '22-02' Is February 22. 'NNNN-32AU' Means the operator made no changes to your shots, but the machine made an automated one. Finally, '0032' is your order number so they can match the prints with your film.
Well, the “001” remains consistent for the entire roll, so it can’t be the frame.
The number after the angle bracket (003 in this case) increments or decrements with each print, so it can’t be the store code. And the 22-02 can’t be a date because it’s not consistent for the entire roll.
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As you suggest, I think a lot of the code indicates adjustments in the processing based on the negative.
As you suggest, I think a lot of the code indicates adjustments in the processing based on the negative.
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I used to own a machine that back printed exactly like your example ‘3.’. Again, these things can be programmed to display different things. Their machine must be programmed differently.
In a general sense, the purposes of the backprinting is so the lab can make an exact duplicate of that shot. It helps identify: the lab, the roll of film, the frame number and what corrections were made by the machine operator. That way you can recreate the conditions from the original and then make an exact duplicate.
'Course, no one uses them anymore and just makes digital scans.
OK. I finally tracked down the folks that used to process my photos, and they pretty much verified what chacoguy420 and others have said. The labs can choose what to print on the back. All the N’s and 0’s and minuses indicate any adjustments to the color, contrast, etc. Other numbers indicate the batch (roll), frame, etc. You kind of have to figure it out on a roll by roll basis.