Red tape is a legend that circulated among the teenagers of the Soviet Union in the 1970s and 80s. Boys frightened girls, and sometimes girls frightened boys that having photographed them on such a film, in the photo they would turn out without clothes. This fun brought many different exciting experiences. Somewhere believed that if the glass is painted with the blood of a bat, the effect should be the same as that of a red film.
More literate people clarified that this film is not red, but infrared and that it is in service with the special services. Citizens in the west had access to Kodak Ektachrome Infrared Aero Film.
It was intended for military aerial photography, which did not prevent amateurs from using it. The film was partly sensitive to some of the color components of visible light, which, combined with the infrared component, allowed for bizarre fantastic images. For home printing, the developer and fixer baths had to be wrapped in foil, since the plastic transmits infrared rays.
The penetrating ability of its near infrared range (700-900 nanometers) made it possible to look under clothes. Infrared "Kodak" (as well as the usual one) in Soviet times was sold only abroad, it was used by enthusiastic photographers, shooting mainly landscapes. Only teenagers in the USSR dreamed of erotic use.
There are four black and white IR films produced by Agfa, Ilford, Kodak, Konica. There is also one Kodak Color Slide IR Film. An example is a 35 mm Kodak Ektachrome Professional Infrared EIR Film or simply Ektachrome Infrared. The cost is $ 22. This film captures both the visible spectrum (400-700 nm), and even the near ultraviolet (250-400 nm), so a picture taken not in complete darkness will turn out to be quite recognizable by silhouettes. Colors (pseudo colors) will be quite abstract. Their combinations can be changed with light filters on the lens.
Women's light garments are very often transparent, even in some parts of the normal light spectrum. Quite often, unsuspecting beauties are "undressed" by a flash or a polarizing filter. Especially if thin synthetics are worn.
Promotional video:
Versions of the appearance of this film:
Version one. Impudent provocation of the Japanese
This is one of the most powerful Technological Inventions of the 20th century! Red Film was invented by the Japanese. This is a very powerful invention! This film is capable of focusing invisible red rays emanating from the human body, so that it can be used to see through clothing! If someone is photographed on such a film, then the person in the photograph will turn out to be absolutely naked.
In Soviet times, beaches and sunbathing areas in the summer were literally teeming with American and Japanese spies. They photographed men and women on such film, and then, through fake photographers, sold this pornography on trains, deliberately to discredit the Soviet system.
Second version. Blatant provocation of the Americans
According to another version of this Legend, it was not the Japanese who invented the Red Film, but the Americans. The American special services tricked into recruiting agents among the Soviet chauffeurs and unloading five trucks of the Red Film right in the backyard of the Sverdlovsk Uralmash plant. People disassembled this film for photographing, and after this successful provocation of the Americans, the Red Film spread throughout the USSR and became very popular among some irresponsible photographers who accidentally discovered its wonderful properties and were not averse to bargaining for the resulting photographs of naked Soviet women on occasion.
Third version. KGB oversight?
For the Soviet layman in the 1980s, it was difficult to understand where photographers sometimes appear on medium- and long-distance trains in the USSR selling "calendars" for ruble, on which naked beauties shone.
There was also a version that Red Film is widespread in the West and is used there to create magazines for adults and in cinematography. In the USSR, this kind of obscenity is forbidden, and the KGB carefully monitors that this obscenity does not penetrate the Soviet Union, but once the smugglers still managed to smuggle a batch of such film, it is very expensive, but photographers who create calendars get it somewhere along the pull through their channels. Although, of course, this is strictly prohibited.
Version four. Puberty teenage fantasies
Perhaps Krasnaya Foilka is an insane creation of the frantically pubertal fantasies of a Soviet teenager?
I also heard such a version that, indeed, red film was sometimes brought from abroad. Such a film, although it was highly sensitive, did not possess any supernatural properties, but adolescents endowed it with such properties in their fantasies. - I really wanted to believe in miracles, and, in addition, this explained the technology of the appearance of "calendars".
By the way, here is one of the stories:
As a pioneer in the late 1980s, we were constantly engaged in various circles - woodcarving, aircraft modeling, playing the balalaika and other radio-photo circles. Fortunately, the House of Pioneers was new, huge and really well-off. The architecture was really very interesting, modern, like "who builds like this, who builds like that?" - many ladders and transitions. But to run and play … Gryffindor obviously Rowling in our House of Pioneer spied … I was not distracted: In one of the nooks - "a ladder to nowhere" the pioneers founded their "hobby group" - a nest of playing cards of pornographic content was organized. Of course, not the original, but a photocopy in black and white, but the pioneers had enough. I hope it’s not worth explaining why the pioneer boys went to this little corner where there was such a valuable stash?
But … Tolley information tends to leak out, and indeed it is by accident, but two pioneers aged 13-14 found two pioneers aged 11-12 at an interesting occupation. And they began to banal blackmail and extort lunch money - "Or we will tell the teachers at school, the head of the circle and General Secretary Gorbachev in general what you were doing here and you will be kicked out of the pioneers!"
The pioneers were sad for a month and paid tribute. And then the senior fellow in the photo circle found out the reason for their longing (after seeing the transfer of money to the extortionists and asking around the pioneers about it). He rustled the losers and rewarded them with two valuable tips:
1. Do not deal with blackmailers.
2. To return the status quo by means of incriminating evidence against blackmailers.
And handed them a camera with a "red film".
Shooting which takes photos without clothes - naked.
A very rare and expensive film! (boo-ha-ha)
And he sent to watch in the hall, where pioneers and Komsomol members were engaged in gymnastics.
The pioneers were burned for photographing and nasty giggling. But they did not have time to catch up. The camera was returned to an older friend. He promised to take the photographs after a long and difficult process of developing and printing - this is no ordinary film.
In the evening, the blackmailers squeezed the pioneers in the corner for the purpose of making money and finding out the reasons for the daytime photo session and the joy associated with it. The impudent pioneers said that tomorrow they will have photos of naked girls riding a "horse" and in interesting poses on "rings". And the "strong side" in these negotiations suddenly changed. The result was the exchange of a roll of still undeveloped film (exposed personally by the girls under the terms of the contract) for all the previously selected money, plus Chervonets on top "for the purchase of film." The senior comrade, of course, became the lucky owner of the gold piece.
More recently, there was news about the development of a new CMOS matrix
Texas has developed a new type of CMOS sensor that can use a range of the electromagnetic spectrum not previously used. Simply put, new cameras equipped with this chip will be able to capture light somewhere between infrared and microwave, allowing you to see through objects.
Currently, CMOS sensors are installed in most cameras in mobile phones and digital cameras. Despite the long-standing production of such sensors, not all of their capabilities have been fully explored and disclosed. Now, thanks to new developments, the work of rescuers can be significantly simplified and become more efficient. In the medical field, the new sensor will help diagnose injuries and tumors in the human body. Look inside buildings, identify counterfeit money and more - all of this will be possible with the new CMOS sensors.
However, one should not count on the fact that in the near future the technology will go to the masses - the special services will certainly be interested in the new development. But there is no doubt that sooner or later new opportunities will become available to mere mortals.