MICROFILM EXPERIMENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP70-00211R000300210029-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 30, 2005
• Sequence Number: 29
• Publication Date: March 16, 1951
• Content Type: MEMO

STANDARD FORM NO. Approved For Release /21 : CIA-RDP70-00211 R000300210029-3
Office Memorandum e UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO : Chief, Administrative Staff
FROM : Chief, Staff D
SUBJECT: Microfilm Experiments
DATE: 16 March 1951
1. IID has conducted three experiments on the microfilming of
the IID case files. The results of these tests are as follows:
a. Test Number 1.
Conducted from 3 October 1950 to 7 October 1950 on a
16 mm. BURROUGHS Microfilm Recorder, Style BH 190-E. A team of
three men disassembled and hand fed 10,247 documents in 22
work hours, or 66 test man-hours. This averages 465 documents
per hour for a 3 -man team, including reassembly time.
On the whole this was an unsatisfactory trial as the
machine jams and tears documents. However, the finished film
was quite readable. 851 feet of film were used for this test.
b. Test Number 2.
Conducted 12 and 13 February 1951, on a 35 mm. RECORDAK
Flat-Bed portable. A team of two men microfilmed an average of
400 documents per hour without disassembly or reassembly.
This test was highly successful in that the film was
very legible and no documents were torn or mutilated. 200 feet
of film were used in this experiment.
c. Test Number 3.
Conducted 8 March 1951 to 13 March 1951 on a 35 mm.
DIEBOLD FLOFILI'I, Type 90-01. A team of two men disassembled
4,454 documents in four hours, or 8 man-hours for an average
disassembly of 556 documents per man-hour to remove staples,
Acco fasteners, clips, etc.
The 4,454 documents were microfilmed by one man in 8 hours,
35 minutes, exclusive of 50 minutes devoted to breakdown of the
machine. This averages 524 documents per hour fed through the
machine.
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Two men were employed for 132 hours or 27 man-hours,
reassembling the 4,454 documents back into usable files. This
averages 102 documents per man-hour drawn from the files,
disassembled, microfilmed, reassembled and placed back into
the files.
The two great disadvantages of this machine are the
scrambling of the documents in the catching hopper, and the
occasional jamming and tearing of documents. Seven hundred
feet of film were used in this test, three hundred feet have
been developed and found unsatisfactory due to blurred image.
and streaked film.
2, The findings may be summarized as follows:
Experiment Size Type Documents
Number Film Camera Per Man-Hour
1 16 mm. Rotary 155
2 35 mm. Flat
Bed 200
3 35 mm. Rota
ry 102
Considering the factors of cost in man-hours, ease in
handling material, size of film, wear and tear on files, etc., it is
quite evident that a 35 mm. Flat Bed RECORDAK microfilm camera is
best suited for the IID file project,
3. Recommendations.
In view of the foregoing, it is recommended that three
35 mm. Flat Bed RECORDAK cameras be obtained without further delay.
25X1
Approved For Release 2005/11 CRET DP70-00211 R000300210029-3