<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-12-15</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000816066</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>APPLIED IMAGING CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AICX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001044321</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARXE AUSTIN W &amp; GREENHOUSE DAVID M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>153 E 53RD ST</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>55TH FL</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>

        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Warrants</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-12-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>270000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1887647</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Limited Partnerships</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>

    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>

        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Warrants</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>3.75</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-12-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>270000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2000-12-14</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2003-12-14</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>302900</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Limited Partnerships</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>

    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Warrants expired on 12/14/03. Worthless Securities.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This is a joint filing by Austin W. Marxe (Marxe) and David M. Greenhouse (Greenhouse).  They share voting and investment control over all securities owned by Special Situations Cayman Fund, L.P. (Cayman) and Special Situations Private Equity Fund, LP (PE), respectively.  482,575 share of Common Stock and 91,400 Wts are held by Cayman and 1,102,172 shares of Common Stock and 211,500 Wts are held by PE. The interest of Marxe and Greenhouse in the shares of Common Stock owned by Cayman and PE is limited to the extent of his pecuniary interest.</footnote>
    </footnotes>


    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Austin W. Marxe</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-12-31</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>David M. Greenhouse</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-12-31</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

