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Kodachrome MIGHT be coming back!!!


A miller

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Yes, for sure the brand is very strong (certainly for those of us who have used the film in the past and especially for those of us old enough to remember family snaps made with this film) but I get the impression that the Kodak representative who discussed the possibility of resurrecting the film was talking about it in the context of bringing back 'proper' Kodachrome not just a Kodachrome flavoured or branded E6 film.

 

Much as I'd like to see the original Kodachrome back in production I really can't see a complex process like the K14 process being viable unless all films sold were processed in one or a very limited number of facilities - so there might be a whole host of time and customs problems associated with a small scale reintroduction of such a process. The problem is that its complex and I'd guess that throughput would have to be maintained. I suppose that introducing it as a movie film might solve this but would almost certainly mean US processing only. Nice thought though. Some relevant info is here:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-14_process

 

http://www.ag-photolab.co.uk/kodachrome-processing-122-c.asp

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Kodachrome is an iconic brand name but is not inherently linked to the processing system required for it for most people, just the film itself. If Kodak could manufacture a film with the same colour characteristics of the original film and then brand it as Kodachrome, it might not be necessary for it to use the same processing .....

 

Perhaps I over-rate Kodachrome, however it has qualities entirely different than contemporary color slide film; another with the 'same color characteristics' is unlikely. For one, it is a nonsubstantive process. Look at a Kodachrome slide under angled light and you can see the relief effect. Such a process offers sharpness (acutance) others cannot. (It ain't all about megapixels.)

 

Addressing another post, Kodak did produce a small scale processing system called K-Lab to open the market to minilabs. It failed and for the same reasons it would fail today, IMO.

 

Personally, I would be offended if Kodak made a different film and named it Kodachrome. I'm still pissed-off that they entirely changed Tri-X in ~1970 but did not change the name.

Edited by pico
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Personally, I would be offended if Kodak made a different film and named it Kodachrome. I'm still pissed-off that they entirely changed Tri-X in ~1970 but did not change the name.

 

So would I, but I could understand it happening - before the name falls too far into the past and is forgotten entirely

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So perhaps the box needs a bit of an update  :)

 

 

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Not easy to tell which Kodak film looks like the Kodachrome 64
Portra 400 ?

Nice color IMO

 

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Last development Dwayne'Lab Parsons in 2009

 

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H

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Many things have changed in the World since the Kodachrome market faded away. In addition to technology, which may mean that complex processes are more readily automated and scaled down, logistics has undergone a quantum leap. Back in the day, it used to take up to a month for me to get my Kodachromes returned from processing - Now I can get a package of books from the USA to Asia in 3-5 days, with the longer times usually determined by Customs, not by Forwarding.

As it is, I have to send E6 overseas for processing (no E6 processing in Malaysia, and difficulty in bringing in chemicals), so sending Kodachromes off to USA or Europe for processing is not a concern for me.

I also suspect that the business strategy team at Kodak now may be a little more agile than those who, believing Kodak to be indomitable previously, allowed it to collapse.

I await the pleasure of filling out an address on the little yellow mailer package, and dropping it of at Pos Laju.

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another picture perhaps with more contrast

 

Sceaux Castle

 

Kodachrome 64 - R4S - Elmar 35

 

 

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Henry

 

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Many things have changed in the World since the Kodachrome market faded away.

 

Problem is that film is now a small market and Kodachrome would be a niche within a niche. I'd love to see it back but I'm pessimistic about it becoming a reality.

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the last one  and for Adam 

 

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Best H

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Well it seems Kodak are more optimistic and I'd put more store in what they're saying, no offence! 

 

Actually I really do hope that they have learned from their history. I have several DCS cameras ..... :o

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A co-worker of mine in the Seventies (in fact I hired him) moved on to National Geographic and he used nothing but Kodachrome, and Leica M cameras. His standards were astronomic. His exposures were within 1/3 of a stop or he considered them a tech failure, although some of his 'off exposure' images are awesome. I never saw him use a light meter.

 

During our association I saw thousands of his pictures, he was modest and informative even showing failures which were invaluable.

 

Kodachrome was amazing when the light was right, which is an important point - it was not compliant to 'close enough' and to the acute photographer it directed composition and moments.

.

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Some of you will remember we had a 'Kodachrome challenge' in the last few months before Kodak stopped accepting film for processing. The theme was Red & Yellow. Not a great shot but this was one of my last Kodachrome frames :(

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