dmr
Registered Abuser
Paul, I think you owe dmr an apology, and she's one of the staunchest defender of Kodachrome around here.
I'm not really offended. I realize I'm in the minority here. I guess I could have responded by calling Paul "miss" or something.
No, it probably won't hurt much.
Formal name is Denise, but they call me Annie for short. Long story. 
Trius
Waiting on Maitani
Al: I am well aware of the history (and look) of the incarnations of Kodachrome. Not only did I shoot KII and KX, but I have a Kodachrome print of my father and mother on their wedding day ... yes, in the days when there was Kodachrome print material. (They were married in 1947.)
One variable in all this is that LENSES have changed. I will not argue whether K25 was or was not better than KII ... that is a matter of taste and preference. Yes, KII had a different curve and saturation than K25, but K25 made some things better. IIRC, KII often had problems with rendering blue skies "correctly".
Yes, K12 chemistry was an environmental problem. I can only presume it was serious, as Kodak was a real powerhouse back then, with expensive lobbyists and even more expensive lawyers. But at the time, I really doubt Kodak could find a way to clean up the effluent in a cost-effective manner or else ... they would have done so. It's easy, with today's advances in technology, to look back and say "Hey, they could have done it a different way!"
The one thing I regret is that Kodachrome 400 didn't make it to market. According to my source, it was based on T-grain technology and would have been an amazing product. But the market for chromes was drying up, not to mention the K14 process.
All that said, what we have today is K64. We should celebrate it for what it is, be thankful that the Yellow Father hasn't pulled the plug on it (yet), and buy it/shoot it.
Paul: I think Kodachrome is such an iconic product for Kodak (much like Tri-X) that it will survive many rounds of the bean counters trying to kill it off. Eventually, yes, it will be put to bed. But as long as Mary Jane Hellyar is at the film helm, she will protect it as much as she can.
One variable in all this is that LENSES have changed. I will not argue whether K25 was or was not better than KII ... that is a matter of taste and preference. Yes, KII had a different curve and saturation than K25, but K25 made some things better. IIRC, KII often had problems with rendering blue skies "correctly".
Yes, K12 chemistry was an environmental problem. I can only presume it was serious, as Kodak was a real powerhouse back then, with expensive lobbyists and even more expensive lawyers. But at the time, I really doubt Kodak could find a way to clean up the effluent in a cost-effective manner or else ... they would have done so. It's easy, with today's advances in technology, to look back and say "Hey, they could have done it a different way!"
The one thing I regret is that Kodachrome 400 didn't make it to market. According to my source, it was based on T-grain technology and would have been an amazing product. But the market for chromes was drying up, not to mention the K14 process.
All that said, what we have today is K64. We should celebrate it for what it is, be thankful that the Yellow Father hasn't pulled the plug on it (yet), and buy it/shoot it.
Paul: I think Kodachrome is such an iconic product for Kodak (much like Tri-X) that it will survive many rounds of the bean counters trying to kill it off. Eventually, yes, it will be put to bed. But as long as Mary Jane Hellyar is at the film helm, she will protect it as much as she can.
35mmdelux
Veni, vidi, vici
Paul, I think you owe dmr an apology, and she's one of the staunchest defender of Kodachrome around here.
Hi Annie,
No idea you were female but, dah, look at the avatar. Soorrry.
Paul
[PS: two (2) first names is cool.]
"Paul: I think Kodachrome is such an iconic product for Kodak (much like Tri-X) that it will survive many rounds of the bean counters trying to kill it off. Eventually, yes, it will be put to bed. But as long as Mary Jane Hellyar is at the film helm, she will protect it as much as she can."
Kodak knows that Kodachrome has a hard core group of users and to eliminate the product might well send this group into the opposing camp. It is a decision they prefer to hold off for now.
Al Kaplan
Veteran
My vague recollection of Kodachrome prints is that they were on an opaque white acetate base, more like white "film" than paper, and very contrasty.
For awhile in the mid 60's 3M was marketing a slide film that was very similar to Kodachrome. Why they stopped I don't know. It came with prepaid processing and was a bit cheaper than Kodachrome but I never thought that it looked as good..
For awhile in the mid 60's 3M was marketing a slide film that was very similar to Kodachrome. Why they stopped I don't know. It came with prepaid processing and was a bit cheaper than Kodachrome but I never thought that it looked as good..
Trius
Waiting on Maitani
Yes, the Kodachrome print I have is on an opaque white acetate base. It seems to have held up very well. But my print is not contrasty at all, in fact it is more pastel. But I have no idea whether that is because of lighting (I don't have it in front of me and would have to dig it out), or something else.
I agree, the 3M stuff did not look as good, though in certain situations it was interesting. Then there were the GAF chromes ...
I agree, the 3M stuff did not look as good, though in certain situations it was interesting. Then there were the GAF chromes ...
russianRF
Fed 5C User
Al Kaplan
Veteran
You're right, there were GAF chromes after the company changed its name from Ansco to GAF. They were probably based on Agfa technology since the two companies were connected at one time. Ansco used to market a processing kit for about $3 that was good for developing maybe half a dozen rolls and easy to do in the kitchen sink. The biggest problem with Ansco/GAF film was dye instability. All my old Anscochrome slides from the 1960's are badly faded with huge color shifts also. The Ektachromes held up much better.
amateriat
We're all light!
dmr
Registered Abuser
Hewwo
NP, I'm well aware that we're a minority and an endangered species here. I guess I could change the avatar (back) to one which looks a bit more like me in person.
LOL, try living with a long, hyphenated last name, as I did for a while.
Uh, no.
amateriat
We're all light!
dmr: I've liked all your avatars, but this one sorta fits best somehow. Can't immediately explain why.
- Barrett
- Barrett
amateriat
We're all light!
Based on the condition of the current condition of the 'chromes I shot way back then, Agfa wins by a mile between the two. Of course, My GAF 500 shots didn't look all that hot from the start, while my Agfachromes (CT-18) have held up quite well. Mostly, though, I shot Kodachrome, and shied away from Ektachrome until the first E6 emulsions were released...I was the sort to "think different" in terms of cameras at the time, but not film.
- Barrett
dmr
Registered Abuser
dmr: I've liked all your avatars, but this one sorta fits best somehow. Can't immediately explain why.
LOL!
The one I have on line now (the Daria Morgendorffer mug shot one) I made for a Las Vegas talk board when I told the story of being stopped at one of those stupid sobriety checkpoints. No, I was not ticketed or hauled in, but they had me out there walking a straight line and such while my so-called friends laughed and thought it was part of the evening's entertainment!
It's funny to think back on, but embarrassing when it happened! Now, to get back on topic, I've been trying to think of what to shoot in the next couple of months, since I agreed in the other thread to shoot Kodachrome so they will sell more and so they will keep making it and so on and so on and scoobie-doobie-do. I was thinking of maybe some kind of a self-portrait avatar in Kodachrome.
I'm trying to think of a window or some other reflective surface that will do justice to Kodachrome.Oh well ...
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
My uncle Jan Kuiper shot these in Central America (I guess) in the 1970s. He was a journalist for several Dutch newspapers, TV news shows and radio stations, reporting mainly from Latin America and Central America. I recently recovered them from his estate and scanned them.
About thirty years old and still bright as if shot today
Mudman
Well-known
Kodachrome 200, shot in 2005.
I need to rescan that one at some point
I need to rescan that one at some point
David Murphy
Veteran
Kodachrome 64, Pentax MX, Tokina 28-210 Macro Zoom, Trout Farm near Palm Springs, CA summer 2009
not_in_good_order
Well-known
Kodachrome saturation
Kodachrome saturation
I find Kodachrome to render rather saturated colors when underexposed a bit.
Kodachrome saturation
I find Kodachrome to render rather saturated colors when underexposed a bit.
David Murphy
Veteran
Yes, a true observation about Kodachrome saturation. That's a lovely shot - I'd like to fish there.
Chuck Albertson
Well-known
Kodak has pulled the plug on K64. They manufactured the last batch months ago, and most of it has sold out in the retail channels. If you find some on the shelf, buy it as it won't be replaced.
And Dwayne's, the only lab in the world still processing Kodachrome, will only process it through the end of 2010, not (as some posted) until the last roll goes out of date.