Super out of date Kodachrome, what should I do with it?

[Morca007]

So, thanks to a combination of laziness, and failure to read the fine print, I have just bought 8 rolls of of K64 on evilbay for a grand total of $13.75 shipped.
Turn out they are described as: "Expired 11/97, so no warranty. Storage history unknown." 🙄

So what should I do with them? Processing is enough of a hassle/expensive enough that I can't just shoot one and see how it turns out to see what to do with them...

Let's assume that they were left at room temperature for the past ten years, what has happened to the film in that time? Is it usable, or did I buy a box of souvenirs? It is usable, how much of a speed loss/grain increase should I expect?

 

[blw]

I bought a bag of Ektachrome dated 9/1990 a year or so ago from a local antique shop.

I shot one roll and had it developed by a camera shop in cleveland OH (random trip there just as I finished the roll). Those slides came out pretty nice with good color. Since then, I've shot another roll or two and the colors seemed a little shot; so now I'll probably cross-process the rest when I shoot it. Hell....I may even develop a roll in Xtol just to see what happens.

You can send it to me or you can take a chance to see what happens. Whatever....I think the best idea is to send one roll off to see what you get. After that you can decide if you want to experiment or pass it off onto someone else. I would think the emulsion would still record something.

 

[venchka]

Shoot a roll. Give it to Wal-Mart. Make darn sure that you personally fill out the Special Processing envelope and put the roll of film in it. DO NOT just hand the roll to one of the folks working behind the counter. About 10 days to 2 weeks later you'll get the slides back and owe Wal-Mart about $5. If the slides look ok, then use the rest of the film and send it to Dwayne's directly. Dwayne's will also make a CD for you at time of peocessing for $4. Or continue to take a chance with Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart charges about $8 for a CD after processing.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

I'm using expiry 1997 film all the time.

No worries.

It's only film, not cheese.

 

[charjohncarter]

This seems new enough, but one of the processes E-6 or E-4 is not done anymore. The only place I could find was in Colorado. But your date seems not that old. I would still check to be sure the process at WalMart is the one needed for your slides.

 

[charjohncarter]

This was a roll of 1974 film, out of date and out of process:

 

[oscroft]

This seems new enough, but one of the processes E-6 or E-4 is not done anymore. The only place I could find was in Colorado. But your date seems not that old. I would still check to be sure the process at WalMart is the one needed for your slides.

Kodachrome is neither E-6 nor E-4, it is K-14. And yes, WalMart can do it - they send it to Dwayne's (which, I believe, is the only lab left that actually processes it).

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Matt, only when K-chrome is extremely old do you get a bluish cast in your slides. We're talking mid to late eighties. Two years ago I bought some rolls of expired Kodachrome (1992 vintage) and they were fine. Mind you: do not expect saturated colors as Kodachrome has a rather muted palette with very peculiar skin tones.

In other words, 1997 Kodachrome is very usable. As Jon said, it's film, not cheese... and film is a heck of a lot more resilient than cheese! 😀 Use it and send it to Dwayne's in Parsons, KS. They'll develop it in about a week and ship it back to you in nice cardboard frames.

 

[fbf]

Doesn Walmart do E6 as well? I didn't know that. Fujimailer seems send it to Dwaynes as well.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

It will probably work quite well. Try a roll. Kodachrome has the color dyes introduced at time of processing, as I recall. I have shot it 20 years out of date.

 

[Sparrow]

This was a roll of 1974 film, out of date and out of process:

Wow 😱 gaf 64, now that’s a rave from the grave,……… I loved the 500 it looked like Monet had painted it

 

[venchka]

Wal-Mart will take E6

Wal-Mart will take E6

Doesn Walmart do E6 as well? I didn't know that. Fujimailer seems send it to Dwaynes as well.

They take 135 E6 and even B&W and send it somewhere. Not sure where. I gave them a roll of K64 and a roll of Ilford Delta 100. The K64 came back ok. The Delta 100 came back CRAP! I won't do that again.

 

[fbf]

Thank you for the info, Wayne. I will try the E6 next time.

 

[shadowfox]

Dropping the rolls at Wally's work for both E6 and K14, even 120 rolls for E6, just don't forget to specify the process on the envelope.

I shot K200 from 2000 and it has red cast when scanned. Once I got rid of it, the Kodakchrome "sparkle" emerged. Looks like any other Kodakchrome pictures I've ever seen.

 

[35mmdelux]

you are looking at potential loss of $14. give it away and buy some fresh or send it thru walmart.

 

[Morca007]

Thanks very much everyone. I will shoot a roll and try to get it to Dwaynes via Wal-Mart. Hopefully I just got a very good deal on some Kodachrome through some sort of Karma imbalance. 😀

And Jon, remember, sometimes even Cheese is good that far out! 😉

I can hardly wait to shoot it.