8mm Kodachrome Movie Film Processing

[john parker]

Cleaning out the house, getting rid of things. Just about tossed my old Canon Canonet 8mm camera when I decided to check to see if there might be film in it. There was! So I quickly shut the camera back up. Checked an Omaha photo store who would be glad to transfer it to a cd as soon as I get it processed - no help there. Called Walmart who wouldn't answer. Called Walgreen's who couldn't help with processing but did give me the name of a company in another state. Called that place and it sounded very promising. Was going to send the entire camera so he could open it in his dark room. Looking on the web for the address, saw a large number of very poor reviews of that company. So am looking elsewhere.

Does anyone here have any fairly recent experience getting 1970s 8mm (not Super 8) film processed? If so, where and would you recommend them? Thanks!

 

[Hoka Hey]

That's going to be a challenge. Hope you find something.

 

[djh]

Colour film developing has become a niche activity... obviously movie film is even less common. I would suggest that you contact a reputable film lab and ask if they can help you out.

 

[Highspeedlane]

Wish I had an answer. Good luck.

 

[Ricksplace]

Kodachrome has (had) a complex development system involving three separate development stages with spectrum specific light exposure between stages, unlike ektachrome that could be developed at home. After the close of all the Kodachrome labs worldwide, Kodachrome became a processing orphan. Some folks have had success developing Kodachrome with black and white chemicals, but results are poor at best.
You may want to check out the forum apug.org (analog photography users group). Someone may offer a specialty developing service.
I still shoot, develop and print b&w in 35mm to 4X5".

 

[john parker]

This is becoming an education! If I am reading the internet correctly, color processing of Kodachrome film ended in Kansas in 2010. It is over with. I have not yet really locked for a processing lab. Have been told, however, that undeveloped 8mm film from the 1970s is likely to be "undevelopmentable" because of deterioration. Have read that while my film cannot be processed in color, it may be processable in b&w. Aha! Ricksplace wrote that in the post just above this one! But he says results are poor at best. It may be that I am going to be chasing my tail by pursuing this. The film is old, and I don't even know if there is anything on it.

 

[Legion]

There was talk about revising the Kodachrome 35mm slide film, but I would be very surprised if it happened. While film is making something of a comeback, the market would be too small to warrant the manufacture of the emulsion, chemicals to process it, AND maintain a lab to do the work.

 

[Saxonbowman]

These folks can process Kodachrome as black and white and convert to video...
Old Movie Film Processing | Film Rescue International ®

 

[YKMV]

@Saxonbowman
It sounds like that place would be worthy of a roadtrip.

 

[john parker]

Thank you, Saxonbowman. In fact, I have spoken with these folks and they were very helpful. If I decide to go ahead to try to get this film looked at (not even sure it was ever exposed), I believe this is the company I will use.