Goodbye Kodachrome

[koso]

Kodak announced today it will no longer make Kodachrome film.

While this isn't entirely unexpected (I haven't shot a roll in oh, 15 years, I'm sure that's not a unique figure); it's still a pretty sad day for anyone who loves photography.

No other film captured red and black like K64. I have slides my Dad shot in the 50's that are just as vibrant now as they were when processed.

Mamma, they took our Kodachrome away

Kodak.com tribute page

 

[mretzloff]

People still use film?

 

[DGS]

Kodak announced today it will no longer make Kodachrome film.

While this isn't entirely unexpected (I haven't shot a roll in oh, 15 years, I'm sure that's not a unique figure); it's still a pretty sad day for anyone who loves photography.

No other film captured red and black like K64. I have slides my Dad shot in the 50's that are just as vibrant now as they were when processed.

Mamma, they took our Kodachrome away

Kodak.com tribute page

I thought they stopped making Kodachrome a few years ago? Or maybe it was that it just seemed that way, since you couldn't find any place to process it for you any more. Those slides your Dad shot must have been perfectly preserved, because Kodachrome and other slide film really tends to fade over the years. Do yourself a favor and get those old slides copied onto digital media ASAP.

 

[DunEdinRanger]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO




This is truly a sad day for photography. The demise of possibly the finest film ever produced.

 

[ScotchDave]

As has been said, a sad day for photography. I know my dad will be particularly distraught at this news, I have many fond memories of my dad developing black and white photographs in our walk in cupboard cum dark room.

 

[garyg]

Sad indeed, I guess I just looked up, and it was gone .. when I heard it on the radio I realized that the film cameras hadn't been out of the bag in the closet for maybe 10 years ... so I am guilty of the murder as well ..

 

[FLTiger]

Didn't Paul Simon write a song about this....

 

[koso]

I thought they stopped making Kodachrome a few years ago? Or maybe it was that it just seemed that way, since you couldn't find any place to process it for you any more. Those slides your Dad shot must have been perfectly preserved, because Kodachrome and other slide film really tends to fade over the years. Do yourself a favor and get those old slides copied onto digital media ASAP.

One of the great things about Kodachrome is that it was more like black and white film in its process than color film. That's why it doesn't fade like Ektachrome, and why there is only one lab in the country that still processes it.

 

[PaulX608]

People still use film?

Some would ask us the same about our methods and devices with which we shave. I still use film. I also use a Rolls razor regularly. Maybe I'm just a nut!

 

[MrGuy]

Sad to hear, but an excuse to link to a great tune.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujhdf9_IO4w[/YOUTUBE]

 

[DGS]

Some would ask us the same about our methods and devices with which we shave. I still use film. I also use a Rolls razor regularly. Maybe I'm just a nut!

I bought an autofocus DSLR when my eyesight started to go south, but I still love to use my old rangefinder film cameras. The viewfinders are near life-size and extremely bright, and despite my eyesight I don't have a problem focusing quickly with the split-image finder. The camera bodies are solid and compact and built like tanks (like a vintage Gillette DE ) and the lenses are superb as well. I take the film to Costco for processing and have them put it on a CD-rom, and I can then photoshop it. Best of both worlds. If I want to shoot black and white, I just use a C-41 based black and white film and Costco can process it just like color film.

 

[soapbuddy]

I held onto my Nikon camera as long as I could. When it became just about impossible to get the film rolls developed, I bough a digital body. RIP Kodachrome!

 

[PaulX608]

I have a Yashica TL Electro X that my father bought the day I was born. An excellent camera. I used a Pentax before that.

 

[DGS]

I have a Yashica TL Electro X that my father bought the day I was born. An excellent camera. I used a Pentax before that.

+1 My wife had a Yashica GL that took great photos. However, it used a really weird battery that I'm sure can't be found any more. My Leicas (M3 and M4) are 50 and 42 years old, respectively, completely mechanical (I use a hand-held light meter), and never fail me.

 

[Aevum]

i think kodak, fuji and illford will continue to produce small batches of pro film for collectors and profeccionals

 

[ouch]

You can argue the merits of film vs. digital until you're blue in the face, but the market is driven by amateurs, and they're not likely to go back to film any time soon.

It's a shame when folks scoff at old technology as low tech, and miss out on the wonders they provided in an age when instant information (and gratification) wasn't a given.

 

[soapbuddy]

It's a shame when folks scoff at old technology as low tech, and miss out on the wonders they provided in an age when instant information (and gratification) wasn't a given.

True. Now what will I do with all the slides that I have? Hmmm...

 

[ctr]

Very sad indeed. We have boxes and boxes of carosels filled with slides from childhood. I myself took many pictures with my Nikon FM as a young lad. Digital smigital. Not everything is better with high tech.

 

[koso]

I take the film to Costco for processing and have them put it on a CD-rom, and I can then photoshop it. Best of both worlds. If I want to shoot black and white, I just use a C-41 based black and white film and Costco can process it just like color film.

Take it from an old one hour lab guy, beware.

I still shot film up until a couple years ago. I've gone over wholly to digital now.

I used Costco as well, because they were cheap and still seemed to do a good volume.



Now that film is going away, you have more of a chance of the chemistry being off because it's stale. Back in the day, we'd mix three or four times a shift in the minilab because we'd run out. A lab now might, might run 40 rolls after a holiday.

If they're not dumping developer when it goes over, the negs aren't going to last long.

Re: C-41 b/w, I got a kick out of shooting it too, but what a pain in the a** that stuff is to print on color paper

 

[Slick50]

People still use film?

What is this 'film' of which you speak?