expired kodachrome 25 tips

nickstreme · Jan 13, 2009

i am getting a few rolls of KR25 that expired in '85

i am pretty sure it hasnt been refrigerated.

what speed would you reccommend shooting it at? And do you think the film is fast enough to get 1/250 outside w/ strobes ( 283s )?

fschifano · Jan 13, 2009

Can't help you with the film itself. I've never used any expired K25, so I don't know how well it holds up over time. I am puzzled why you feel you must use a shutter speed that fast with a small strobe. If your camera's flash sync speed is 1/250th second, that is the fastest speed you can use. The flash will sync up at all slower speeds. Read up on fill flash. Here's a start: http://photography.about.com/od/photographyequipment/ss/FillFlash_3.htm

nickandre · Jan 13, 2009

I would run a test roll and bracket. The film will have a magenta cast to it when returned. It will be something like a stop of speed loss. If it has not been refrigerated there is a high chance it will look like crap. Even though kodachrome holds up well, 24 years is a long time. You could call dwaynes and ask them but I doubt they'll be of any help. They would need to compensate for speed loss during the process.

Toffle · Jan 13, 2009

I've been working my way through a small stash of Kodachrome 25 for the last couple of years. My film is relatively new, only being expired for about 12 years. Even at this advanced age, it is a good enough film to show the strenghts or weaknesses of your lenses.

I haven't used this film with flash much, so I can't offer any advice in that regard. (It just so happens I sent a roll in this week with a few frames that I used flash on, but I have a feeling that I totally mis-judged those exposures.) In my experience, you will lose about one full stop of film speed at this late date, so I would rate it around ISO 12. (or 10, given its age) The good news is that it will still have some of that classic Kodachrome 25 look. The bad is that you will probably see a fair amount of magenta showing up in your whites.

Still, it is worth a try. I'm sure you will get something you like out of every roll you shoot.

Cheers,

railwayman3 · Jan 14, 2009

tiberiustibz said:
I would run a test roll and bracket. The film will have a magenta cast to it when returned. It will be something like a stop of speed loss. If it has not been refrigerated there is a high chance it will look like crap. Even though kodachrome holds up well, 24 years is a long time. You could call dwaynes and ask them but I doubt they'll be of any help. They would need to compensate for speed loss during the process.

All good advice. I'd just add that (IMHO, but supported by comments in other threads) that Kodachrome is not really the best film for use with strobes and flash.
FWIW, I'd perhaps just enjoy the chance of using some K25 in normal daylight conditions, which were always its forte, by bracketing on a few everyday subjects. I've just used a 4-year outdated and unfrozen K200 in this way on sunlit shots of classic cars (it had hidden itself in an old gadget bag!), and have been pleasantly surprised by the good results.

Steve Smith · Jan 14, 2009

I don't know about K25 but I used some K64 earlier this year which expired in 1986. Used it at ISO 64 in bright sunlight and it came out fine.

Steve.

Alex Bishop-Thorpe · Jan 14, 2009

Kodachrome 25, expired in 1988. Rated at 25 and developed at dwaynes, not a colour cast to be seen.

Sadly I cant get a decent scan of anything but the cliche flowers, oh well. I've got another 3 rolls I'll shoot when the opportunity arises.

Sanjay Sen · Jan 14, 2009

This is interesting to me because I recently shot a roll of long-expired (1991) Kodachrome 25. I haven't got the slides back from the lab yet, and I am very interested in seeing the results. I will upload a scan - if I can make a decent one...

colrehogan · Jan 14, 2009

It's good to see this. I have some K25 which expired 1-2003. I think it was from the last batch made. I have one roll exposed, but 3 or 4 left.

PKM-25 · Jan 14, 2009

railwayman3 said:
I'd just add that (IMHO, but supported by comments in other threads) that Kodachrome is not really the best film for use with strobes and flash.

I don't where people are getting this from, but it is total BS. You have to use good flash technique with Kodachrome film. Bounce it, diffuse it, knock it back a stop, whatever. Kodachrome was used in studio for decades without problems, most of the FSA / OWI shots from 1939-1942 that are indoors are ALL lit by strobe.

If it were me and someone told me I had to get a good shot from a roll of KM from 1985 with a 283, I would gel that sucker and run around like Bruce Gilden and have fun, heck I would even put on a fisheye! Of course I would bracket, the stuff has most likely lost a stop.

Here are three shots using flash with Kodachrome, the first one was all flash, TTL with KM25 as a test in my FM3A. The other two are gel'd warm with modern KR-64, one straight / on camera knocked back 1-1/3rd stops the other bounced knocked back a stop.

Don't let anyone tell you that Kodachrome and flash do not play nice together, that is pure misinformation..

kevs · Jan 14, 2009

PKM-25 said:
<snip>

Don't let anyone tell you that Kodachrome and flash do not play nice together, that is pure misinformation..

Indeed, I used some K-64 last spring with flash on some white tulips against a black backdrop. There was absolutely no problem with colour cast. As long as film and flash are daylight-balanced, there's no reason there should be. I've never heard this rumour - perhaps someone messed up and blamed the materials. Who knows?

I'm not a big user of Kodachrome (or any 35mm these days!) but I've never had problems using it with flash.

nickstreme · Jan 14, 2009

I would have to shoot it at 1/250 of a second, because anything slower is too slow for skateboarding photography in bright sun. Do you think it would be better if I just shot it at 25 and told dwaynes to push it, say 1/3 stop?

PKM-25 · Jan 14, 2009

nickstreme said:
I would have to shoot it at 1/250 of a second, because anything slower is too slow for skateboarding photography in bright sun. Do you think it would be better if I just shot it at 25 and told dwaynes to push it, say 1/3 stop?

Can you get a stronger strobe like a Norman 400B? A couple of stops would be a big advantage if you are going to do skate stuff. Personally, I have a Hensel 1,200 watt that I use for ski and snowboard superpipe at the Winter X-Games and other on location stuff, but that is a spendy unit.

I would strongly be against pushing KM25 even if it were good stock, old stuff is not going to be worth the price of the push which will be expensive relatively speaking..

Seriously, see if you can borrow or rent a stronger strobe...

railwayman3 · Jan 15, 2009

PKM-25 said:
I don't where people are getting this from, but it is total BS. You have to use good flash technique with Kodachrome film. Bounce it, diffuse it, knock it back a stop, whatever. Kodachrome was used in studio for decades without problems, most of the FSA / OWI shots from 1939-1942 that are indoors are ALL lit by strobe.

If it were me and someone told me I had to get a good shot from a roll of KM from 1985 with a 283, I would gel that sucker and run around like Bruce Gilden and have fun, heck I would even put on a fisheye! Of course I would bracket, the stuff has most likely lost a stop.

Here are three shots using flash with Kodachrome, the first one was all flash, TTL with KM25 as a test in my FM3A. The other two are gel'd warm with modern KR-64, one straight / on camera knocked back 1-1/3rd stops the other bounced knocked back a stop.

Don't let anyone tell you that Kodachrome and flash do not play nice together, that is pure misinformation..

Well, I've been using Kodachrome with flash since 1964, and it is NOT the best, or perhaps I should say easiest, film to use with flash....and I did qualify my comment by adding IMHO. (I found High Speed Ektachrome (remember that?) more forgiving, especially when I was doing MF industrial work with multiple flash in large factories during the 60's. And actually Kodachrome II was quite good for photomicrography with flash to freeze fast moving organisms).

As you say, good technique is necessary (doen't that apply to lots of things in life?), and I was simply suggesting to the OP that, given the chance to use a limited last batch of K25, I would personally keep to simple straight-forward sunlit shots where it performs so well, rather than complicating matters with flash, etc.

Calling honest opinions misinformation or total BS is not endearing the Kodachrome cause. :rolleyes:

(and who's Bruce Gilden?)

PKM-25 · Jan 15, 2009

railwayman3 said:
Calling honest opinions misinformation or total BS is not endearing the Kodachrome cause. :rolleyes:
(and who's Bruce Gilden?)

Fair enough, I apologize. I was just in a bad mood because this economy is making it harder every day to continue on with the project I am trying to accomplish.

Bruce Gilden, he gets real close with strobe:

http://www.magnumphotos.com/Archive...l_VPage&l1=0&pid=2K7O3R1482X4&nm=Bruce Gilden

Actually, because the color cast of this film is shot to hell, I think the OP has a good idea in using it with strobe effect. He could gel it wildly and come up with some "Lomo" cross process effect, but that is just me...

railwayman3 · Jan 15, 2009

Apology accepted (not really necessary). This economy, with the greed and incompetence of politicians and big business, is making most ordinary people bad-tempered, to put it mildly. I was talking to a friend this morning, and her husband is ill in bed with heart problems and stress as a result of losing his job after 20 years service at the same firm, now being closed down to transfer what's left of production to China.

I'm still a K64 enthusiast and will be while-ever it's available. I take about 80% of my color on it, and have probably a couple of hundred rolls in the freezer.
And, if and when it's finally gone, I can still look at my late Father's slides from the late 50's onwards, and even a few as far back as 1949 which my Grandfather took....the colors are still as new.

I'll stick to my opinion that it's not the easiest film to use, but it's well worth the effort...I've a box of K64 on my desk, of views which I took at a stately home and gardens last year and the colors and definition are absolutely breath-taking. Could have similar great results on lots of other films, of course, but there's just that little extra indefinable something.

nickstreme · Jan 15, 2009

I have shot lots of skate stuff with a few off camera 283s just fine. I wish i could afford to rent nice stuff, but im only 15. Its not like im going to be shooting K25 exclusivley for skateboarding, i was just curious.

Toffle · Jan 15, 2009

nickstreme said:
I have shot lots of skate stuff with a few off camera 283s just fine. I wish i could afford to rent nice stuff, but im only 15. Its not like im going to be shooting K25 exclusivley for skateboarding, i was just curious.

Damn, I was 15 once... Get out there and shoot that film whatever way you like. Trust me, with what you have in mind, you will get something worthwhile. Don't be afraid to shoot a few shots a little slower, to boost your exposure and to show the movement of the skaters. Your flash will freeze some of the motion anyway.

Question, do your rolls of K25 have red/orange canisters? You used to be able to buy this stuff with processing prepaid. That would be a nice bonus for your photo outing.

Cheers,

PKM-25 · Jan 16, 2009

I want to extend an invitation on how to get ahold of some of the best remaining KM25 stock I have found....

For the past two months, I have scored this stuff that has dates of 10/2002 and 05/2003, the last batch. I have to say this is *flawless* KM25, some of the best yet with no loss of dmax, killer color and sharp, sharp, sharp! I have bought 40 rolls of it, used 4 and now have a cache of over 200 rolls of 2002 or newer KM25 thanks to this recent source. It only comes in bricks of ten, so keep that in mind.

It has gone as high as $245 for a brick of ten, but for the last two sessions, I have got it for $150 for ten...$15 a roll!

I am not going to create a frenzy by posting the source on here, so just PM me and I will point you in the right direction.

I could keep it to my self, but I have enough of this film so now that I am really set, I think I should share the love a bit.

Seriously, this stuff is KILLER!

I mean, look at this shot of Kodachrome Basin with it:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3346/3173272468_ede9669338_o.jpg

Another:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3393/3172446763_93432f0a5d_o.jpg

And more...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3424/3172440643_fbd991e4f2_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3435/3173272372_bb2fc96f0d_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3424/3172442139_ee9bafd1be_o.jpg

nickstreme · Jan 16, 2009

damn, those are sick. Xpan?

nickandre · Jan 16, 2009

Professional Kodachrome 25,

That stuff is great...and if I had money, it would be mine.

I'm currently stuck hunting the backlogs of wholesalers who are offering cold stored expired film for rock bottom prices. I can get a roll for $1.50 in date though.

Actually, is there anyway I can get one roll to try it rather than a brick? Then I could say that I've done it.

Which panoramic camera do you use?

budrichard · Jan 20, 2009

The problem with K25 is you don't know how it was stored or what the results will be. You can't find bricks so one can do a test roll and then have confidence to use. It has become a 'cult' item and the individuals appear to be paying exhorbitant prices from scalpers for it.
I firmly agree that K25 was better than K64 but so was KII better than K25 but they are gone.
I purchased a 100 rolls of recently expired K64 for less than $4/roll shipped and tests showed its was fine and am presently shooting it up. $4/roll for film that will be OK I can handle, absurd prices for film of indeterminate quality so I can say, I use K25, I can't handle.
BTW for 40+ years I have used flash with Kodachromes except Type A with no problems.-Dick

expired kodachrome 25 tips

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