How to nudge Kodachrome back into the consumer's eye

[Jedidiah Smith]

I've got a couple rolls coming here to get some of the Golden Gate in that autumn fog / specular light. Always wanted to get a couple of those shots, and now that I live here, why not on Kodachrome? The legend on the legend.

Jed

 

[Steve Smith]

I think it's great that the pre-paid processing is still honoured even on old rolls of Kodachrome. I was recently given three rolls dated 1986.

I used two and sent them off and I also noticed that the third roll did not have the film leader sticking out so I sent that off as well.

The two rolls I used recently came back fine. I didn't notice anything that would tell me it was twenty year old film. The roll which had already been exposed was a bit dark but not too bad. I'm not sure if that is a function of exposing then waiting twenty years for processing or if it was underexposed to start with. In any case, the person who gave me the film will now be getting some slides of images from twenty years ago which he has probably forgotten about.



Steve.

 

[Iwagoshi]

Steve,
Was the pre-paid processing also old? I have (2) 5-packs of pre-paid processing that's 15 years old, and was curious if they are still honored?

Terry

 

[Steve Smith]

Was the pre-paid processing also old?

It was film with an expiry date of 1986 with an envelope included in the box for processing. At the time it was intended to be sent to a UK Kodak plant (Hemel Hempstead) for processing. A few years ago this changed to Switzerland where it was processed.

Now it still has to be sent to Switzerland but is then forwarded to Dwayne's (in bulk, I assume) and then comes back to the UK - again via Switzerland (another assumption of mine).

Kodak still operates from the Hemel Hempstead site (according to their website) so I think it's strange to have to send the film via Switzerland.

So yes, it is old pre-paid processing but in the UK I think Kodachrome has only ever been available with processing included in the cost (my third assumption in one post - and the one I am not too sure about!).

Sounds like you bought your pre-paid processing separately from the film. I would send off one roll and see what happens.

My view (and probably Kodak's) is that you have paid for processing, therefore Kodak have to keep to their part of the contract. They could have put in time limits but it is probably easier to just process everything than to reject and possibly argue the case on what has to be a very low percentage of the total amount of Kodachrome processed.


Steve.

 

[railwayman3]

So yes, it is old pre-paid processing but in the UK I think Kodachrome has only ever been available with processing included in the cost (my third assumption in one post - and the one I am not too sure about!).

(snipped)

My view (and probably Kodak's) is that you have paid for processing, therefore Kodak have to keep to their part of the contract. They could have put in time limits but it is probably easier to just process everything than to reject and possibly argue the case on what has to be a very low percentage of the total amount of Kodachrome processed.

Steve.

My late Father used Kodachrome since the late 1950's and I recall he said it was always sold in the UK with processing and mounting included. I believe there may have been a period under some UK anti-monopoly rules when it (and similar pre-paid films) had to be "available" (perhaps no more, in practice, than just appearing in the catalogue ) without processing included. Never seen them, so not sure.

Just to add a bit....the actual cassettes of UK films are marked "processing paid" and it says something like "the mailing envelopes in the boxes are for convenience only and have no monetary value". So if you lose a mailer, the film can still be sent off in an ordinary envelope (I've done it once ).

And, yes, I guess Kodak don't put an expiry on processing...I'm sure it's easier and cheap enough to put a few extra films thru the system, than annoy customers by arguing.

(Sorry for butting into the thread).

 

[AgX]

My view (and probably Kodak's) is that you have paid for processing, therefore Kodak have to keep to their part of the contract. They could have put in time limits but it is probably easier to just process everything than to reject and possibly argue the case on what has to be a very low percentage of the total amount of Kodachrome processing

Steve,
That was certainly not the view of Kodak Stuttgart...

During my one and only visit to the USA I bought a lot of Kodachromes (without processing vouchers) and did nearly all my photography on them. Back in Germany with the films I bought at a supplier for professionials a bunch of Kodak vouchers stated to be applicable for Kodachrome and sent the films with them to Stuttgart. Kodak rejected the vouchers (but kept them). In the following discussion Kodak stated that they had lost all films...

From then on I process my films myself.
Thus no Kodachrome for me.

 

[railwayman3]

AgX - just to add my observation, that's not good at all. I can understand you giving up on Kodak.

My only experience with non-prepaid Kodachrome was with two or three films brought back for me from the US by a friend a few years ago, when Kodak UK were handing processing. I phoned Kodak at Hemel Hempstead, they advised me how to send them in with a cheque payment for the processing charge, and all went smoothly.

I've never seen Kodachrome processing vouchers offered here in the UK.

 

[Pupfish]

Time was when even gray market K64--European product sold with mailers included-- processing was honored by Kodak in the USA. That time was the early 90's, and such a bargain it was for awhile there. But eventually Kodak rejected these.

 

[railwayman3]

^^^pupfish

Yes, the current U.K. K64 boxes and mailers inside(with prepaid processing included) say "Kodak processing not available in the United States".

Guess that someone in US would have to mail the films to a friend in Europe who would then send them on to Kodak Lausanne.

 

[ilovekodachrome]

I just called Freestyle and they got a shipment of Kodachrome in today -- the non-professional version. I didn't ask what the batch number was, but I convinced the rep to leave his cube and go check the expiration date. It was 12/09. I asked him if this film was discontinued. He said that although there had been rumors of discontinuation for at least 6 years, they were still ordering it. He said that Kodak usually will give a warning of discontinuation, although with HIE, they "kept saying they were going to make it, kept saying they were going to make it" and then suddenly it was gone. His experience with Kodak was that the biggest factor in determining which products were discontinued and which were not was sales. I’ve read Q&A’s releases at Kodak’s website that says demand is the determining factor. I’m no film insider, but it seems to me that when film stocks at B&H, Freestyle, and 7dayshop, can run out and be refilled in less than 1 month’s time, that is the practical definition of a photographic product that is still viable. So, last gasp? Or the perfect time for a new master roll? Any thoughts?

 

[PKM-25]

I got different news from Freestyle today.

http://www.kodachromeproject.com/forum/showthread.php?p=576#post576

I have contacts at the distribution center.

By the way, I was quoted for a major metro paper's upcoming business story today, I will let you know when it is out.

And I got back some rolls from my Fall shoots, 4 Panoramic, two in KM-25. Some of the rolls look stunning.

 

[kdanks]

Reading this thread has prompted me to order 10 rolls from 7dayshop. As I think someone said, it has been out of stock there for a little while, and it has just come back in with a note on the website saying the price will rise substantially when current stocks run out.

I'll post the expiry date when it arrives. The last I bought from them was in June, batch 1555 with expiry 06/2009.

Regards

Kevin

 

[iKlee]

I love Kodachrome. There are 9 - 64 asa - rolls in my freezer waiting for the right moment. Maybe tomorrow?

 

[Craig]

I agree with Ian- what's really wrong with E-6 films? I have used Kodachrome and I never really cared for the look. So what's the problem really?

Kodachrome has one specialized use that I quite like it for: Railroad photography! The rem-jet coating on it absorbs reflections quite nicely, so you don't get secondary images from the headlights on trains. In railfan circles there is a term for it called FHB, or Fuji Headlight Blob because there is almost always a secondary ghost image of the lights when using E6 films that you don't get with Kodachrome.

As a bonus, it renders Canadian Pacific red quite nicely.

 

[FredW]

I have not shot any Kodachrome for quite some time, but while at a local drug store, I saw they had some in stock and bought a roll. Its Batch 1557 expiry 12/2009.

 

[nsouto]

OK, so that seems to indicate a batch every 3 months?

 

[railwayman3]

Just recd 5 cassettes of K64 ( UK process-paid version) from 7dayshop.
Expiry 12/2009, 1557.
They have been out-of-stock, so perhaps this is the latest delivery from Kodak UK.

 

[Clay2]

I have just plowed through all 20 pages of this thread and am surprised that no one
has mentioned this link:

http://www.kodachromeproject.com

Latest info on Kodachrome will be found here.

/Clay

 

[DBP]

I gave a friend a battered Olympus 35RC and a roll of Kodachrome to use to try it out. She hadn't shot Kodachrome before, so was rather excited to try it. Also picked up a cheap K-mount SLR for a neighbor to use documenting his kids - I'll give him some Kodachrome to try that with too.

 

[Admbws]

I have just plowed through all 20 pages of this thread and am surprised that no one
has mentioned this link:

http://www.kodachromeproject.com

You what? The owner of that site has been banging on about it constantly in this very thread! I imagine he probably feels he's banging his head against a brick wall...

 

[Clay2]

Oh, you mean Dan KR64 ? Yeah, but thumping your own drum aside, it still is a good
site for Kodachrome information. Blush, a lot of the
posts there are mine.
/Clay

 

[Radioiron]

Kodachrome for Minox cameras

After a few emails to Dwayne's in Kansas, I have found out that they can
process KR-64 if I slit it down to 9.2mm and send it to them in sealed cans!

For anyone else interested in having them process some, in my last email they state they need at least 2 inches
of leader at each end to splice the film in to the
processor and
"The cost per film strip will be $9 plus $4 for the first film strip and .50 for each additional for shipping and
handling."

With Ektar coming back from the dead (or being pieced together with spare parts by doctor Frankenstein in Kodak's lab ) There are 2 film stocks with fine enough grain for a format where it counts.

Now if I could just chop off some 4x5s off their master roll to project in my Stereopticon.

 

[kdanks]

Just recd 5 cassettes of K64 ( UK process-paid version) from 7dayshop.
Expiry 12/2009, 1557.
They have been out-of-stock, so perhaps this is the latest delivery from Kodak UK.

Mine arrived today and is also 12/2009, 1557. It will be interesting to see how long they take to sell out this time, given that they are probably the cheapest supplier around for UK buyers (but if anyone can find it elsewhere for less than £6.40 a roll I'd like to know!).

Kevin

 

[PKM-25]

Just had 50 rolls show up at my house, had my girlfriend open the box and check, emulsion number 1557, 01/2010.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Note the same # but different expiration dates. Curious.

PE