Kodachrome - What's the oldest roll you have had processed successfully?

[Steve Smith]

I have been given three rolls of Kodachrome 64 dated 1986. It has been kept cool in a fridge for the last 22 years (but not frozen).

Has anyone successfully used Kodachrome this old? Or older?

I'm going to use it regardless as I have nothing to lose except the postage costs.


Steve.

 

[Toffle]

Shoot away, Steve.

I have several rolls of KM-25 that expired in 1996. Ostensibly, it was stored in a freezer since purchase, but I can't say for sure. Some rolls from this batch have been quite good, while some present a discernable magenta cast. Overall, I'd say that there is a loss of about one stop of film speed, which for a film of 25 ISO, means a lot of tripod work. I have also heard that D-max is reduced over time. Still, I'd say this film is sharp, sharp, sharp. It is such a joy to open a new box of Kodachrome slides and marvel at the clarity of this wonderful film.

Cheers,

 

[kodachrome64]

Steve,

I've only used new KR64 but I have heard of many processing Kodachrome as old as yours even without refrigeration and getting good results. I think it will be ok...Kodachrome seems to have a pretty good shelf life (maybe since more is done at processing and less is in the emulsion, although that's just a guess). Most people do this with KM25 since you can still get KR64, but I don't see why it would be any different. You may want to overexpose by a half stop or even a stop (bring your tripod).

 

[AutumnJazz]

25, fridge stored, '83.

 

[Steve Smith]

Thanks. I will give it a go as I have nothing to lose.

The strange bit is that from the UK I have to post the films to Switzerland. They post them to Dwaynes then they come back to me. Possibly via Switzerland again.


Steve.

 

[Toffle]

Thanks. I will give it a go as I have nothing to lose.

The strange bit is that from the UK I have to post the films to Switzerland. They post them to Dwaynes then they come back to me. Possibly via Switzerland again.


Steve.

Yeah... a little odd. It is not that long ago though, that your slides would have been processed right in Lausanne. Unfortunately, Dwayne's is the only player left in the game.

By comparison, my Kodachrome goes from my local lab, to Fuji, to Kodak Canada, to Dwayne's and back along the same route. Round trip usually takes about a month, so it is always a pleasant surprise when I get a call from the lab that wmy film is in. Then we sit down for a bit and scan them for prints right there. The irony is that I get better service from the local drug-store lab than I do from the pro lab 30 miles away where I have to take my 120 films for processing. They take the time to discuss my goals and don't mind printing something until we agree that it is right.

I think you will be pleased when you get your first slides in, Steve. I might advise bracketing a little high. That's what works best with my old Kodachrome.

Cheers,

 

[Ian Grant]

Back in the UK I have the last roll of Kodachrome II my father put in his Kodak Bantam Cloursnap II back around 1968, I finished the last couple of frames sometime in the mid 80's so it's about ripe for processing now. Just need to find the little red mailing sack and fill out the label

Still have a spare un-exposed process paid roll, but no camera that takes 828 any more.

Ian

 

[Sal Santamaura]

...I have the last roll of Kodachrome II my father put in his Kodak Bantam Cloursnap II back around 1968...Just need to find the little red mailing sack and fill out the label...

I wouldn't rush to send it off. Kodachrome II is a K-12 film. The only place I know that will process it is Rocky Mountain, and that will be as black-and-white.

 

[geoferrell]

I got a lot of K64 on ebay in the 1990's that was dated 1987 and didn't get good results generally. I did use some at a firefighting demonstration at night and got good results. You may also be able to convert it over to black and white. Overall, though, those K64 boxes from the 80's might be collectible antiques some day.

 

[Alex Bishop-Thorpe]

Kodachrome 25, 1988 - Perfect. Kodachrome 64 from 2003, lots of it, also perfect.

 

[Earl Dunbar]

By comparison, my Kodachrome goes from my local lab, to Fuji, to Kodak Canada, to Dwayne's and back along the same route. Round trip usually takes about a month, so it is always a pleasant surprise when I get a call from the lab that wmy film is in.

Why don't you just send it to Dwayne's directly?

 

[kodachrome64]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry 8300: BlackBerry8300/4.5.0.55 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)

Cost. It costs more to get developed and one has to pay shipping both ways if sent to Dwayne's directly. If you send it through somewhere else (Wal-Mart, for instance) it is cheaper (half the cost) and there are no shipping costs either way. It just takes a little longer. If I need it faster I'll send it direct, but if not then I can save a lot of money.

This is of course for those in the U.S. It sometimes can take significantly longer for others. But some have mailers that they have to send a certain way to get processing, though we don't have those in the U.S.

 

[accozzaglia]

Convenience. Less hassle. No customs or duty/CRA paperwork. I don't know about cost (it's not cheap for me, but it's easy). I do what Toffle does, and I'm glad I heard his advice. In fact, I just dropped off 7 rolls of KR and KL this evening at my local drug store.

By hassle, sending a bunch of rolls over the border -- twice -- means it's an independent shipping effort which leaves me unaware of possible problems with handling along the way. By taking it to the drug store, I know that Fuji and Kodak institutionally handle the shipment, probably in tow with a manifest of other customer orders. They have a system, it works, and I know that if there are any problems with processing, then it's limited by Dwayne's performance; the way I handled the film personally; and, if relevant, whether I bought expired stock from someone else (as a uni student, I'll happily use what I can afford).

Having the assurance of transit handled professionally is worth it.

 

[Steve Smith]

Why don't you just send it to Dwayne's directly?

I'm not sure about the US and Canada but Kodachrome in the UK is sold with processing included and it comes with an envelope to post it.

The nice thing about this is that if you get hold of some old Kodachrome the processing is still honoured.

If you send straight to Dwayne's, I believe you have to pay them for the processing.



Steve.

 

[Stan160]

I think Kodakchrome must be the best bargain in transparency film available in the UK. Just ordered some for £6.35/roll, the only additional cost is postage to Switzerland - 81p (cheaper than sending the same envelope to an address in the UK!).

Ian

 

[Neil Souch]

Hi,

An old roll of B&W film from an ancient folding camera that was given to me with the film still in it! From looking at the clothes worn by the subjects the film was about 55 years old - and so were the exposures! I guessed the dev time and got some negatives that were VERY soft and just about there but I managed to print up a few viewable 10x8s - no masterpieces though !

Cheers,
Neil.

 

[nemo999]

I have been given three rolls of Kodachrome 64 dated 1986. It has been kept cool in a fridge for the last 22 years (but not frozen).

Has anyone successfully used Kodachrome this old? Or older?

I'm going to use it regardless as I have nothing to lose except the postage costs.


Steve.

Not directly relevant but ...

In 1970 or so I found about 20 rolls of Kodachrome II Type A which had been in a cupboard at (warm) room temperature for 10 years or more. It didn't seem to have lost much speed but when exposed in daylight with a 85 filter the results were very green. I ended up shooting it with a red filter for weird effects. The film seem to process cleanly - no mottle etc. As you do not have much film to experiment with, I would shoot it bracketing +0.5 and 1 stop and hope for the best!

 

[Neil Souch]

Hi,

Sorry, I seem to have had a senior moment - I've just noticed you were talking about Kodachrome!

Cheers,
Neil.

 

[accozzaglia]

In my experience, buying KR64 in Canada runs about $11-12. It has not included a pre-paid envelope. Processing is extra. I've been paying $13 to process a roll for 135-36. So in all, it's about $25 a roll.

 

[Lee L]

1 roll PKM 135-36, expiration date 11/89. Stored cold/frozen depending on the decade. Sent in from a local midwest US Walmart on 10/11/2008 and returned on 10/17/2008 for US$4.88. Looked very good with possible extremely slight loss of D-Max, but it was hard to tell given the subject. It didn't need the extra +1/3 stop bracketed exposure I gave each subject.

Lee

 

[nickrapak]

Don't know yet, but I have a roll of KM 25 20 exp(!) from 04/1981. It is so old that it has film speed in both ASA and DIN, not ISO combined!

 

[Steve Smith]

The nice thing about this is that if you get hold of some old Kodachrome the processing is still honoured.

I wasn't 100% sure of that statement when I made it but as I have received my three rolls back processed, it must be true.



Steve.

 

[Steve Roberts]

Steve,
Two years ago I exposed some K64 dated 1991, ie it was 15 years out of date at the time. I'd acquired it for nothing and, as you say, with the processing included I had nothing to lose.
I shot it at the box rating and it came back absolutely fine, in fact good enough for one of the shots to be published in a magazine.

Steve

 

[nickrapak]

As a follow-up... Today I got my KM-25 backfrom Dwayne's...The results are exceptional! An ever-so-slight magenta cast, but nothing that can't be fixed in Photoshop.

 

[AutumnJazz]

Just got back 3 rolls of KM-25 ranging from '83 to '95. Perfect, as before.