Kodachrome

[Photo Engineer]

You must have tried some of those out!

Qualitative organic analysis is quite a blast! Literally! Sometimes..........

PE

Let me expand on my post.

Qualitative Organic Analysis begins with what is called a Sodium test. You place a small sample of the unknown in a test tube, along with a small sample of Sodium metal. Then you heat it all and the Sodium decomposes the sample and you start from there. But sometimes it explodes.

Mine did.

PE

 

[piratelogy]

Kodachrome? It is obsolete!

So are Daguerrotypes, and Collodion wetplate and yet they offer a unique look thats interesting and artistic as well as learning opportunities for how film works. Kodachrome is the same.

 

[piratelogy]

Umm, you made the emulsions and coated them? This is implied in your post.

Please enlighten us.

PE

I used one of the B&W emulsion recipes from Light Farm and mixed up a batch, it came out around ISO 1.5. I used chlorophyll from spinach to red sensitize some, and coated a thin acrylic plate front and back. One the straight emulsion, the other side red. The "blue" side was really more UV than blue, and the red side wasn't very sensitive to red. It was more of a "wonder how hard this is" test than anything particularly useful. But it kinda sorta worked.

 

[piratelogy]

Let me expand on my post.

Qualitative Organic Analysis begins with what is called a Sodium test. You place a small sample of the unknown in a test tube, along with a small sample of Sodium metal. Then you heat it all and the Sodium decomposes the sample and you start from there. But sometimes it explodes.

Mine did.

PE

Makes me really glad that SO FAR I've not blown anything up in my quests to understand photographic chemistry The most I can say is I have some interesting stains around my garage....

 

[twelvetone12]

Wow, if some of you guys hate so much kodachrome you cold just ignore this thread. Just saying...

 

[Gerald C Koch]

Let me expand on my post.

Qualitative Organic Analysis begins with what is called a Sodium test. You place a small sample of the unknown in a test tube, along with a small sample of Sodium metal. Then you heat it all and the Sodium decomposes the sample and you start from there. But sometimes it explodes.

Mine did.

PE

When I took the class we were expected to substantiate or reasoning with three tests. We were allowed to use our nose and the stock room as one of the tests. For example a rancid smell might indicate one of the fatty acids like butyric or caproic. A fruity smell might mean an ester. Then you could smell possible compounds until the smells were alike. A bit less dramatic.

 

[RPC]

Wow, if some of you guys hate so much kodachrome you cold just ignore this thread. Just saying...

Who said anything about hating Kodachrome.

Maybe people don't want to ignore the thread. Maybe they have an opinion on the subject and want to give it, whether others like it or not.

 

[MattKing]

Wow, if some of you guys hate so much kodachrome you cold just ignore this thread. Just saying...

It is more to do with the continuing angst of its long, slow demise and the constant reminder of its loss.
Sort of like a combination of a funeral and the movie "Groundhog Day".

 

[keenmaster486]

Guys, Kodachrome is far from obsolete. It's just extremely difficult to pull off

The only reason it would be obsolete is if there was a product or system which clearly outperformed Kodachrome in EVERY category.

The only thing that comes close to this is Fuji Velvia, which has its own specialties just like Kodachrome.

 

[MattKing]

The only reason it would be obsolete is if there was a product or system which clearly outperformed Kodachrome in EVERY category.

Ektachrome 100G does. Hope it comes back.

 

[twelvetone12]

It is more to do with the continuing angst of its long, slow demise and the constant reminder of its loss.
Sort of like a combination of a funeral and the movie "Groundhog Day".

Yeah I hate those too, but here I find it interesting with piratelogy experimenting and posting some results. Even if the film itself is obsolete I still find it a fascinating process

 

[LAG]

...it kinda sorta worked.

No offense but those words sum up quite good everything ... If something has proven this thread and other threads or www's on the internet about Kodachrome before this, it is the degree of difficulty throughout this K-film/process combination, and what it is most important, the "results" achieved so far. Sorry to say that this is one more sample of the same.

However, I congratulate you for your work, for your perseverance and I encourage you to continue experimenting like many others in this thread encourage you whatever the reason for you (if that makes you happy) or anyother's hopes, just like many others before you with others tests before. I do not know how many films / chemicals have been "used" to keep nothing steady. We all know, very to our misfortune, that K-film has a definite limit for those experimentations.

Now, that said, in my humble opinion, I would not trust any of my K-films in you (or in any other one) or in your K-process (or any other DIY), no matter how "kinda sorta worked" (?) that would become in the near future, not only due to the simple fact of a non-guarantee, stable, constant and reliable outcome, but because I wish, for the remaining K-films that I still own, a different Photographic destiny.

So, the pity that I see in all these personal attempts full of good intentions process, is the wastage of the film intended for those laboratory experiments and not for the Photography itself.

I wish you the best and I hope that all your research, tests, experimentation will take you to a frankly interesting and novel point, I would like to see that, but far away from what we all already know the Kodachrome film should be.

Best

 

[bvy]

So are Daguerrotypes, and Collodion wetplate and yet they offer a unique look thats interesting and artistic as well as learning opportunities for how film works. Kodachrome is the same.

Keep up the great work -- or interesting work, anyway. If the naysayers were truly fed up and uninterested, they wouldn't be following this thread, let alone posting to it.

 

[dmr]

Not to hijack this thread, but here's something I was playing with last weekend which involves Kodachrome.

As a fairly new adopter of {d-word} cameras, of course I've played with HDR and I got to thinking ... there were many cases where I intentionally bracketed slides and ended up with one 1-2 stops underexposed and one 1-2 stops overexposed. Why not try feeding those into the HDR processing software? It was tricky, but I was able to do a "proof of concept" image below. This was done using Luminance HDR. I know there are some registration and ghosting issues but it seems to have shown that yes, I can indeed do a Kodachrome HDR. This is from slides I shot back in 2009.

 

[keenmaster486]

Hmm, this is interesting.

Somebody should do this with Velvia...

 

[piratelogy]

Ektachrome 100G does. Hope it comes back.

I do think it was by far the closest, I really liked that emulsion as well.

No offense but those words sum up quite good everything ... If something has proven this thread and other threads or www's on the internet about Kodachrome before this, it is the degree of difficulty throughout this K-film/process combination, and what it is most important, the "results" achieved so far. Sorry to say that this is one more sample of the same.

However, I congratulate you for your work, for your perseverance and I encourage you to continue experimenting like many others in this thread encourage you whatever the reason for you (if that makes you happy) or anyother's hopes, just like many others before you with others tests before. I do not know how many films / chemicals have been "used" to keep nothing steady. We all know, very to our misfortune, that K-film has a definite limit for those experimentations.

Now, that said, in my humble opinion, I would not trust any of my K-films in you (or in any other one) or in your K-process (or any other DIY), no matter how "kinda sorta worked" (?) that would become in the near future, not only due to the simple fact of a non-guarantee, stable, constant and reliable outcome, but because I wish, for the remaining K-films that I still own, a different Photographic destiny.

So, the pity that I see in all these personal attempts full of good intentions process, is the wastage of the film intended for those laboratory experiments and not for the Photography itself.

I wish you the best and I hope that all your research, tests, experimentation will take you to a frankly interesting and novel point, I would like to see that, but far away from what we all already know the Kodachrome film should be.

Best

I think we both wish that, I'd be far happier dropping off my film for a Kodak blessed K-14 process, and nice safe simple consistent results...

 

[Photo Engineer]

When I took the class we were expected to substantiate or reasoning with three tests. We were allowed to use our nose and the stock room as one of the tests. For example a rancid smell might indicate one of the fatty acids like butyric or caproic. A fruity smell might mean an ester. Then you could smell possible compounds until the smells were alike. A bit less dramatic.

Oh, we could do that as well. In fact, back then my sense of smell was so good my prof. suggested that I go into the perfume business. When I told him "Kodak" he just nodded in acceptance. Now, I can't smell very well at all.

And on a general note, I do not disapprove of these types of experiments. They keep interest up. However, I see no reason to participate because I've BTDT and am just tired of the whole thing. I prefer trying to pass on emulsion knowledge.

PE

 

[piratelogy]

Oh, we could do that as well. In fact, back then my sense of smell was so good my prof. suggested that I go into the perfume business. When I told him "Kodak" he just nodded in acceptance. Now, I can't smell very well at all.

And on a general note, I do not disapprove of these types of experiments. They keep interest up. However, I see no reason to participate because I've BTDT and am just tired of the whole thing. I prefer trying to pass on emulsion knowledge.

PE

And I totally appreciate any knowledge you do pass along!

 

[Photo Engineer]

I meant participate in doing experiments. I don't mind participation here passing on knowledge.

PE

 

[Nzoomed]

And on a general note, I do not disapprove of these types of experiments. They keep interest up. However, I see no reason to participate because I've BTDT and am just tired of the whole thing. I prefer trying to pass on emulsion knowledge.

PE

Fair enough too. I assume you have attempted processing Kodachrome yourself in the past?

but because I wish, for the remaining K-films that I still own, a different Photographic destiny.

So, the pity that I see in all these personal attempts full of good intentions process, is the wastage of the film intended for those laboratory experiments and not for the Photography itself.
Best

What "destiny" do you want for your Kodachrome?

Kodachrome is intended as a colour film, so processing it as B&W is also a waste of time, when there are tons of B&W films out there. Thats if this is your "destiny", there are no other real uses or Kodachrome unless you want to keep your rolls as a museum piece.

Piratelogy's work will inevitably lead to colour images being recovered from the space shuttle film and other such forgotten exposed kodachrome out there.

I think thats valuable in itself.

There is no other practical use for any remaining Kodachrome, and those rolls have not been wasted in vain.
They have served a very valuable purpose, and thats the knowledge gained.

 

[keenmaster486]

Kodachrome is intended as a colour film, so processing it as B&W is also a waste of time, when there are tons of B&W films out there. Thats if this is your "destiny", there are no other real uses or Kodachrome unless you want to keep your rolls as a museum piece.

Amen, amen, amen!

Processing Kodachrome as B&W is not only a waste of time, it is even highly foolish now that we have the capability to process it in (at least some) color.

You don't even get that great B&W images out of it. You're much better off with Tri-X.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Fair enough too. I assume you have attempted processing Kodachrome yourself in the past?

I've answered this over and over. I have been present when lab samples were processed, both single and multilayer.

I even posted some pictures of it being processed.

PE

 

[LAG]

What "destiny" do you want for your Kodachrome?

Another quite different from the experiments shown here of course. I suppose it is a matter of taste if someone prefers wonderful black and white slides as a result, rather than a totally unfortunate colour slide achieved to date.

Kodachrome is intended as a colour film, so processing it as B&W is also a waste of time, when there are tons of B&W films out there.

I am not going to argue if instead of "is" should be "was", nor about if it's a B&W structure (for a colour process), but again I suppose that it is a matter of taste if someone prefers processing a perfect black & white slide (as a waste of time), rather than ruining film - no longer manufactured - (and wasting time ... etc with it).

Thats if this is your "destiny", there are no other real uses or Kodachrome unless you want to keep your rolls as a museum piece.

No Sir! ... and the museum is not my case either, at least for the film inside!

Piratelogy's work will inevitably lead to colour images being recovered from the space shuttle film and other such forgotten exposed kodachrome out there.

I think thats valuable in itself.

Inevitably? Could you expand the reasons?
Lead to colour images? No matter the (colour) quality?

There is no other practical use for any remaining Kodachrome...

Speak for yourself of course!

Best

Processing Kodachrome as B&W is not only a waste of time, it is even highly foolish now that we have the capability to process it in (at least some) color.

Wow, what a great reasoning (at least some)!

You don't even get that great B&W images out of it. You're much better off with Tri-X.

... and here we have another sample of a very well thought remark!

Congrats!

 

[Nzoomed]

I've answered this over and over. I have been present when lab samples were processed, both single and multilayer.

I even posted some pictures of it being processed.

PE

OK, well I have not been around here long enough to even come across your posts as of yet, but anyway I was not referring to a lab environment at a certified Kodachrome lab, rather if you had tempted the process yourself with or without the correct Kodachrome couplers.

 

[twelvetone12]

black and white slides as a result

I stand to be corrected, but I'm not sure you can develop Kodachrome to a b&w positive slide.