Kodachrome

Kodak has announced that THEY will no longer process K-14 S8 and 16mm anymore. However, Dwayne's photo lab STILL does and WILL continue to do so. See their site:

http://www.k-14movies.com/

Given that there are three K-14 labs in the world (the other two are in Switzerland and Japan), there is still a way to get kodachrome developped, as those labs are businesses independent of Eastman Kodak.

 

In addition to the three K-14 labs mhv mentions, for a while Kodak also produced a "K-Lab processor," which was a small K-14 processing unit. (I believe it was minilab sized, but I'm not positive of that.) I don't know how many of these are still in operation, but if any are still being used, that increases options for K-14 processing. I don't know offhand what film formats they take.

 

I was unaware that the lab in Switzerland is independent of Eastman Kodak. I am in Canada, and Super8 Kodachrome was sold here "processing included". A few years ago the film went via Kodak in Toronto to the US to be processed (handled by Qualex - a subsidiary of Kodak - as I recall). More recently my film has been returning from Switzerland. I believe it is the lab in Lausanne that is being shut down in September - therefore requiring that all prepaid Kodachrome Super8 and 16mm be in Kodak's hands by August 1, 2006. I was getting a little restless this spring, because Kodak originally announced the discontinuation of Super8 Kodachrome last May, and there were various reports of the final date for processing. I had bought up some remaining stock to shoot an event late June, 2006 and am relieved that I will still be able to get it processed for "free". Thank goodness that Dwayne's will be processing Kodachrome for some time to come, but since I have paid for the processing already, I don't want to have to pay again, plus the expense of return shipping. As I see it, Kodachrome 16mm is still being produced and can be processed by Dwayne's. This is good. For customers in the US it is probably a different issue, since Kodak stopped selling processing included Kodachrome a long time ago, due to a competition ruling.

I have also noticed that Kodacrhome 35mm film has been sold in Canada - when one can find it - without processing included for the last few years. I think Kodak just wants to get out of the processing business. It makes me wonder how long Kodak will honour the prepaid 35mm Kodachrome processing - now slightly out of date, but still very usable. Perhaps I'll give them a call.

There is an article in Small Format Magazine about the Swiss Kodachrome facility. I have a copy, but I am not sure if there will ever be a second issue. I got a slip of paper promoting it with a processed roll of Super8 Kodachrome from Lausanne a few months ago.

Here is the URL
http://www.atollmedien.de/smallformat/

I have no connection with this publication - other than buying one copy.

Please advise if any of this is incorrect.

Cheers,
Clarence

 

Rocky Mountain Film Lab in Aurora, CO is still listing that they do most older films(over 30 years) and newer films (under 30 years) including K-14 movie & Slide films

http://www.rockymountainfilm.com/index.html

Dave

 

Hi David,

I never know if Canada is included in the Americas, but my Super8 Kodachrome is definitely being processed in Switzerland (in the last year or so). Or at least the return portion of the mailer comes by Priority Post, Swiss Post, cancellation stamp PP Lausanne, Kodak Photo Service SA, CH-1020 Renens. Before it used to be returned from a US address. It wasn't Dwayne's address, but may have been a Qualex collection point or the tag end of the US Kodak labs. At any rate, it is pretty academic now, and I believe you are right that Dwayne's is now or soon will be the only place left.

As for Rock Mountain Film (Dave's post) - maybe it would be simpler if we were all called Dave - I compared the prices on their site to Dwayne's

Rocky Mountain:
Super8 K14 (50ft roll) $23.50 plus $4.00 shipping(per order/not roll)
16mm $0.49 per foot plus $4.00 shipping(per order/not roll)
K14 slide $23.50 per roll (no 120) plus $4.00 shipping(per order/not roll)

Dwayne's:
Super8 K14 (50ft roll) $9.00 plus shipping by mail, UPS ground, FedEx extra
16mm $25.00 per 100 foot roll
K14 slide $6.00/24 exp. $8.50/36 exp. plus $5.00 shipping for the first roll and $0.25 per additional.

Maybe I am missing something here (not unusual), but Dwayne's seems to be by far the better deal. However, if you have other than K14 Rocky Mountain Film or Film Rescue International are about it. Please advise me if there are others.

Rocky Mountain still has their K-Lab processor for sale:

http://www.rockymountainfilm.com/equipment/klab.htm

Here's the manual (it is 35mm)

http://www.kodak.com/global/plugins/acrobat/en/service/Zmanuals/z50_02.pdf

Cheers,
Clarence

 

Maybe a while yet. Home movies went over to tape twenty years before still photography went digital.

A salesman at B&H told me the 35mm Kodachrome still sells well. It doesn't generate much buzz, but evidently must have a loyal following. Plus it's an icon of American culture. I'd be surprised to see Kodak give up the name recognition of Kodachrome, until it gets too expensive to support.

 

Oups, my mistake. I double-checked on Kodak's site and the Swiss lab is a Kodak one. Dwayne is an independent, and the Japanese one is called Horiuchi Color Lab, Co, which doesn't sound like EK.

 

The weirdest thing with Canada is that when I send 35mm K64 for development, they have to ship it to Switzerland instead of sending it to Dwayne's. Apparently it's on their shipping route for other stuff, but if Swiss Kodak is shutting down, it will have to be Dwayne for me.

 

I've been having one last fling with Kodachrome (64, 35mm) and it's been regularly available from both B&H and Adorama. I've been sending it to Dwayne's and they have been giving excellent and quick turn-around service. I pulled up the page for Rocky Mountain, but they charge an arm and a leg and take forever and a day.

 

Hi Michel,

I have not sent out any 35mm K64 for some time, but I have both "prepaid" (with mailers) and "unpaid processing" rolls to send. It is interesting that the 35mm goes to Switzerland as well. I had better get at it, since the prepaid ones may not be valid after August 1 - although I have not heard that specifically from Kodak. It costs me $1.85 plus GST to mail Super8 cartridges in the prepaid mailers. Shoppers Drug Mart had a drop off program which was free for "processing included" film - although one had to get the clerk at the in-store mini-lab to look it up in their price binder. I used this service while visiting Winnipeg. Since I live in the NT (TNO), this option is not available.

I see that Henrys has KODAK KR 135-36PNI (BOXED/SINGLE)64 ISO in stock $11.99. I assume the PNI means processing not included. Nothing on the Vistek site. Don's photo lists KODACHROME 64 (36 Exp.) $8.63 processing not included, shipping 3-7 days, not available in store. Shipping is about the same for either store.

Do you know of other Canadian sources for Kodachrome 35mm? I am getting keen to shoot some more.

But, getting back to nworth's question, all I can say is shoot it while you can. I was completely blind-sided by the discontinuation of Super8 Kodachrome.

On the plus side, quite a bit of 16mm Kodachrome is still being used, it is just the prepaid processing that has been discontinued, and if B&H is still selling a lot of 35mm, there is hope. Now, if only someone had K25.

Cheers,
Clarence

 

Hi Clarence,

I haven't found any store in Montreal that sold Kodachrome with processing included. Most places store K64, but some may also have K200. Problem is that the stuff sells for a good 12$ a piece plus another 16$ for processing. 30$ with the taxes for a roll of film is quite a setback. I was lucky to find someone on APUG who was getting rid of a stash of K64 for 1$ a roll ! It sits in my freezer now, and I compared it with fresh kodachrome from the store and there isn't much of a difference between the two. K64 + processing costs me therefore more or less the same price as buying E6 and paying for processing.

 

Hi Michel,

Thanks for the info. I think you will find that the Kodachrome is quite stable if frozen.

Cheers,
Clarence

 

Cutoff Date

I seem to remember reading some time ago that the production of the chemistry for K14 was mandated to be discontinued in 2008 (?) due to toxicity issues. Does anyone else remember seeing something like this. IIRC this was a USA/Kodak decision.

 

Any one remeber paul simon's "kodachrome" and the mention of a nikon camera?

 

Yup. I've got an Ogg Vorbis file of it on my computer, created from a CD. (Ogg Vorbis is a file format like MP3.) The first few chords of it go through my head whenever I see this thread.

 

I'd contact Dwayne's directly to be sure - I've not seen anything like this to date.

- Randy