Kodak Reintroduces Ektachrome.

cmacd123 · Jan 10, 2017

Photo Engineer said:
PS LPP? (Lipoma Preferred Partner)
PE

the first non fading movie print film had edge printing of "EASTMAN xx LPP S'AFETY FILM" and no ones is positive (pun Intended) of exacptly what they was suposed to mean. (xx being the slit number) (S'AFETY implying Rochester production)

iandvaag · Jan 10, 2017

unityofsaints said:
Fuji roadmap months ago which pointed towards a Velvia 100 discontinuation sometime mid-2017

I'd be very sad if/when they do discontinue V100. After having shot quite a lot of Velivia 50 and 100, I decided to use 100 for my own work. It has the same saturation, better reciprocity, finer grain, better archival stability and a full stop more speed! It is also currently cheaper at B&H, and has been for the past couple years. The barely noticeable difference in "warming" yellows is indeed nice for most subjects, but it does not outweigh all the benefits of Velvia 100 for my uses.

flavio81 · Jan 10, 2017

Diapositivo said:
The context in 2012 when Kodak was axing films was completely different. Kodak was scaled for massive productions, and could not downscale or would not dedicate itself to small productions. It was a huge ill elephant, not to say dinosaur. They had to demolish entire buildings in order to save the taxes on factory surface! The speed of film demise took Kodak by surprise and found it unprepared. They had to prune with the motorsaw.

Now it's a different Kodak. Much, much smaller. Fuji raised prices, Agfa ceased slide film production.
Kodak is re-launching the Super8 format and is the heir of a glorious tradition and the owner of a very valuable trademark in film.
Everything invites Kodak to re-enter the slide film arena now. The choice makes sense.

Colour film production can be lucrative also in relatively small amount, provided that your "industrial scale" is the right size for the production you undertake.

Great post, Diapositivo, as always.

If Eastman Kodak is indeed doing the industrial downscale of their films, and Kodak Alaris gets up to the task of marketing effectively the film, then the future can be very positive (pun intended) for us. They could even do the Lomography trick of releasing quirky/strange films on very limited production, if they want.

If Fujifilm do not intend on scaling-down then what will happen is that they'll eventually kill all their reversal films.

Ferrania, fortunately, has started around the concept of small scale production. My best wishes for them!

If we're really lucky then we'll have a 2018 or 2019 with Eastman Kodak Ektachrome film (or films) and a Ferraniachrome film priced lower and competitively. Who knows, Ferraniachrome might, might even outsell Ektachrome -- at least Ferrania has demonstrated to know how to build a good fanbase on the internet!

I dream of a 2019 where i could buy and shoot Ektachrome 100, Ferraniachrome 100, and either Ferraniachrome 640T or Ferraniachrome 1000D. In 120 format please.

ChrisPlatt · Jan 10, 2017

Don't hold your breath for Kodak to resurrect K-14 film, chemistry and processing.
If their new E-6 film looks like Kodachrome IMO it would not be merely a cynical marketing ploy to call it Kodachrome.

Chris

Roger Cole · Jan 10, 2017

Helinophoto said:
The spectral sensitivity-curve between Plus-x and the TMax-films is quite different.
Different grain-structure as well.

Nothing to do with nostalgia, but I like Plus-x, even though it is nothing wrong with the TMax-films.

Me too. I like FP4 and Acros but nothing quite looks like Plus-X.

480sparky · Jan 11, 2017

Terry Breedlove · Jan 11, 2017

I sure wish I had the chance to shoot some old original Kodachrome in my Hasselblad. Never going to happen but that would be so sweet.

480sparky · Jan 11, 2017

Terry Breedlove said:
I sure wish I had the chance to shoot some old original Kodachrome in my Hasselblad. Never going to happen but that would be so sweet.

Got a 35mm back for it? Here's my stash:

flavio81 · Jan 11, 2017

480sparky said:

This is a masterpiece.
Thousands of APUG posts resumed on a single, short video!!

PS: I see that Hitler had fine taste in cameras, and thus used a Canon FTb. This means that Fegelein uses Nikon!! FEGELEIN!! FEGELEIN!! FEGELEIN!! FEGELEIN!!

* For the uninitiated in who "Fegelein" is, please see:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fegelein

Soeren · Jan 11, 2017

Don't cry Gerda. Its because he allways shoots wide open

flavio81 · Jan 11, 2017

I've been thinking about Kodak's reintroduction of Ektachrome more deeply. My serious thoughts on this matter, once and for all:

I wonder what is Kodak management planning with this move.

I had a Carousel projector, but sold it years ago. But considering seriously, Kodak failed completely, yet they have the nerve to try to reintroduce Ektachrome?

Of course, Kodak must believe there is a market for slide film, but i wonder if this will be commercialy viable even if they offer home E-6 developing chemicals. There is no news about E-6 processing. Every photo store used to carry these chemicals.

So what does Kodak think we're supposed to do with that waste of acetate film base? Mail it off to a big lab overseas? That would take 3 months. Three months, for just 36 measly exposures?

Meanwhile my DSLR shows the image on the monitor in seconds! Along with a histogram and a perfect record of the shutter speed, ISO and f/stop settings used. And who in the world is going to manufacture PX625 mercury batteries, like God intended them to be? Kim Jong-Un in North Korea?!

Consider, even Nikon has abandoned film. They offer only two film cameras and one is made by Fisher-Price.

Ektachrome had certain blue cast problems. Even when using a color compensation filter. And i would prefer not to recall the uncomfortable grain my 50x70cm prints displayed when done using an internegative. And printing to dye destruction positive-to-positive photographic paper... often gave unacceptable results! I just want to vomit!

If Kodak had any brains, they'd bring back Kodachrome instead. Nice, bright colors and correct reproduction of foliage on the summer season. It gave you the subjective impression that the world had always favorable weather conditions.

Roger Cole · Jan 11, 2017

Old long-ago Ektachrome had a blue cast, long since fixed. E100G and E100W were some of the finest E6 films ever made. If you don't like it, fine, but lots of us will buy it and use it.

Internegatives aren't going to be the method of the future for those who want prints either. It may not be the APUG gospel but we all know prints will be made from it by scanning.

zanxion72 · Jan 11, 2017

Now day's that one does not have many options, the availability of any new films is always welcome. Indeed Ektachrome had some colourcast, but it packed a hell of resolution.

fstop · Jan 11, 2017

Roger Cole said:
Old long-ago Ektachrome had a blue cast, long since fixed. E100G and E100W were some of the finest E6 films ever made. If you don't like it, fine, but lots of us will buy it and use it.

Internegatives aren't going to be the method of the future for those who want prints either. It may not be the APUG gospel but we all know prints will be made from it by scanning.

The blue cast turned me off to Eektachrome permanently. Yes scanning is how it will be done about 98% of the time.If you are going to scan why not cut out the middle man...
Kodak is on precarious ground, they stand to disappoint a lot of photographers and lose more users if they don't pull this off. Even announcing introduction of new 35mm slide film well before its availability could backfire.This is what happened with the Edsel. It was media hyped for so long before its arrival,expectations were so high, that its appearance was a let down.Could Eektachrome be the Edsel of film?

Europan · Jan 11, 2017

Kodak better had laid a sound base for home film processing of transparencies which is a black and white film on a colourless base. Eastman-Kodak discontinued such stocks in 1957. 60 years ago!

Grey-base Plus-X reversal, Tri-X reversal, 4-X reversal, they were/are no joy to use. Now that Kodachrome and Ektachrome are gone they don’t know what to do, this is a trial-and-error game. The new Super 8 camera doesn’t have single-frame exposure, no tap for a cable release, and no footage indication when it’s off electrical power. Since Ektachrome goes with the relatively simple E-6 process it was only logical for blind Rochester to make that step.

They could, in fact they can, make a good black and white reversal film (with AHU) and sell it cheap. Films are too expensive. If you want to increase sales of a product competing with many other products, uniqueness alone won’t do. Analog renaissance based on the crappiest camera ever? No chance. They’d better aim at the thousands of often quite old but reliable cameras around, flood the market with their yellow boxes containing what’s so much needed. Film makes for ten percent of Kodak’s business. It could be much more through a film such as reversible Super-XX. In every format. 10"×8", 7"×5", 5"×4", 70mm, 220, 120, 35mm bulk, 135, 126, 16mm bulk, 110, Double-Eight, Double Super 8, Super-8. And talk about projection!

Nzoomed · Jan 11, 2017

fstop said:
The blue cast turned me off to Eektachrome permanently.

Modern Ektachrome does not have any blue cast that I can see, I thought this was fixed back in the 70's

twelvetone12 · Jan 11, 2017

@flavio81, tell me the truth: you are the one that made the video! I'm still laughing!

Rhodes · Jan 11, 2017

So, I can not sell ekachrome at this prices anymore???
http://www.luzdodeserto.pt/epages/3...s/3151-130830/Products/"KODAK EKTACHROME 64"

LAG · Jan 11, 2017

Rhodes said:
So, I can not sell ekachrome at this prices anymore???
http://www.luzdodeserto.pt/epages/3151-130830.sf/pt_PT/?ObjectPath=/Shops/3151-130830/Products/"KODAK EKTACHROME 64"

Wow! at that price I wouldn't buy it even without the New Ektachrome to come. In Spain I bought 10 rolls (5x 64, 5x 64T) for less money than that single price!

Good luck anyway!

Terry Breedlove · Jan 11, 2017

flavio81 said:
I've been thinking about Kodak's reintroduction of Ektachrome more deeply. My serious thoughts on this matter, once and for all:

I wonder what is Kodak management planning with this move.

I had a Carousel projector, but sold it years ago. But considering seriously, Kodak failed completely, yet they have the nerve to try to reintroduce Ektachrome?

Of course, Kodak must believe there is a market for slide film, but i wonder if this will be commercialy viable even if they offer home E-6 developing chemicals. There is no news about E-6 processing. Every photo store used to carry these chemicals.

So what does Kodak think we're supposed to do with that waste of acetate film base? Mail it off to a big lab overseas? That would take 3 months. Three months, for just 36 measly exposures?

I use thedarkroom.com add $3 to the development price and get my e6 film back in a week. What is the problem ?

Rhodes · Jan 11, 2017

LAG said:
Wow! at that price I wouldn't buy it even without the New Ektachrome to come. In Spain I bought 10 rolls (5x 64, 5x 64T) for less money than that single price!

Good luck anyway!

I know right?
The shop is selling also EKTACHROME P800/1600 for 50€ (say what?) I just remembered this films prices when reading this thread.

LAG · Jan 11, 2017

Rhodes said:
I know right?
The shop is selling also EKTACHROME P800/1600 for 50€ (say what?) I just remembered this films prices when reading this thread.

OK
Say ... expensive?
I just wrote my point of view
Best

flavio81 · Jan 11, 2017

Dear forumers, please watch the "hitler..." vídeo before considering my last post. It has to be taken in context.

Terry Breedlove said:
I use thedarkroom.com add $3 to the development price and get my e6 film back in a week. What is the problem ?

Rhodes · Jan 11, 2017

LAG said:
OK
Say ... expensive?
I just wrote my point of view
Best

Indeed! Still can not understand why such price of the films. The shop is selling them as vintage films!

StoneNYC · Jan 11, 2017

Oh yea, Velvia100 is certainly cheaper than even my Velvia50 group buy efforts but at least it's cheaper than eBay or that guy from Japan that sells it.

But I like the lower reciprocity, or higher? I like long exposures and color shift, that's why I prefer Velvia50, I don't want accurate for my color, I want life to be a dream

Also the color shifts for Velvia100 are just different than Velvia50 and it's more "to each their own".

I usually get official word about discontinuations as soon as it happens so I'll let you guys know if I hear anything official.

iandvaag said:
I'd be very sad if/when they do discontinue V100. After having shot quite a lot of Velivia 50 and 100, I decided to use 100 for my own work. It has the same saturation, better reciprocity, finer grain, better archival stability and a full stop more speed! It is also currently cheaper at B&H, and has been for the past couple years. The barely noticeable difference in "warming" yellows is indeed nice for most subjects, but it does not outweigh all the benefits of Velvia 100 for my uses.

Kodak Reintroduces Ektachrome.

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