Kodak Reintroduces Ektachrome.

mshchem · Jun 17, 2019

Accelerated testing, testing to failure, is great. It's usually enough to predict most failures. I don't have a clue on what goes into manufacturing film, but I've been involved in chasing down quality problems in manufacturing. Real world will always surprise. It's a miracle Kodak has survived the downsizing of their film business. Most of their suppliers were in the same position, shrink the volume of production by 98%.

When you're a Dow 30 stock, you've got everybody and their brother knocking on your door begging for a chance. Totally different world now. Engineering and Procurement have to qualify new suppliers, glad I'm done with that. I remember when Hurricanes would shut down supplies, we would be running day to day, when UL certifies your product, OY!

The other thing all the new regulations regarding chemicals, ask ADOX about REACH and RoHS, Prop 65 etc. It might have been as simple as the ink on the backing paper had to meet a weird regulation.
If you sell a product that has a few milligrams of an epoxy paint on a component, in the state of California, you are required to place clear labels saying this product contains a substance that has been proven by the state of California to cause cancer.

Agulliver · Jun 18, 2019

The state of California is rather unique in regards what it, and it alone, believes causes cancer.....but yes, often a product and it's manufacturing process must pass various safety requirements worldwide.

MattKing · Jun 18, 2019

Nzoomed said:
Well since they have rectified the issue with the paper on their other films, I would assume it should be fine with Ektachrome too?

You are still missing the point.
The reference wasn't to backing paper. It was a reference to bringing product or product changes to market before potential problems reveal themselves. The backing paper issues were a particularly damaging example of that.

MultiFormat Shooter · Aug 12, 2019

Has anybody heard anything regarding Ektachrome in 2 1/4" roll or sheet sizes? Kodak had been internet-rumored to be doing test coating of 2 1/4" roll film in late July, 2019, but I haven't seen/heard anything recently.

braxus · Aug 12, 2019

I haven't heard anything as of yet. I sold off all my E100G in 120 and 4x5, so I can buy fresh stock when it comes out. I hope I didn't do that for nothing.

mshchem · Aug 12, 2019

I'm sure we will see more Ektachrome, I suspect there's no big rush. The biggest competition are thousands of freezers full of film.

Super 8 Ektachrome is 48 bucks a cartridge of 50 feet. That's mind boggling to me, add in processing and scanning, wow.

dutchsteammachine · Aug 20, 2019

Received a message from kodak about Ektachrome in 120:

dutchsteammachine Q: Any news on the medium format pilot coat for Ektachrome and/or TMZ 3200 that was suppose to happen in July?
Kodak A: Hi [RETRACTED]. Neither one of these was announced for July. What we did say is that the wide coating tests for E100/120 were taking place at the end of July. This did happen and we're waiting for the results now.

Europan · Aug 21, 2019

A 25-ft. roll of Kodak Pan reversal film in Double-Eight cost $2.25 in the summer of 1932, returned as processed 8mm film comprising 4,000 frames. That would be $42.14 as of today. A 100-ft. roll of 16mm Kodak Pan reversal cost $6 then, today $112.37, also 4,000 frames. A 100-ft. roll of Kodacolor reversal cost $9 in 1932, today’s $168.55. The first rolls of Kodachrome as Double-Eight cost $3.75 in 1936 ($69.22), a 100-ft. roll of 16mm Kodachrome $9 processing and return included ($166.13). https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

jrhilton · Aug 21, 2019

Europan said:
A 25-ft. roll of Kodak Pan reversal film in Double-Eight cost $2.25 in the summer of 1932, returned as processed 8mm film comprising 4,000 frames. That would be $42.14 as of today. A 100-ft. roll of 16mm Kodak Pan reversal cost $6 then, today $112.37, also 4,000 frames. A 100-ft. roll of Kodacolor reversal cost $9 in 1932, today’s $168.55. The first rolls of Kodachrome as Double-Eight cost $3.75 in 1936 ($69.22), a 100-ft. roll of 16mm Kodachrome $9 processing and return included ($166.13). https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

The maths behind the numbers are valid but you can’t infer much else from this type of comparison. This is because you are comparing a product from a period where there were no realistic alternatives, and it could (or maybe needed to) be priced accordingly, to a time today where there are plenty, many of which do a lot more.

In cases like this the real comparison is to look at the current price vs current alternatives. So for s8 or 16mm you should compare the cost to digital alternatives today and some how factor in the need for additional equiptment to capture sound or discount the value of sound in digital or ignore added feature for simplicity.

mshche a few posts above bulks at the cost of a s8 cartridge today and I would agree when you compare to alternatives. The reality is many people are waking around with smartphones which take better videos than your average s8 camera did, and you can get HD action cams for very little on a well known auction website. The one I bought a while ago was less than a s8 Ekt cartridge and definitely has a better image than my old canon 1014 ever managed, it just doesn’t have a zoom lens. I do miss shooting s8 though!

braxus · Aug 21, 2019

I can't wait till E100 is produced in 120 and 4x5. Fuji's options have jumped up by 20 percent in the last while, so its getting ridiculous what Fuji is charging for their films. $100 US dollars for 20 sheets of 4x5. Wow.

Europan · Aug 21, 2019

What I wanted to allude to is a market price installed by Kodak. Alright, it was the Eastman-Kodak Company, but State street is State street. Or is it State Street? In the thirties they managed to cascade-coat for a no-dyes black-and-white film called Kodachrome, so the comparison with the simple panchromatic reversal film can’t be too much misaligned. Ektachrome is also multi-layer reversible stock although dyes laden and without a jet-black backing. The main difference is that Kodachrome was never freed from proprietary processing.

What leaves me with a somewhat bitter taste is that we have no more 10-to-25 ISO black-white film on colourless TAC. Fomapan R is a gravel pit where one would wish to see fine sand.

To compare film to video is not correct.

warden · Aug 21, 2019

Europan said:
A 25-ft. roll of Kodak Pan reversal film in Double-Eight cost $2.25 in the summer of 1932, returned as processed 8mm film comprising 4,000 frames. That would be $42.14 as of today. A 100-ft. roll of 16mm Kodak Pan reversal cost $6 then, today $112.37, also 4,000 frames. A 100-ft. roll of Kodacolor reversal cost $9 in 1932, today’s $168.55. The first rolls of Kodachrome as Double-Eight cost $3.75 in 1936 ($69.22), a 100-ft. roll of 16mm Kodachrome $9 processing and return included ($166.13). https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

You're comparing prices today to prices during the great depression and WPA. How is the market similar/different between today and the time of soup kitchens? Comparing prices from these two eras is problematic, unless your point is simply that film and processing were cheaper during the depression.

Sirius Glass · Aug 21, 2019

Europan said:
A 25-ft. roll of Kodak Pan reversal film in Double-Eight cost $2.25 in the summer of 1932, returned as processed 8mm film comprising 4,000 frames. That would be $42.14 as of today. A 100-ft. roll of 16mm Kodak Pan reversal cost $6 then, today $112.37, also 4,000 frames. A 100-ft. roll of Kodacolor reversal cost $9 in 1932, today’s $168.55. The first rolls of Kodachrome as Double-Eight cost $3.75 in 1936 ($69.22), a 100-ft. roll of 16mm Kodachrome $9 processing and return included ($166.13). https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

Nice but all of that really means nothing. When the Hasselblad 30mm Fisheye lens came out it costs $8,000US which was more than most household incomes at that time. I recently picked one up for around $850US. So there is no use in making such comparisons, unless you have a time machine in your back pocket.

Photo Engineer · Aug 21, 2019

I have mine in a police box!

Nzoomed · Aug 21, 2019

mshchem said:
I'm sure we will see more Ektachrome, I suspect there's no big rush. The biggest competition are thousands of freezers full of film.

Super 8 Ektachrome is 48 bucks a cartridge of 50 feet. That's mind boggling to me, add in processing and scanning, wow.

Well, im sure im not the only one who is slowly starting to shoot the majority of my stockpile in my freezer!
Im sure Kodak was well aware of this fact too. Its probably bad enough with the number of fridges out there full of kodachrome waiting to be shot when a reliable process is achieved.

MultiFormat Shooter · Aug 22, 2019

dutchsteammachine said:
Received a message from kodak about Ektachrome in 120

Thanks for the update. Hopefully, the "results" they're waiting for, are what is anticipated.

John Galt · Aug 22, 2019

Any info on when 120 format will be available? I have some 220 in the freezer and a 220 magazine for my Hasselblad . . . needs light seals.

braxus · Sep 3, 2019

What is the status of 16mm currently? I heard it was available for sale, but not from dealers. What is going on with 16 at this time? Now that we're in September, Im surprised Kodak hasn't announced anything on the 120 yet.

BAC1967 · Sep 3, 2019

It was introduced in May, I usually buy my Super 8 directly from Kodak.

https://www.kodak.com/uploadedFiles...roduct_Change_Notice/PCN052219-Ektachrome.pdf

https://www.kodak.com/ca/en/motion/products/product_information/index.htm

Mackinaw · Sep 3, 2019

braxus said:
....... Now that we're in September, Im surprised Kodak hasn't announced anything on the 120 yet.

I read this elsewhere. Kodak did do a trial coating of 120 Ektachrome in July and is now evaluating the results.

Jim B.

MultiFormat Shooter · Sep 4, 2019

braxus said:
What is the status of 16mm currently? I heard it was available for sale, but not from dealers. What is going on with 16 at this time?

Spectra Film and Video has 16mm Ektachrome.

AgX · Sep 4, 2019

braxus said:
What is the status of 16mm currently? I heard it was available for sale, but not from dealers.

On the shelf of one dealer in Germany, so it was shipped to dealers.

cmacd123 · Sep 4, 2019

Kodak normally sells Movie film direct in North America and though agents in other places - contact the designated source in your area: https://www.kodak.com/CA/en/motion/about/worldwide_sales_offices/index.htm in the US and Canada one can order direct by phone at Phone: 1-800-621-FILM (3456)

Kodak Reintroduces Ektachrome.

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