K'ODAK?

[Jeremy]

Just developed my first 2 rolls of Tri-X in 35mm which came from a 100ft bulk roll. In the rebate the film says:

K'ODAK 400TX

I have never seen an apostrophe in the name before, has anyone else?

 

[David]

I k'an't say that I have.

 

[BarrieB]

Could it be to identify films coated at their NEW coating factory; The new Tri-x is slightly different. There was a big article about this in Photo Techniques Mag a while ago.

 

[Donald Qualls]

The 400TX portion of the edge print already identifies a new plant coating -- the film designation was changed from TX to 400TX when coating was moved to the new facility. The same is true of other Kodak films; they have unique designators that change each time a significant change is made to the film (TMY vs. 400TMY, etc.), sometimes including an actual stock number, bar codes for 35 mm color stock, etc.

I've seen the apostrophe, also, and don't know that it signifies anything other than that there's a mark there in the mask or laser guide program used to apply the edge marking on that particular film.

 

[mfobrien]

Maybe it was made in Ireland...

 

[roteague]

Maybe it was made in Ireland...

Or, Hawai'i

 

[Jeremy]

Maybe it's because of that new developer I used: Rodinal + pyrocat solution B.

 

[eric]

Collectable! Collectable! Save it and then sell it on ebay in a few years.

 

[Ole]

I think ALL of mine have been K'ODAK?

It made me wonder the first 30 times or so, but then I got used to it. You're telling me it's not supposed to be like that ????

 

[Stock Dektol]

The bulk "Tri-X" that my school gets has the "K'odak". People I have spoken to seem to think it just happens in bulk that is "imported" I'm not sure where the imports come from. I have also noticed that this film has far bigger grain than store- bought tri-x.

 

[Kirk Keyes]

Chinese ripoff?
Kind of like "Panasoanic"?

 

[Stock Dektol]

I don't think so. I have heard that it may be from Mexico. My school seems to care more about price that quality. Granted, I don't buy "school" film.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Or, Hawai'i

... Or maybe China...!?
I've seen lots of misspelt stuff coming from China, not necessarily film... batteries, video cords etc., apparently "good, passable" fakes (!). Are you sure it's KODAK (without the apostrophe?) Seems strange a long-standing trademark and tradename could be apostrophesised (ugh—, I think that's the word...).

 

[nworth]

Maybe it's because of that new developer I used: Rodinal + pyrocat solution B.

I used the same developer and noticed the same thing. Must be.

 

[Kino]

I have a chart around here somewhere that identifies the plant according to the position of the apostrophe.

Here, not exactly the same, but close.

This is used in identifying motion picture elements; don't know if it is consistent across all product lines.

 

[erikg]

I always wondered about that dot in "safety". Thanks Kino.

 

[bdilgard]

I have imported bulk Tri-x, I believe it was from B&H. The full code on it is K'ODAK 400TX 0801-011 followed by a filled square.

 

[Terrence Brennan]

I have a chart around here somewhere that identifies the plant according to the position of the apostrophe.

Here, not exactly the same, but close.

This is used in identifying motion picture elements; don't know if it is consistent across all product lines.

When I was working for a photofinisher, about 1981, I remember being told that "K'ODAK" was Rochester-made emulsion, and that "KO'DAK" was a Kodak Canada (Toronto) produced emulsion, for 35mm colour negative films. The information on the chart provided by Kino would seem to confirm that Kodak used the same style of coding for 35mm colour negative films for still use, as they did for motion picture films.

 

[Kino]

I have imported bulk Tri-x, I believe it was from B&H. The full code on it is K'ODAK 400TX 0801-011 followed by a filled square.

Well it looks like it was made in Rochester, on a year that ended on "7" as the symbols tended to rotate every 20 years up to 1981, then they went off on some tangent...

I would guess it was manufactured in 1977, the 0801 should be the master roll number and the 011 should be the slit number.

Of course, the still division could have used entirely different marks...

 

[erikg]

1977? Do you think so? Surely you must mean 2007 if this is film that was purchased recently from B&H.

 

[bdilgard]

I have imported bulk Tri-x, I believe it was from B&H. The full code on it is K'ODAK 400TX 0801-011 followed by a filled square.

For some odd reason, I still have the box - says Made in USA and imported for Kodak Brasiliera Co. e Ind Ltda, process before 03/08. Maybe a re-import, it wasn't the full price Tri-x.

 

[Kino]

I think only Kodak could answer that!

No telling how these edge codes are used across the product lines.

 

[Kino]

1977? Do you think so? Surely you must mean 2007 if this is film that was purchased recently from B&H.

Maybe they re-set the codes some short time ago.

1977 DOES seem a bit long in the tooth, eh?

 

[Anscojohn]

I was told by the quality control guy at a company photo lab that the density of the those markings was also exposed to a certain threshold so that by consulting a chart it was possible to check the processing. I do not know if that be true.

 

[cmacd123]

AS other have pointed out, when Kodak had a bunch of plants they used a "'" in the word SAFETY to indicate the plant. (S'AFETY --> USA / SA'FETY --> Canada/ SAF'ETY --> UK ) when the word safety got phased out as redundant they put the ' in the word KODAK (I think even in the word EASTMAN)

BY now they seem to only make film in the US, so they may be redefining the code for something else.