What makes Ektachrome special?

jeddy-3 · Jan 30, 2017

Hello, I have been reading about the Ektachrome remanufacturing that Kodak is doing by the end of the year, and would like the opinion of those of you who have experience with the film. What is it about Ektachrome that makes it stand out as something people miss?

With Kodachrome, the answer is obvious to me. I never used it as I am fairly new to photography, but can instantly recognize a Kodachrome photo. I can't, however, look at a photograph and instantly recognize Ektachrome. Id love to hear the opinions of people well versed with the film. Thanks!

hoffy · Jan 30, 2017

How does the saying go...... "Absence makes the heart grow fonder".....

Chan Tran · Jan 30, 2017

Actually for me it's A slide film by Kodak and that's the significant of it. Kodak currently doesn't have any slide film. Of course I can use Fuji but 2 manufacturers are better than one.
In my opinion a good film is one that you can't recognize easily because the characteristic of a film that you can recognize is its imperfection.

MattKing · Jan 30, 2017

Colour, contrast and saturation

Not in spectacular ways, but rather in dependable ways.
It is closer to Portra than it is to Ektar. And very different from Velvia.

Leigh B · Jan 30, 2017

I stopped using Ektachrome in the mid-late 1950s when Kodak refused to correct the color shift.

- Leigh

LAG · Jan 30, 2017

jeddy-3 said:
... and would like the opinion of those of you who have experience with the film. What is it about Ektachrome that makes it stand out as something people miss?

Excuse me jeddy-3

People miss? I do not think there is any comment for or against that has prevented me from trying a certain film. That is something that everyone must experience and take into account, the rest are personal experiences. In my view, I do not know how I could express in words how magical Ektachrome has meant for me (and after Elite Chrome), maybe you can have an idea if I tell you that both meant much more for me than Kodachrome itself.

These are the last ones I had, and were processed (expired) after beeing discontinued

Ektachrome 64

Ektachrome 64T

jeddy-3 · Jan 30, 2017

LAG Thanks for sharing your love of the film. I'd enjoy to see a couple of your favorite shots. I also wonder which variety of the film will be resurrected. I think I didn't word the question propery. I meant "miss" as in #2 from this sample of an online dictionary-

miss1
mis/
verb

fail to hit, reach, or come into contact with (something aimed at).

2. notice the loss or absence of.

feel regret or sadness at no longer being able to enjoy the presence of.
synonyms: pine for, yearn for, ache for, long for, long to see
"she missed him when he was away"

People miss (#2) the film, obviously- and I will definitely be buying some to try for myself, and to support any company that brings back or produces a new emulsion in this era of digital . I hoped there would be many people here, like you, who loved the film and would feel like sharing why it is/was special to them (examples always good).
Thanks .

jeddy-3 · Jan 30, 2017

MattKing said:
Colour, contrast and saturation
View attachment 171953 View attachment 171954 View attachment 171955 View attachment 171956
Not in spectacular ways, but rather in dependable ways.
It is closer to Portra than it is to Ektar. And very different from Velvia.

Matt thank you so much these are really nice examples and they give me a better understanding of why this film is/was loved. The colors are quite rich but not cartoonish and it looks ... beautiful. I look forward to shooting with it.

Sal Santamaura · Jan 30, 2017

Leigh B said:
I stopped using Ektachrome in the mid-late 1950s when Kodak refused to correct the color shift...

Then it will probably be a good idea if you never try the Ektachrome Kodak's reintroducing, since that new film will bear no resemblance to a 1950s product called "Ektachrome." Just like the Ektachrome E100G, discontinued this decade, bore no resemblance to a 1950s product called "Ektachrome." Just like no reversal film from any manufacturer made in the last, oh, say, 30 years bore any resemblance to a 1950s product called "Ektachrome."

One might as well opine that they stopped using computers when Radio Shack discontinued the TRS-80, a comparison just as relevant to today's PCs.

Craig · Jan 30, 2017

I actually liked the old EPN/EPR because the colours were so neutral. It's a very different look from the more saturated Fuji films. Vivid is certainly not a word I would use to describe it.

AgX · Jan 30, 2017

jeddy-3 said:
With Kodachrome, the answer is obvious to me. I never used it as I am fairly new to photography, but can instantly recognize a Kodachrome photo.

Then you are better than me.

Marcelo Paniagua · Jan 30, 2017

I think rather than miss Ektachrome, its the significancy of a film that was discontinued being back to life again. It means that films market has a grown a bit, and that demand for them is enough for new film to be introduced/reintroduced. More market demand, more supply.

Yeah, Ektachrome was a great film and always liked the umm "cold" colors more thatn the "hot" colors from Kodachrome. At least thats how they looked for me, so yeah, although I havent used slide for a long time, I will get and support Ektachrome.

Regards.

Marcelo

MattKing · Jan 30, 2017

Toward the end, I really appreciated the slightly warmer palette of E100GX.
To my mind, it was the closest slide film to the mid 1970s Agfachrome, which was the only non-Kodak film that I was likely to recommend at that time, due to its distinctive saturation, contrast and colour palette.
EDIT: It occurs to me that the third scan I posted above may be from one of my last rolls of E100GX.

Wayne · Jan 30, 2017

Craig said:
I actually liked the old EPN/EPR because the colours were so neutral. It's a very different look from the more saturated Fuji films. Vivid is certainly not a word I would use to describe it.

Correct.

Nobody except the OP AFAIK said Ektrachrome was "special". Ektachrome was "different" which some people loved. But it wasn't special, it was merely "valuable" for being an alternative that was different.

I started out shooting Ektachrome 4x5 but eventually found Fuji's offerings more to my liking. Had Ilfochrome remained in production however, I might have eventualy found my way back to Ektachrome.

TenSpeed · Jan 30, 2017

hoffy said:
How does the saying go...... "Absence makes the heart grow fonder".....

this

Leigh B · Jan 30, 2017

Sal Santamaura said:
Just like no reversal film from any manufacturer made in the last, oh, say, 30 years bore any resemblance to a 1950s product

I realize your comment twas specifically about Ektachrome, but...
Kodachromes from the 1960s looked just like Kodachromes in their last years of production.

Just to clarify, because of the Ektachrome fiasco I stopped using ALL Kodak products at that time, film, paper, and chemistry. The single exception was their Indicator Stop Bath, which I like.

- Leigh

BAC1967 · Jan 30, 2017

The biggest difference between Kodak's Ektachrome and Fuji Velvia is that Kodak is bringing it back as a reversal movie film, not just slide film. Fuji doesn't offer theirs as a movie film. I love how E100D projects in Super 8 and Regular 8mm so I'm hoping for something similar to that. That's what makes it special to me.

Sal Santamaura · Jan 30, 2017

Leigh B said:
I realize your comment twas specifically about Ektachrome, but...
Kodachromes from the 1960s looked just like Kodachromes in their last years of production...

I completely disagree with that assessment. As someone who used them all, I can say with great conviction that Kodachrome II, introduced in 1961, and Kodachrome X, released the next year, did not look "just like" their successors Kodachrome 25 and 64, jointly brought to market in 1974 and maintaining their characteristics until each was discontinued.

There was vociferous outcry by diehard K-12-process Kodachrome users when 1974 saw the end of their favorite films. I was among those who thought the new versions were far better. Fans of the K-12 films probably liked Velveeta when it was introduced in 1990 because that Fuji emulsion had even more over-the-top contrast and saturation than did Kodachrome II. In my opinion, PKM25 developed by a Kodak lab (while they were still the ultimate in quality and consistency) was the zenith of color film photography. In skilled hands it produced images unrivaled by any other process, even now with the control afforded by digital.

Leigh B · Jan 30, 2017

Sal Santamaura said:
Fans of the K-12 films probably liked Velveeta...

Sal,

Your nonsense affectation totally invalidates your opinions.

- Leigh

Sal Santamaura · Jan 30, 2017

Leigh B said:
...Your nonsense affectation totally invalidates your opinions...

In your opinion. Other readers will form their own.

Leigh B · Jan 30, 2017

Sal,

You and I could disagree on the direction of the sunrise.

I vote East.

Your turn.

Sirius Glass · Jan 30, 2017

The colors are accurate. The skies are the blue we remember unlike the Agfa gray and the Kodachrome mud.

jeddy-3 · Feb 5, 2017

AgX said:
Then you are better than me.

Sorry, I was referring to the early versions of Kodachrome (1st and 2nd versions I think ). To me, the colors of those photos taken in the early types of Kodachrome are very distinctive and easy to recognize.

Wayne said:
Nobody except the OP AFAIK said Ektrachrome was "special".

- I used the term special because on the Kodak Alaris website they used "iconic" and "distinctive" when describing Ektachrome.

Sal Santamaura said:
Fans of the K-12 films probably liked Velveeta when it was introduced in 1990 because that Fuji emulsion had even more over-the-top contrast and saturation than did Kodachrome II.

This made me giggle and can appreciate the reference and also your distdain. I admit, I like those early Kodachrome colors and also Fuji "velveeta".

Thanks everyone for your input. I appreciate the insight.

Wayne · Feb 5, 2017

jeddy-3 said:
- I used the term special because on the Kodak Alaris website they used "iconic" and "distinctive" when describing Ektachrome.

and it is distinctive, as most films are. Its a great tranny film and I hope people buy tons of it and keep it alive for many years to come. We need all we can get.

Gerald C Koch · Feb 5, 2017

You've all heard the expression "It's all in the wrist." Well for color films it's all in the choice of color couplers since they are all now either C-41 or E-6 processed. So there are subtle differences in the colors. Advances in color technology mean improved rendition and permanence. Obviously you are not going to see 50's and 60's colors. Then too E-6 uses a different color developing agent from E-3 or E-4. I doubt anyone would be willing to make the trade-off. Just be thankful that Kodak now has a chrome again.

What makes Ektachrome special?

jeddy-3

hoffy

Chan Tran

MattKing

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Leigh B

LAG

jeddy-3

jeddy-3

Sal Santamaura

Craig

AgX

Marcelo Paniagua

MattKing

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Wayne

TenSpeed

Leigh B

BAC1967

Sal Santamaura

Leigh B

Sal Santamaura

Leigh B

Sirius Glass

jeddy-3

Wayne

Gerald C Koch

What makes Ektachrome special?

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