Will we ever see another batch of kodachrome?

[nickstreme]

I mean, as much as I want it, im having trouble believing it.
In the already tough economic situation kodaks in, can they
really afford to be gambling with niche products? Who knows
if the K14 line in Rochester is even there still, or if its been
maintained and kept running? It really does seem like kodak
has been trying to kill kodachrome, with the lack of advertising
of any kind, and stopping the production of BIB chemicals. I hate
to be a pessimist, but maybe our time is running out, faster then
we speculated. But damn, we had a hell of a run.

 

[jim appleyard]

If enough people tell Kodak that they want it to continue, then it will; backed up by enough people buying it. I recently grabbed 15 rolls from Freestyle.

 

[BradS]

It is true. Kodak is a corporation - and as a corporation, it is all about the money - revenues, profits...stuff like that. There is really nothing more to it. Products will continue or cease based upon economics and economics alone. If they sell (ie we buy) enough of a product so that it makes economic sense for Kodak to continue making it, they will....if not, they won't. Simple.

 

[Ektagraphic]

I as well as many other people wonder about this too. I am not sure...Freestyle Photo seems to sell quite a bit of it and has to re stock often...I think if we are using enough of it, they will keep it. I was talking to a man at Kodak that said Kodachorme sales were increasing. That is great news. We have no way of knowing how much is left on the curent master roll.

 

[PKM-25]

OK, I am only going to say this once on this site, but I have information from a source that I can not disclose that the rallying, the push for use on sites like this one and several others *and* the AP article last year have all made a difference in how much Kodachrome has been bought and used over the past 8-12 months.

Kodak sees this and has been making adjustments that I can not go into that will ensure that the film is made, distributed and sold for at least another year. Given how all these expiration date / chemistry supply chain logistics actually work, it is possible at this point that you might still be able to get your film developed at Dwayne's in early 2012 if you *keep* using the film.

So the best we can do is use it and stop worrying about if it is going to be here tomorrow.

The goal of keeping the film around a bit longer means nothing if you have not made the best of the journey leading up to that point. You HAVE to use the film, period!

Shoot the film, show your support by buying it and using it. Show your talent by finding ways to make the best images of your life on it. Use it as the excuse to move up a notch or two in your photography.

The very worst thing you can do is to squander precious time by speculating instead of throwing your self into the world to make great images right and and right now.

 

[tjaded]

I'm doing my best...in addition to shooting it myself, I am in the process of setting up a Kodachrome Shoot-off. Basically, I'm getting all of the people I know to shoot a few rolls (or more) and we are going to have a get together where we project everyone's best 5 or 10 shots. If I can find a good "judge" I am going to make some sort of prize, too. The entire point of the shoot-off is to use Kodachrome while you can, and ENJOY it!

 

[PKM-25]

I just got this in an email:

"I just received my pre-Passover order from B&H consisting of 25 rolls of KR64. It's emulsion
#1562, expiring 07/2010. It appears the "formerly great? yellow father" made a new coating!
Goodee, another 15,000 plus rolls or that's what I've been told is in a coating, give or take a few
thousand."

Don't know if it is a new coating, but it is a nice expiration date..

 

[rduncan]

I myself know that Samy's in Los Angeles still stocks Kodachrome. Every two weeks I go down and buy a few rolls. One day I had gone up to the film counter and the woman told me they were out of stock but she had checked anyways and sure enough they had just gotten more in. Apparently they sell out of it pretty quickly but from what I gleaned I don't know that they keep a huge stock of it. The last time I was there to buy some the girl at the counter was under the impression Kodachrome was discontinued. I assured her it wasn't and when she came back from the fridge, I chuckled at her surprised look.

If what PKM-25 is saying is true, this is great news. I also agree. The best way to insure the existence of Kodachrome and let Kodak know we want it, is to keep buying and using it.

 

[lns]

And on that note, if you're looking for Kodachrome, my local store, Helix Camera in Chicago, has it on their website right now (under color film specials) for what seems a good price.

I buy it in their store, and my last rolls had a 3/2010 expiration date.

-Laura

 

[nickstreme]

Dwaynes just confirmed theyre last stuff they recieve is # 1562 with 07/2010 exp. date.

I spoke too soon!

 

[pentaxuser]

Interesting that someone here mentioned the article in AP some months ago but in this week's issue of AP there's a well written if somewhat partisan accolade for Kodachrome from a reader. Each week some reader's 600 word article is chosen for publication.

I don't think it was a "put-up job"

pentaxuser

 

[PKM-25]

Interesting that someone here mentioned the article in AP some months ago but in this week's issue of AP there's a well written if somewhat partisan accolade for Kodachrome from a reader. Each week some reader's 600 word article is chosen for publication.

I don't think it was a "put-up job"

pentaxuser

AP as in Amateur Photographer, not Associated Press?

Either way, got a link?

 

[pentaxuser]

AP as in Amateur Photographer, not Associated Press?

Either way, got a link?

Yes it was Amateur Photographer. I had forgotten that there was another AP which in the U.S. was likely to be Assoc Press. I doubt if the article will be on the UK AP website. If it was then no-one would buy the magazine However you could try a google on Amateur Photographer and see what it shows.

Based on what you have said about AP being Assoc Press, I am now more convinced than ever that the reader's article was totally on the level He said that as a user of Kodachrome he thought it had a level of definition and longevity( he compared his Kodachrome slides with some Agfa ones of the same era) that remains unsurpassed even to this day and that Velvia despite being the newer product and heralded as the E6 breakthrough to rival Kodachrome fell short.

He is in good company. There was a gent, called Roger Hicks, formerly of this parish whose views on Kodachrome were similar I believe and I saw nothing to indicate that he was a "Stars and Stripes" flag waver unless the product was worth waving a flag about.

pentaxuser

 

[nickandre]

Fine. I've decided to break open the piggy bank and do a bunch of work on K64. Mind you, this is a very small piggy bank Post passover, of course. Where do y'all get the money for this?

Does anyone have any interesting printing options? I don't like the scans i've been getting.

 

[Ektagraphic]

I just seem to find the money....Welcome to Kodachrome! I sent my slides off to be printed by Dale Labs (dalelabs.com). Good Work...okay prices for reprints. They seem to make good scans as the prints come out good.

 

[jim appleyard]

It would be nice if Kodak would have someone respond to these threads as does Ilford (Simon), DR5, Formulary (Bud Wilson) and others. A bit more interaction with their customers would go far, IMHO.

 

[skyrick]

Fine. I've decided to break open the piggy bank and do a bunch of work on K64. Mind you, this is a very small piggy bank

I'm with you. I've never shot slides before, but I just received my first two rolls of PKR64 and can't wait to start.
A couple of questions, though, for you experienced Kodachrome people:

1. What's the difference between KR and PKR?
B. Any hints for a first time slide shooter?

Thanks,

Rick

 

[B&Wpositive]

1. What's the difference between KR and PKR?
B. Any hints for a first time slide shooter?

This forum is a good place to start for hints: http://www.kodachromeproject.com/forum/showthread.php?t=283

 

[dmr]

1. What's the difference between KR and PKR?

They tell me (the ubiquitous "they") that KR and PKR are exactly the same formula, exactly the same batch, all exactly the same except ...

PKR is aged and shipped at its peak, intended to be refrigerated in the field until use.

KR is shipped, intended to be aged in the field for some arcane duration, and used sometime close to its peak, which nobody seems to know when it is.

B. Any hints for a first time slide shooter?

Yes, measure your exposure carefully and bracket! Kodachrome can't take a joke as far as exposure is concerned. Depending on circumstances, 1/2 stop error can blow highlights or drop shadows into the mud!

 

[Prest_400]

They tell me (the ubiquitous "they") that KR and PKR are exactly the same formula, exactly the same batch, all exactly the same except ...

PKR is aged and shipped at its peak, intended to be refrigerated in the field until use.

KR is shipped, intended to be aged in the field for some arcane duration, and used sometime close to its peak, which nobody seems to know when it is.

So KR is the "consumer" version and PKR is the "pro version" of the emulsion. I've heard that the "pro" emulsions have better color peak after taking them from refrigeration. And consumer emulsions are designed to have a color peak few months after manufacture; Because they aren't refrigerated and usually kept in a shelf.

 

[B&Wpositive]

PKR is aged and shipped at its peak, intended to be refrigerated in the field until use.

Ron andrews has stated objection to this theory in the past, explaining that there is actually no intentional "aging" procedure performed on PKR.

But PKR seems to have older dates than KR. Maybe that's because less people are buying it than KR and it sits around on the shelf a bit? Seems like that would defeat the purpose of having a fresh, pro film.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Ron Andrews and I both agree. There is no aging of the films. They are slightly different formulas.

PE

 

[AgX]

The latest statement of Kodak on the Difference between Kodachrome and Kodachrome Prof. can be found here (in about the 1oth minute):

http://media.libsyn.com/media/insidemedianetworks/iap081108.mp3

 

[Photo Engineer]

AgX, why don't you summarize it for those who cannot open that file type. My system says that it is an mp3 file, and I can open them, but not this one.

PE

 

[AgX]

PE,

I listened to it some time ago. And now my player can't `read´ it any more too. These computers...