End of Kodachrome?

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

It looks like it is now the end of the line nearly for Kodachrome.

Kodachrome is a color reversal film, used to produce slides, and has been a photographers favorite for years.

Its main advantage were its quality (equivalent to 28 megapixel) and its color stability - the long-term "dark-keeping" stability under ordinary conditions has long been superior to other color film. Kodachrome slides over fifty years old still retain accurate color and grain. It has been calculated that the least stable color, yellow, suffers a 20% loss in 180 years. This makes it the most "archival" type of media.

Kodachrome is now no longer produced - the last batch of 200 expired in Sept 2008. Rumours are now that the plant has been disposed of, and with the only lab for processing now in the States, it looks like it is the end of the road for this particular film type.

[Mike Haslam]

Kevin,

I loved Kodachrome, though at times I used Ektachrome because of its higher speed under difficult lighting.

It's demise has become inevitable through the popularity of digital cameras, just like vinyl discs. For my "happy snaps" method of photography, digital is great. Instant satisfaction! In a few days time, here in the USA, Feb 17th I believe, will be the end of full-power analogue TV broadcasting. Want to buy a converter? The amount of marketing on HD-TV is phenomenal. Plus Blu-ray DVD. Many people now have large plasma screens + HD-TV service. I must admit the picture quality is fantastic.

Now, about buying one.... The old steam powered one we have here is still working as we have a satellite TV service, but it has started to make a high-pitch whine, the kind you get when the HT transformer is becoming old. Maybe a plasma screen will be in the room sooner, rather than later....

Turtle

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

Lucky you.

I have an HD compliant TV - a small plasma. I just hope it is!

Incidentally - do you know if Blue-ray players play DVD's (the old ones)?

[Mike Haslam]

I know someone who has one. I will find out.

Turtle

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

Thank you!

[Mike Haslam]

Kevin, the reply from a friend who has the HDTV and Blu ray:

"It sure can and it "upscales" them. (Quick HD lesson because I am a home theater fanatic) DVDs have a resolution of 480p which are intended for square (4:3) standard TVs. Blu-Ray is 720p/1080p which is intended for widescreen (16:9) HDTVs. When a DVD/Blu-Ray player "upscales" a DVD, it increases the resolution to 720p/1080p so it looks MUCH better on an HDTV. With Blu-Ray, the video material IS that resolution to begin with and has much better colors and detail so the picture is even more crisp and vivid.

To be honest, you would likely be fine with a good upscaling DVD player and an HDTV in terms of picture quality. But if you take the plunge, don't get any Blu-Ray player except for a PS3. By the time you get one, they will likely be around $200 and there are 1000 reasons to get it over any other player."

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

Good - thank you!

The PS3 route sounds the most sensible one at the moment. Am not in a rush though - more worried about being play old DVD's in the future! Will just wait until prices come down - as they have done with the plasma TV's.

I have an extensive collection of Pentrex DVD's I worry about, as well as all the BBC Wildlife sets and 'Allo 'Allo etc.

[ch.janssen-schmidt]

A great pity, Kodachrome had a consistency and quality not matched by so called modern technology.

Analogue Charles

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

Kodak have now advised officially that the Kodakchrome plant is no more and the film is no longer available.

So that is it now!

[Derek Walker]

When Kodak ditched South Africa in the mid 80's a lot of us ended up going to Konica slide film and Fujichrome. It gave satisfactory results and many of my slides taken in 1986/7/8/9 are still as good as they were on the day that I took them. When kodak came back to SA a lot of us never moved back to them and did not use their products because of their pulling out of the country. I have since had 2 Kodak digital cameras and they were excellent.

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

Fujichrome probably helped in the early days to put the nail in Kodachrome coffin, according to an article I read the other day.