RIP Kodachrome

[ThurlFan]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/30/us/30film.html?hp

At the peak, there were about 25 labs worldwide that processed Kodachrome, but the last Kodak-run facility in the United States closed several years ago, then the one in Japan and then the one in Switzerland. Since then, all that was left has been Dwayne’s Photo. Last year, Kodak stopped producing the chemicals needed to develop the film, providing the business with enough to continue processing through the end of 2010. And last week, right on schedule, the lab opened up the last canister of blue dye.

 

[Suburbanmom]

Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah...

 

[photo_chick]

I shed a tear when they stopped manufacturing it last year.

If someone has a stockpile of chemicals and the setup you can process it at the sink. It's not fun or easy, but possible.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Close enough without having to deal with film and processing. I can't say that I miss film at all.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I just got the last issue of Layers magazine. That makes me sad.

 

[boBQuincy]

Close enough without having to deal with film and processing. I can't say that I miss film at all.

I'm with you, don't miss film a bit (pun intended).

 

[pjacobi]

If someone has a stockpile of chemicals and the setup you can process it at the sink. It's not fun or easy, but possible.

Kodachrome is an extremely archaic process dating back before modern color film. Kodachrome is essentially 3 layer B&W film. Color dyes are added in precisely during the development phase. Because of the complicated process, it has never been possible to develop Kodachrome at home.

Ektachrome and all other color films contain dye couplers. When the film is developed, the silver grains react with the dye couplers to produce the color dye in the film. The silver is then bleach out, leaving only the dyes. There are lots of kits for developing Ektachrome and color negative film at home.

Dye couplers were originally developed by Agfa in Germany during WWII. After the war, the technology of dye couplers was “liberated” and became the basis for all modern color film.


-Paul

 

[photo_chick]

Close enough without having to deal with film and processing. I can't say that I miss film at all.

Very cool.

 

[Marlton Mom]

Close enough without having to deal with film and processing. I can't say that I miss film at all.

Awesome application! Thanks for sharing. Now I'm dealing with Software Acquisition syndrome!


$$$$
Marlton Mom

 

[rtphokie]

http://stevemccurry.wordpress.com/2010/12/30/the-end-of-an-era-1935-to-2010/

Last frame of last roll of kodachrome, shot in the town where the last lab capable of processing kodachrome

 

[rock_doctor]

Kodachrome is an extremely archaic process dating back before modern color film. Kodachrome is essentially 3 layer B&W film. Color dyes are added in precisely during the development phase. Because of the complicated process, it has never been possible to develop Kodachrome at home.

Isn't this the way technicolor works?

Thanks for this post. I have done color film at home...was not fun...