Kodachrome PKR & KR Differences?

Hi everyone,

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Forgive my ignorance, but what is the difference between Kodachrome

64 PKR and KR?

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Also, a thread on this forum about Kodachrome has got me scared about

losing my images, does anyone know the shelf-life of prints?

Negatives? Which modern color film is best for longevity?

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Thanks,

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Dan

Subject: Kodachrome PKR & KR Differences?

 

Hi everyone,

 

"Forgive my ignorance, but what is the difference between Kodachrome 64 PKR and KR?"

 

PKR is manufactured to a different to color aim point than KR. It does not need to be aged, where KR does, to reach optimum color balance.

 

"Also, a thread on this forum about Kodachrome has got me scared about losing my images, does anyone know the shelf-life of prints? Negatives? Which modern color film is best for longevity?"

 

Kodachrome offer the best dark-keeping stability known.

That is to say that PKR needs to be refrigerated and KR does not. The "P" stands for professional. PKR comes out of the fridge ready to supply the best colour/contrast at that very moment, KR is made to sit in the back of your drawer or in your camera for a year or so until you finish using it. I used both for 15 years and could never really see a difference but I used PKR (64ASA), PKM (25ASA), and PKL (200ASA) whenever possible, just in case! If you want to keep your KR past the expiry date keep it refrigerated or frozen too.

If you buy a very fresh roll of KR and use it right away, the images might appear to be slightly green. If you buy a roll of KR that is close, or past, the expiration date, the images might appear to be slightly magenta.

 

The reason for this is because Kodachrome's color balance tends to shift a bit as it ages. PKR has already been aged to the optimum color palette and is meant to be used immediately. KR, on the other hand, is not quite "ripe" when it ships from the factory, because they assume it will sit on the store shelves for a while before it gets purchased.

I took 10 rolls of PKR to Florence a few years ago. The color was perfect!

This is how a Kodak technician explained it to me a few years ago. Kodachrome is born as a huge sheet of film. This sheet is sampled at certain intervals. If the film meets certain standards, it becomes PKR. If not, then it is KR. PKR is always good. KR might or might not be as good as PKR. Its a quality control thing. The release date is only part of the story.