Your KODACHROME...How do you plan to spend it?

<p>With only a few seasons remaining before Dwayne's pulls the plug on the K-14 processing machine, I'm wondering how some of you may be planning to use the last of your Kodachrome stock? Will it be based by season or destination? Perhaps a special event or holiday? Will you keep at least one roll unopened? With the remaining summer at hand, there will only be a few more seasons in which to spend up your Kodachrome. After this summer, you will only have one spring, summer, and perhaps two more autumns, and maybe one and a half winters if Dwayne's doesn't for any reason pull the plug early before the December 2010 deadline. For me, it will not take so long to spend mine up, as I'm sharing some of my stock with family and friends who have young children. I'm saving my rolls for a special project in mind, but mainly I'm saving a few with plans of going northword during the foilage season and getting some shots of the beautiful foilage scenery like my father did in the early 70's when we lived in Minnesota. As for what camera I will use? While I mostly have shot Kodachrome using my M2 and AE-1, I'm curious to see how results might fare using my Minox GT-E and (Balda) plastic Voigtlander Vito C. I would appreciate reading as to how some of you, either well known professionals, amatuers, and even first timers plan on using up your Kodachrome? I feel sorry for those of you who have a deep freezer full of it. Seventeen months is long, but also short.</p>

<p>I'm saving mine until summer 2010. Then it will go on ebay at 100 times the real value. I'll be rich!!!</p>

<p>Brian- I do not like people that have your attitude. It kills it for us that love the film but don't have millions of dollars to spend on the film. I hope hope it doen't sell. ---Back go ghe OP --I already put one roll away to save...I am going to pull it out for anything that is really important that comes my way. I will probably shoot a roll in the fall of the foliage and some other things. I'm not entirely sure yet.</p>

<p>OK, thanks for your opinion. I can respect that. But I'm not worried. There is a market... and the supply is both limited and dwindling.</p>

<p>But back to the OP: I have no plans to shoot any more. I've let it go. After having to let Polaroid go I'm getting used to E-6 products.</p>

<p>p.s. I still have some of the old Velvia 50 if anyone is interested ;)</p>

<p>I don't have any, and can't find any. I want to do a small 3-4 roll project with it, but may not get to. What PO's me is how many thousands of rolls will still be sitting in drawers after Dwayne's quits developing it. Anyone take a look at the prices on ebay lately?</p>

<p>Mr. Watkins...</p>

<p>I'm going to take my three best SLR with lens combos and shoot the few remaining friends and family still alive. I'm going to do three like shots, one from each camera. One for them, one for me and a spare in case something goes wrong. When I finish a three-set of rolls, I will send them to Dwayne's a week apart in case of machine or mail failure. Although none of my contemporaries will out live other films and few will probably outlive a CDROM, their families who have known them will.</p>

<p>So will the Kodachrome.</p>

<p>Tom Burke</p>

<p>Mr. Shaw and Mr. Mount...</p>

<p>As Americans we have to respect Mr. Shaw's absolute right to do that. Also, as Americans, we do not have to respect either him or his decision, as it is our absolute right to not do that. </p>

<p>Tom Burke</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Patrick, I have to disagree with you, and I have to disagree with you too, Mr. Burke. I have the fullest respect for Brian's decision to hoard an eminently hoardable commodity and convert it to dollars at a later date, making some profit in the process. In fact it is the vaunted American Way, given that it was applied to houses in the extreme in the late and great housing bust. In fact, I'd say go borrow some money and hoard Kodachrome if you think there's money to be made in that.</p>

<p>For those that think I'm being sarcastic, I assure you, I'm not. Speculation is as much a legitimate part of free market capitalism as is saving or lending or banking. Don't forget that for Kodachrome to sell at exorbitant prices on ebay, there has to be demand - that is there are buyers willing to pay those prices for it. If you can't afford it, I suggest cheaper alternatives - often these are better than Kodachrome. But asking someone else to forego a profit because you can't afford something is socialistic, and even worse, selfish. It is exactly like saying that you shouldn't invest in stocks because they make them expensive for the rest of us. That's nonsense.</p>

<p>I hope Brian makes a pretty pile. I wish I could too, but regardless of <em>me</em> , I hope he succeeds.</p>

<p>I plan on shooting a roll of test and reference shots on both Kodachrome and digital, and then either finding out which plugin does the best job of emulating Kodachrome, or creating a set of custom Photoshop actions.</p>

<p>Unlike some I'm not particularly enamored with the Kodachrome look. Truth be told I prefer digital most of the time. But I would like a reference to help me recreate the look digitally. Just another artistic option.</p>

<p>"As Americans we have to respect Mr. Shaw's absolute right to do that. Also, as Americans, we do not have to respect either him or his decision, as it is our absolute right to not do that."</p>

<p>I would like to formally thank the Honorable Mr. Thos. Burke Jr. for his absolute abolutisms. He is absolutely correct in both parts of his statement. Even if we are not all Americans, perhaps we should asolutely act like we are. :)</p>

<p>Look, guys... this shouldn't be about profit, greed, bitterness, etc. Kodachrome has been discontinued; the processing has been given its termination date. If you planned ahead you'd be feeling pretty good right now. If you didn't but can afford to buy the film and have it processed... go right ahead and God bless you and your photography. If not, lets not be bitter. I can tell you that I was priced out of the large format Polaroid market long before I wanted to be. I could be bitter, too... but there just aren't enough hours in the day, or days in the week for feeling bad.</p>

<p>p.s. Thanks Vijay, I appreciate your understanding and clearly worded message. I've lost money in the past couple of years but through good planning I've lost less than most. My secret (listen up, boys and girls) has been planning, conservative living, careful investing, and the avoidance of greed.</p>

Not intending to go too far off-topic... but everyone should check out Mr. Burke's photos. Classic 1950's America. These are pictures of what really was "the good old days"! And in keeping wit the thread... many appear to be Kodachrome!

 

If you use your imagination (add curly hair in lieu of the straight hair), I'm the boy in front of the '55 Rambler. My dad hated that car but drove it into the ground. What memories that revived!

<p>I shot my last roll of Kodachrome 8 years ago at Disneyworld. Went to a local camera store last night and one of the clerks asked if I had any left, since they had sold out about 5 minutes after the announcement hit - Nope was all I said.</p>

<p>Dave</p>

 

<p>Mr. Shaw... (or should I say"Curly") :)</p>

<p>Thank you. The first one is from 1940. The last one, from late 1973 is just there to show Kodachrome's transition to the everyman's Instamatic 126. Yes, that is all Kodachrome except for the one red/brown Ektachrome I used to illustrate the point as to why Kodachrome's color retention was important in my life.</p>

<p>I, like Kodachrome, lived the golden years of America. I, like Kodachrome, have been tied to a short leash. That's OK, time-wise we cherry-picked the top of the American mountain. Kodachrome came into my life as a hard early life started to blossom. It was kind of like when the filming turned from B&W to color in "The Wizard Of Oz". Kodachrome has been with me during my best years of America's best years.</p>

<p>With the exception of the Model T, the cars of my youth were not all black/white/grey but most all of the pictures of them were. Many younger people who have heard of Henry Ford's famous line "You can have it in any color you want as long as it is black", look at old pictures and movies and think the houses, cars, theater buildings and stores were all shades of grey. I look back on the both people and things, now long gone and see them in most of my pictures, as they really were...in full living color.</p>

<p>I'm not an artist, never was and had/have no artistic statement to make. The photos that you kindly refer to certainly have no intristic value. If priced right, they would sell for nothing. My photos represent my family, friends, familiar places and their passage through time. Most of what is shown in the slides is all gone. Age and medical problems have not been kind to my remembrance of detail. A black and white picture is better than nothing but does not trigger the realism that Kodachrome does. I'm still lucid enough to know there is something wrong but cannot always put it right. With Kodachrome I can jog my memory and re-see things pretty much as they were.</p>

<p>And, yes, I know that I have been a somewhat lone voice advocating the completion of Kodachrome 75th production year. I've not just complained in the Photonet postings but called and e-mailed Kodak...not just once. I've asked old friends and acquaintances who have more valued input to Kodak management and stockholders to "put in a word". At least one good source has.</p>

<p>I personally will probably not get to know the final result. I certainly will not be able to directly benefit from a year's extension should it take place. But... I'm not going let it go, standing quietly with my tail tucked between my legs.</p>

<p>Tom Burke</p>

<p>Mr. Nebhrajani...</p>

<p>Old school that I am, I always made my living by doing something and/or producing something. I believe in capitalism. I took business and personal risks to practice capitalism and to see that others had their opportunity to do likewise. I would not, however, make money trying to get something more for what was already there. I also deliberately bypassed all the something-for-nothing opportunities that came my way. My life savings reflect neither the profits (or losses) those opportunities produced. Today I look back without regret or shame. </p>

<p>I do not demand the same of you. I have no want and most certainly no right to stop you from making money in any legal way. But I do not have to applaud or give atta-boy points for efforts to make a profit without adding to production. </p>

<p>Each to their own. </p>

<p>Tom Burke</p>

<p>Well, so what should one do - never hoard any amount of anything? How about hoarding simply to supply inventory needs, or cut down shipping costs by ordering in bulk? Or perhaps loading up in anticipation of a price increase?</p>

<p>What about if one finds himself in the possession of said hoard with no further desire to use it? Should one trash it? Should one sell it at cost? Should one sell it at market value, i.e., whatever someone is willing to pay for it?</p>

<p>How about if one buys something at a low price intending to sell it at a higher price later? What if the higher price never materializes? After all, hoarding something involves the risk that its price may fall, making one suffer a loss. Should others then help out to mitigate ones loss? Think bailouts.</p>

<p>Answers to these are really clear, if only one removes fallacious assumptions. The first fallacy is that hoarding with a view to profit is "getting something for nothing". You get profit for risk. If this were not possible, or immoral or illegal, there wouldn't be the concept of lending - either from a bank (as a loan) or to a bank (as a deposit).</p>

<p>The second fallacy is that capitalism means production of goods. Providing a service - such as holding on to a commodity for future need - taking personal financial risk in the process - is also a form of production, in this case of value.</p>

<p>The third fallacy is thinking that speculation is somehow inferior, or immoral, or tainted in some way. Assume that we make it illegal to speculate in Kodachrome 25. Nobody could hold on to stocks. This would mean that film that was unused at the end of its run would be trashed, as opposed to hoarded. Who loses? Everyone. In reality, speculation acts as negative feedback, or as a damping factor for a system. Without speculation, there would be overabundance at times - meaning wastages, or 'under-abundance' (to coin a term) at other times - meaning shortages. Speculation damps these extremes to provide stability.</p>

<p>The fact that there are speculators like Brian around means that I can enjoy Kodachrome 25 even today, seven years after it was discontinued. The price is $20 or so a roll, which may be steep, but is better than not having Kodachrome 25 at all. For those who think this is too steep, there are several excellent choices in slide film. Nobody forces anyone to use Kodachrome or any other film.</p>

<p>So Mr. Burke, while I do not demand the same of you, I do applaud efforts to make a profit via speculation, such as what Brian is attempting to do. His attempt to make a profit will ensure supply late into next year, while at the same time preventing wastage today. He is not cheating - you can buy from elsewhere and hoard your own stock. He is also not making a profit without producing anything. He is providing a service - a safe, cold place to store Kodachrome at his cost while you may or may not buy from him. Why should one begrudge him a profit for his efforts?</p>

<p>Worse, why should one demean his efforts?</p>

<p> I'm with you, Mr. Burke.<br>

Interesting that Mr. Nebhrajani uses the housing bust as an example.<br>

No one person or single group of persons can be singled out for "blame", but the fact is that people's greedy "make a quick buck and screw the next guy" mentality has led to the most serious blow to our economy in many decades. Millions are out of work, companies are struggling, our economic strength and standing in the world has been dealt a serious blow, and my State is broke and issuing IOU's. Trust in the banking system and its oversight have plummeted. Faith in the Federal government's ability to manage the economy has been deeply shaken. The whipsawing of credit markets from irresponsibly loose to frozen up created a situation where even people who did everything right got hurt. Many have lost a big chunk of their retirement savings. Sure, plenty of speculators got burned, but far more of the ordinary working people got burned worse.<br>

Not exactly a rousing endorsement of speculation as part of the American Way. Some people seem to have lost faith that the American Way even works. I'm not one of them.</p>

<p>To glibly say "if you'd planned ahead you'd be feeling pretty good now", in this economic climate is insensitive. Many, myself included, could not afford to lay in a large supply of film. And what was Patrick going to do? He's 14!<br>

To brag about your speculation on a photo forum is not just insensitive, it's offensive. If it were an economic forum you could expect kudos. Here I find it galling. You know what it's like to be priced out.</p>

<p> If things hadn't gone down the toilet maybe Kodak could have found a way to continue Kodachrome longer and we wouldn't be having this conversation. I know if the financial meltdown hadn't occurred I could have afforded to have much more in my fridge.<br>

As soon as I heard about the discontinuance at 4 AM June 22nd, I went online and got the order I was going to place anyway. I knew the speculators were going to swoop in. I could have acquired about 300 rolls more, and would, even this soon after, be doubling my money. But I won't. Not with Kodachrome; not something I've gotten so much enjoyment from over the years. I won't be that crass.<br>

I do really regret that I didn't purchase those 300 rolls to sell without profit to those from the Kodachrome Project who now can't get any. Hell, even if I matched the lowest vendor price and made a small profit for my trouble, I doubt anyone would mind, as they could at least get the stuff.</p>

<p>Yes, Mr. Shaw, you have the right to do it. And altruism can't be forced, or even expected.<br>

I knew whenever K64 got discontinued the speculators who couldn't care less about photography would buy up as much as they could. That's just how it is. When the speculator is someone who enjoys photography it's irritating. When it's waved in my face it pisses me off. To me it's like if a member of an environmental group speculated for profit on a piece of sensitive land. Sure he had a right, and someone was going to do it anyway, but the others have a justification for being insulted.</p>

<p>You speak of the avoidance of greed, Mr. Shaw, yet in your first post you say "I'll be rich!"</p>

<p>It's my hope that a lot of speculators hold onto it long into next year, then find a smaller market than they planned on. I'm not hoping they get burned, just that prices allow no more than a modest profit. In that case, they've performed a service. Of course, speculation being risky, I wouldn't feel bad if they get stuck with a bunch of it at the end of the year, and it goes for nothing. Then if Dwayne's found out how much unused film remained, and fired up the processor one more time 6 or 8 months later, that would be sweet.</p>

 

<p>Go ahead and look at the prices yourself, Mike.</p>

<p>I bought a bit of it about a month before leaving for Isreal, the announcement came two days before i left.. So, i have been shooting it here. Im still shooting the way i always shot film, carefully, but i have taken maybe 50pictures on digitial (i also bought an 8gig CF card for this) and only one roll of E6 - velvia 50. Everything else, for all pictures at all times of day and conditions and subjects, has been on kodachrome. I should, assuming i got the exposure right (was a bit tricky, just hoping the meter didnt get fooled, i didnt have time to bracket) have 2-3 amazing photographs. I can remember the picture clear as anything through the viewfinder.</p>

<p>Mr. Nebhrajani,<br /> Your final post is quite well expressed and I agree overall with the points you made, with one exception: when you say "you can buy from elsewhere and hoard your own stock". Nobody's got any for sale right now except the speculators. When the next batch becomes available, if speculators scoop all that up, the little guy gets frozen out again. The speculators have distorted the market.<br /> In the case of Kodachrome, there is a finite supply, so it's not like Kodak can just crank up the machinery and sell more than they had planned to.<br /> Kodachrome's a product that is still being distributed, yet speculators have made it unavailable, except from them at a higher cost. It's already effectively been taken off the market. Their actions created the shortage from which they profit, though in Mr. Shaw's case it appears he will be selling it after it is truly no longer available from vendors.<br /> It's obvious there's no way to stop or even reduce speculation in a case like this, except by spacing out distribution over time and vendors limiting purchase amounts, though too low a limit hurts those who use a lot. Or completely flooding the market, to give everyone who can afford it a chance to stock up now. But that hurts those without much cash flow.</p>

<p>It's just that when a fellow photographer crows "I'll be rich!" to others who can't get the film, even though it's still being distributed, he can't really expect people to say, "Yes, and I'll be so grateful to give you more money a year from now for what I can't buy from a vendor today."</p>

<p> </p>

<p>First, I would like to extend my profound appreciation to Mr. Burk, Mr.Howard, Mr.Haas, and Mr. Shaw for contributing, at least, an answer towards the original subject matter of this thread. Secondly, I want to say how sorry I am for those of you who are having await and hope for a final distribution of Kodachrome stock to be made available. Based on what I've read here in other threads, there is supposed to be an incomming supply made available relatively soon, and I hope you all land in getting some. Finally, in defense of Mr. Shaw, I'm wondering if some had broadened thought on his initial " 100 times the real value" sarcasm, they might have realised that he MAY have just in fact been making mockery of the very same things many are complaining about (The insane price gouging and those who are foolish enough to pay it) but then made to play 'devils advocate'. Regardless of what he meant, he did nonetheless at least provide an answer to my question...nothing more....nothing less. Unfortunately in regards to this thread? Once wine sours to vinegar, there usually no undoing it. Just dash it out on a salad and enjoy. I hope things will seem better perhaps once B&H and Adorama announce Kodachrome is back on stock.</p>

<p>I would have thought Mr. Shaw might just be kidding or sarcastic, if not for his later posts.</p>

<p>You're right, your excellent question got sort of buried. I understand your disappointment that it veered off. Maybe you could relaunch it.</p>

 

<p>Jeff,</p>

<p>Sorry if you are offended. What can I say?</p>

<p>But get a grip and face a few realities:</p>

<p>0. Kodak did not discontinue Kodachrome because of the economic situation; A more stable economic situation would not have substantially changed the decision. It was an economic (virtually nonexistent marketshare) and environmental decision.</p>

<p>1. Bernie Madoff and many of the others who screwed us of our investments did NOT act in legal or moral ways. They acted ILLEGALLY.</p>

<p>2. You don't know too much about me. I produce (goods and services), protect the national interests, advance intellectual knowledge, and do a bit of investing (which includes a small amount of "speculating") along the way. I give a lot to charity too. I worship God and live his message. Please don't be too critical; what more can I do?</p>

<p>3. The KODACHROME project is interesting and I wish them well. But frankly, they started too late and didn't plan ahead if they don't have enough film. Unfortunate... but what does that have to do with me? They might as well have started the "1957 T-Bird Project". It too has been discontinued, sells for more money than originally, etc, etc. Same concept, don't you think?</p>

<p>4. I'm very sorry for your investment losses. It really is tragic. I too live in that state who is now issuing IOUs. I too expect it to affect me personally... even more than it already has. I'm being taxed to death... I work my finger to the bone and still can't buy a decent steak like the guy with foodstamps can.</p>

<p>5. Greed and making profit are not necessarily the same thing. If one wants to contort the conversation, I can see how they can get mixed up. Bernie Madoff (and others) did not generate profit -- they STOLE. Having goods that cost X but have a value of 10X, and then are sold for some amount between X and 10X is not stealing. It is exactly what happens each and every time you or I walk into a store and buy ANYTHING.</p>

<p>Can we now be friends?</p>

<p>... and Mr. Watkins... thanks for understanding dry humor!</p>

<p>Brian. formerly "Curly" :)</p>

<p>Happy Fourth Everyone!</p>

<p>If alot more folks actually bought Kodachrome in teh last few years it would NOT be axed as a product. It is being dropped because the demand small; not enough to support another coating run. It is not rocket science; just simple; very simple good business.<br>

With every drop of a film type actual some users have stocked up on the films; for future reuse; for resale; to have spares. This is an old matter. It happened with Super-XX in 35mm; with Panatomic-X; Extar-25; Old Kodachrome II; 828 films; film pack films; 620 films. It is not greedy to by spares for your favorite films; it is called be prepared. One is taking a risk; the stuff is a product that ages; one will not be able to buy it at some time later.<br>

If one plans on shooting Kodachrome for a summer vacation in 2010; does one buy a stash today at a known price; or wait to next summer? what if it is all gone next spring; and stuff on Ebay in June 2010 is 20 bucks a roll? What if there is no bubble in price; and it never rises?<br>

Some of us will use Kodachrome to shoot favorite images as a last Kodachrome shoot. The sticnk about 100 rolls being alot is actually quite funny. Here I shot several dozen rolls of Kodachrome during a total lunar elipse in the 1970's in one night; one would buy bricks of the stuff and never here such moral discord.<br>

Here I still use a few rolls of Panatomic-X in 120 I have frozen; at least with it one can home process it. Like Kodachrome it is used on favorite images. Many folks will wait to the last minute of a hurricane; film ending; rare spare parts for ones gizmo; then wonder why there is none available; it is human nature.<br>

The is no law on what one can do with 100 rolls of Kodachrome one buys; one can burn it up in a motor drive shooting Football or horseracing; or burn it up in the grill; or resell it next year for 1 dollar; 10 or 100. Selling stuff for more than one pays for it is not immoral; it is how all business make money on inventory. It is abit shocking on such a basic 10,000 year on business concept is considered immoral to some. There is no garranty that one will make money on inventory; it can get damaged; stolen. Dwanes might get hit by a tornado; the whole market might never rise either. If a business in some areas one has to pay local tax on inventory too each year ; several percent even it never sells.<br>

Some of us will use Kodachrome to shoot the same old stuff we shot Kodachrome for years ago; family; cars; fall colors of leaves; even the full moon thru my reflecting telescope in the direct objective mode; a fast hat trick hat shutter with my rig at F8.</p>

<p>I am 77. I do not yearn for the past nor do I miss it. I don't mourn Kodachrome or model T's or the the Douglas DC 3 in which I spent a lot of hot, sweaty hours training pilots in the far east. I like things new and am not too mentally lazy to embrace them. I am loaded with digital stuff. Although I very much liked medium format digital has opened new horizons for me. I love people, not things like film and old airplanes although I love to talk about them with PEOPLE. Professionally I helped bring GPS to the civil community before I retired. I swim competitiively because I don't want to shrivel up into a ball and moon over how it used to be. I don't have any Kodachrome. I like the pictures the way I do them today. But, God love all of you who give Kodachrome some kind of iconic status. Like me, it has lasted a long time and you have every right to cherish it. </p>