Kodachrome

[mike_martinez2]

How long is the typical expiration date on kodachrome 64 film? I plan to buy

about 10 rolls but will not use them all at once?

[michaelging]

Put them in the freezer , they will still be good when you are ready to use them. Mine is full of film.

[tbs]

Stored properly, in a freezer, Kodachrome can last a very long time. Here is a link to a shot I took recently (November) with Kodachrome 25.

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/6696010

 

The film's expiration date was 2002, five years before I took the shot. K64 has similar stability if keep frozen.

[frank.schifano]

There's no telling how long processing for Kodakchrome will be around. I keep reading all these dire predictions about the film's imminent demise, yet it hangs on. But you never know. Buy it, use it, and don't hoard it. You could wind up with a freezer full of film that can't be processed.

[clay2]

Check out the forums at:

 

kodachromeproject.com

 

/Clay

[a._valerio]

Typically you have about one year if the film is fresh until the date marked.

[randrew1]

There was a time when the K-64 expiration date was 24 months after "manufacturing". (I can't say for sure what current procedures are.) The clock didn't start until the film was spooled and packaged. A stock roll might be kept frozen until needed. For a low speed film, freezing nearly stops all degradation. Background radiation doesn't affect a 64 speed film enough to worry about.

 

I have some K-64 that has been in the freezer since I was running the production of this product over 20 years ago. The last time I looked (on the 20th birthday of this batch) it was in good shape.

 

While we are plugging web pages, I'll mention my page devoted to a celebration leading up to the 75th anniversary of the product line in 2010: http://ronald.andrews.googlepages.com/kodachrome

[john_shriver]

There's no reason to hoard Kodachrome 64. When the last roll expires, or maybe 6-9 months later, Kodak will pull the plug on the chemical supply to Dwayne's, and it will be all over.

[randrew1]

I have been gone from Kodak long enough that I can't say anything definitively, but here is my best estimate of how the end will come.

 

Kodak will announce that production has ceased and sales will continue until present stocks are sold. Processing will probably continue until the youngest roll of film has passed its expiration date. Forum members have reported rolls of K-64 with expiration dates as late as 4-2009. If Kodak were to announce tomorrow that the product was discontinued, we would have until at least April of next year to get it processed. I'm betting it will be available in 2010 for the 75th anniversary of the product line.

 

Please note: Everything I have written here is hypothetical. There are no guarantees.

[d_f11]

I hope to G-d it stays until atleast 2010.