Kodachrome Shooters-Does Kodak Care About Us?

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

<p>I'd like an E6 film that looks like Kodachrome. It would be much easier to scan, and possibly cheaper, too.</p>

[Robin Smith]

<blockquote>

<p>It would be much easier to scan</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>This is a joke, right?</p>

<p>K200 never really caught on because of its large grain compared to the slower K64 and 25. I rather liked it too, and in my opinion it was the best 200 speed slide film in terms of color.</p>

[patrick_mont]

<p>That is why Kodachrome is so special--it is K-14 I think it would take away from the magic if it was an E-6 ( I don't have anything against E-6...I like Ektachrome too)</p>

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

<p>"This is a joke, right?"</p>

<p>No, it's not a joke. I've been scanning my father's old kodachomes. Some are damaged, and scanning is the best way to restore them.</p>

[randrew1]

<p>Kodachrome is only difficult to scan because most scanners are set up for E-6 slide film. If you get a good set-up for K-14, then it will be about as easy as E-6. Since I'm scanning a variety of color films (K-11, K-12, K-14, C-22, C-41, E-4, and E-6) and some of the old ones (not Kodachrome) are faded, I use a custom setting for each image. It isn't that difficult. If I set the balck and white points on the edge of the histogram for each channel (RGB) I'm usually 95% of the way there. Sometimes I need a little color balance tweeking. </p>

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

<p>I've found that Digital ICE works better with E-6. Yes, I could turn it off, but some of the old slides are pretty dirty. I got into the box and dumped them on the ground when I was about 4 years old.</p>

[randrew1]

<p>With ICE it depends on the scanner. With my Minolta Dimage Scan Elite, ICE does a great job eliminating dust and scratches without any sharpness degradation. Some people have reported slight sharpness effects using ICE with Kodachrome. I understand the latest Coolscans have a special setting for ICE with Kodachrome.</p>

[Robin Smith]

<blockquote>

<p>Kodachrome is only difficult to scan because most scanners are set up for E-6 slide film.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>My point exactly! There is also the problem of accentuated grain and noisy shadows -- the dust is a pain too, but I don't mind touching that up.</p>

[jim_devlin]

<p>In reposnse to the original question - while I applaud those at Kodak who have made sure that Kodachrome will be around for its 75th birthday, I have little faith in EK's commitment to color transparency film much beyond that point. In fact, the company's press releases articulate a clear belief that their new color print films will meet the needs of the remaining film photography market. I expect EK to allow both Kodachrome and the company's E-6 films to die a quiet death soon after New Yers Day 2011.</p>

[randrew1]

<p>Ektar 100 was clearly aimed at slide shooters who no longer have E-6 and K-14 processing nearby. For people who want fast service and no longer have an E-6 process in town, Ektar 100 would be a good choice. As Kodachrome shooters have demonstrated, there is a smaller, but loyal group who will continue to shoot slides and send out for processing. What I've seen and heard from Kodak is that they will continue to supply films that sell enough to make a profit. In some cases when volume drops, they will increase the price to maintain a profit rather that discontinue a product. </p>

[patrick_mont]

<blockquote>

<p>In reposnse to the original question - while I applaud those at Kodak who have made sure that Kodachrome will be around for its 75th birthday, I have little faith in EK's commitment to color transparency film much beyond that point. In fact, the company's press releases articulate a clear belief that their new color print films will meet the needs of the remaining film photography market. I expect EK to allow both Kodachrome and the company's E-6 films to die a quiet death soon after New Yers Day 2011.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I hope that they keep slides around! When Kodak stops making Kodachrome (and even Ektachrome for that matter) it will be like greaving a death!</p>

[heinz_anderle]

"... the company's press releases articulate a clear belief that their new color print films will meet the needs of the remaining film photography market. I expect EK to allow both Kodachrome and the company's E-6 films to die a quiet death soon after New Yers Day 2011."

 

Due to anti-trust regulations, EK might then be obliged to sell Fuji slide film in yellow boxes (e. g. Sensia 100, 200, and 400, re-labeled as Ektachrome), which might also effect the next significant improvement in quality. ;-)

[randrew1]

<p>When I started working at Kodak, fear of anti-trust litigation dominated corporate strategy. Today there is absolutely no concern whatsoever. There is no monopoly so they can't be accused of exercising monopoly power. I'm not a lawyer, but I cannot conceive of any situation where a company would be compelled to sell a competitors product. </p>

[heinz_anderle]

Not Kodak, but Fujifilm will draw the attention of the anti-trust watchdogs, if the green giant would have become the sole remaining manufacturer of slide film - and it might well be obliged to have its product(s) confectioned for sale by a competitor - but there is only one! Kodak had never had a US monopoly on color film - as there was (Agfa-)Ansco for almost 40 years as a domestic competitor, and later Dynachrome, Agfa-Gevaert, 3M/Ferrania, Fuji, Konica...

[d_f11]

<p>" Ektar 100 was clearly aimed at slide shooters..." Ron, are you saying that Kodak thinks I'm going to switch to print film now because of the hassles of shooting Kodachrome? Actually, I've given it serious thought. 'Havn't touched a roll of print film in over 15 years, but from what I've read & seen about Ektar 100, I'm tempted, but for me, it's like converting to another religion.</p>

[patrick_mont]

<p>Please don't convert! Help us keep slides alive and strong!</p>