Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/02/05
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]John Collier wrote: >I have been noticing in the last couple of years that the local stores are >stocking less and less Kodachrome. I, unfortunately, really like the stuff >and use it as my main film. Processing turn around times went from one week >to two weeks three years or so back but now they have jumped to FIVE weeks! >The store I deal with said the two week time was due to it having to be sent >to the eastern USA. Canada lost both its plants a while ago. Now that it is >five weeks they speculated that it had to go to Europe! Is this the end of >Kodachrome.>>>>>>> Hi John, As much as I love Kodachroem and used hundreds and hundreds of rolls over the years I don't miss it one iota. When Kodak pulled the Vancouver plant and film was shipped to Toronto, extending processing time I could still cope with the extra days. But when the Toronto plant closed with film going to the US for processing that was end of Kodachrome for me. Period. Processing time was way too long for a professional trying to service a client. The number of incredibly good E6 films on the market these days comes down to....Who needs Kodachrome? Certainly when one can have film processed in a few hours and meeting client deadlines. I believe Kodak decided the environmental aspects of dumping KR chemicals were becoming a major problem, so they've just let KR slide into almost an oblivion state. Besides, E6 slides look gorgeous and in some cases surpass Kodachrome for look. Compared to shooting 50 to a hundred KR 36 exp. rolls every ten days or so for quite a number of years, today it's that number and more E6. I've never had a client say, "Gee would you shoot it on Kodachrome." Most of them don't know kodachrome from water buffalo film, all they want are great looking colour slides. And E6 does that without any problem. Very shortly it wouldn't surprise me to see KR go the way of the dodo bird. Yep be a loss, however the quality of E6 slide films today far surpasses those of the bygone era and if KR were to deep six to oblivion it wont be a world shattering event. We who knew it and loved it will always have fond memories and great images from it. ted Ted Grant This is Our Work. The Legacy of Sir William Osler. http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant