It was my favorite film since before I started doing photography,
absolutely the most beautiful and reliable color film available for
most of my photographic life. Unlike all the others, when properly
stored it doesn't fade or change color, confirmed every time I look at
my slides from the 1950s and '60s, consisting of gorgeous Kodachromes
and yucky Ekta/Ansco/whatevers. In the late 1970s, however,
Kodachrome processing, previously rock solid, started to get a little
squirrely. Return times were getting erratic, slides were sometimes
off color or physically damaged.
I finally contacted the Kodak Findlay facility, where my mailers were
sent, and from the manager heard an interesting and very candid
explanation of what was causing the problems. It was apparently a
"perfect storm" consisting of three factors: the previously reliable
and bulletproof processing machinery in use for decades finally wore
out and had been replaced with new equipment, digitally enhanced and
still very buggy.
At the same time, all the experienced personnel had reached retirement
age and, except for the manager who remained temporarily during the
transition, were no longer there, leaving an essentially inexperienced
crew to work some highly complicated equipment.
While all this was going on, Kodak closed a number of its Kodachrome
processing facilities nationwide and those remaining had to deal with
increased volume.
It was too much for me. I held my nose and switched to the E6 films.
Allen Zak
On Feb 13, 2006, at 11:22 AM, Bob Shell wrote:
On Feb 13, 2006, at 11:16 AM, Peter K. wrote:
I haven't used it in more than 10 years. No loss to me.
Same here. The only time I shot Kodachrome after the 70s was whenever Kodak sent me some free samples and processing mailers. Otherwise it just wasn't worth the hassle.
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