You are correct about the remjet. I researched it at lunch today. I see no reason they can't convert one machine to do Super-8 and 16mm. The only problem is convincing them to spend money to do it. they must be faithful to there investors and if they can't demonstrate that there will be a profit then they wont do it. They still have dewyanes and a few other K-14 machines around so they can just avoid the problem indefinitely.
Regards,
Paul Cotto
nik-super8 wrote:Here you will find the complete technical details of a K-Lab processor:
The processor lacks a remjet removal tank and other parts....
In my understanding of the processor, it doesn`t lack the antihalation layer removal step.
35mm Kodachrome films have this backing, too.
How should the machine treat these films correctly without the previous removal of this layer?
Don't worry about equipment so much and make your movie!
At least this may help keep the Kodachrome process itself around longer...in addition to super 8 users, there are a fair amount of people (myself included) that still use a lot of 35mm Kodachrome for slides. Also, National Geographic uses only Kodachrome, since it is the only slide reversal film capable of faithfully reproducing all the colors that occur in nature....a feat no other reversal film can claim. Other films may give you more saturated, exaggerated colors, but only Kodachrome gives you what it really looks like. Also, it's archival qualities and sharpness are tough to match too. So while Kodachrome is a pain for Kodak to keep around, it's also their signature product, and the only dye-transfer film on the market, something no other manufacturer can claim. Wouldnt it be cool if someone did set up one of these minilabs to do Kodachrome super 8?? (Especially in my home town!)
yeah, it would be cost-prohibitive, unless you had a steady steam of cartridges coming in...you could corner the market on the west coast for developing..you'd be the only game in town!
I would think it would be in Kodak's best interest to make super8 Kodachrome processing much more widely available with these new machines which would help increase film sales if more people knew there were rapid processing services available.
I live in the LA area and a few years ago Yale film labs in North Hollywood stopped processing Kodachrome. I don't know the reasons why, but if the new K-lab system was available they might offer it again. . . Or heck! I might find a way to finance and offer it!
Many places in califorinia sent film to A&I kodachrome, but they got a K-Lab and shut down there K-14 processing machine. I don't know how much money you could make with a K-14 machine but I bet there are a few K-Labs for sale as well as K-14 machines. Good luck trying to set up a K-14 lab in California. The california epa will eat you alive I would bet. Plus you need a full time chemist on staff. Is Dewaynes all that bad?
Regards,
Paul Cotto
filmman35 wrote:I would think it would be in Kodak's best interest to make super8 Kodachrome processing much more widely available with these new machines which would help increase film sales if more people knew there were rapid processing services available.
I live in the LA area and a few years ago Yale film labs in North Hollywood stopped processing Kodachrome. I don't know the reasons why, but if the new K-lab system was available they might offer it again. . . Or heck! I might find a way to finance and offer it!
Don't worry about equipment so much and make your movie!
Yes, The EPA. . . or is it the "KGB" would put the smack-dab on my butt. Maybe that's why Yale stopped processing it. Dwaynes is a great lab but I love the idea of driving to the lab then mailing my film.
Dwayne's is fine, it's just the turnaround time for Kodachrome processing. If you send it the economical way thru Kodak mailers, it takes 2-3 weeks...if you use Dwaynes, it's faster, but costs 9.00 plus shipping plus the cost to ship it to them...you'd spend about 14.00 for processing, which is a lot more than Kodak. Just would be nice to have a quicker turnaround time without the added expense.
filmman35 wrote:I would think it would be in Kodak's best interest to make super8 Kodachrome processing much more widely available with these new machines which would help increase film sales if more people knew there were rapid processing services available.
I live in the LA area and a few years ago Yale film labs in North Hollywood stopped processing Kodachrome. I don't know the reasons why, but if the new K-lab system was available they might offer it again. . . Or heck! I might find a way to finance and offer it!
I don't think that Yale ever actually processed Kodachrome 40.
I don't know the reasons why, but if the new K-lab system was available they might offer it again. . . Or heck! I might find a way to finance and offer it!I don't know the reasons why, but if the new K-lab system was available they might offer it again. . . Or heck! I might find a way to finance and offer it!