Processing Kodachrome after December

[Nrk]

I still have about 30 carts of Kodachrome to shoot and inevitably will have some left after december. I know that it can be processed to achieve a black and white print by labs but was curious as to whether the film could possibly be processed (incorrectly) to yield some sort of experimental colour results? I'm just wondering whether I will still be able to get some sort of (probably putrid) colour from the film in 2011. I like weird colours in film anyway but would rather someone else processed it as 1. i'm lazy and 2. i don't know how to.

[richard p. t.]

Unlike other colour films, Kodachrome doesn't have any colour dyes incorporated in the image layers at time of manufacture. The colour is added during the processing. So without the K14 process or something simmilar, there is no colour to be had from Kodachrome at all.
richard

[mr8mm]

I have processed Kodachrome as a black and white negative. You will get a recognizable negative on orange base material. I have been told you can not produce a b/w reversal positive from the negative. I guess the question would be can you get a usable positive black and white from your kodachrome? The only reason to want a positive would be if you have Kodachrome sound film and want the film with sound because any black and white stock is probably better than the Kodachrome.

I have ask Dwayne's about any possibility of processing kodachrome as a B/W positive and have gotten no indication they are planning any Kodachrome processing after the chemistry is gone.

I wonder how long Dwayne's will survive after kodachrome is phased out?

J.S.

[robbie]

i too have wondered about possiblities of processing kodachrome after December. have been aware of the b/w alternative for years, but never tried since i enjoy the colors of K40 and K25 too much, but now with 2.5 months left and hours of raw footage in fridge, i will be seeking ways to continue an image with this stock., but for now, im shooting kodachrome 8mm, s8 and 16mm everyday until the final day in December to achieve the colors i will miss.
i hope Dwaynes will survive. they do a good job with E6 jobs, such as the 64T and 100D.
if anyone discovers processing forms for this film after this year, please share.

[nickrapak]

Here is the closest anyone ever got. This is after about 2 years of work, and getting supplies from companies that don't supply them anymore:



Either way, I'm sure some of us here will gladly help you finish your stock...

[woods01]

Far out images, could be good stuff for the experimental crowd, what did you process that film with?

Anyone got a good recipe for processing it as B&W?

[Nrk]

Those images are amazing!! I'd sell my granny for processing that could yield those kind of results. Well, maybe not my granny, maybe a few cousins.

Is there anyone out there who is doing left-field film processing? I'd love to get into that kind of thing but am already up to my eyes with my current archaic hobbies.

[aj]

People with considerable stocks of ciné or still Kodachrome better petition with Kodak or Dwayne's to have the end-date shifted out by 6 months.

Or longer
How difficult can that be?

[mr8mm]

I agree!!! Kodak should be contacted by all disgruntled Kodachrome users. The deadline should be extended. Contact Dwayne's to find out who at Kodak to pester. Dwayne's is on our side. They want to continue Kodachrome processing. Call and explain your concerns. Kodachrome remains viable for years when frozen. Pulling the plug on processing was made by Kodak thinkers who want to eliminate film from kodak as quickly as possible because digital is the future. Check the stock price this approach isn't working. The stock price is less than a roll of 35mm 20 exposure film.

J.S.

[nickrapak]

I didn't do those. They are the work of someone on APUG named DarkroomExperimenter. Here is the link to the thread in which he explains what he did (look at pages 4-6):
link

[woods01]

I suspect that the December deadline is what Dwayne's can guarantee based on their supply/consumption of Kodachrome film chemicals. They might be able to do a few of the late rolls in January. The timing of the deadline is a bummer, there's no real chance to shoot one last reel at Christmas.

I'm curious what sort of chemistry is used, is the formula some sort of Kodak secret? The big motion picture labs buy the chemicals in bulk and mix it themselves on site to save money.

[Davideo]

is the formula some sort of Kodak secret?

Very good point here. Since they are going out of the Kodachrome processing business, they could simply make the formula public and let others make their own chemicals....and possibly do processing. After all, the secret is only for the purpose of them securing the business all to themselves.

[granfer]

The timing of the deadline is a bummer, there's no real chance to shoot one last reel at Christmas.

No. that's why they gave you PLENTY of advance warning of what would happen, and when. And , surprisingly enough, it will be TOO LATE to film the New Years celebrations in Times Square, or the 2012 Olympics. What a BUMMER!

Is there anyone out there that can actually able to find ANYTHING that they agree with in this pathetic society of ours?

[Angus]

Its not just a formula of chemicals.....its a 14 step process which nobody has ever been able to replicate outside of a professional laboratory.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-14_process

Now I doubt that it is impossible, but Kodachrome processing is notoriously difficult. Most people agree that Kodak's own lab in Swizerland did it better than Dwayne's - and Dwayne's is hardly an amateur outfit. It needs highly trained operatives and complex machinery.

[Will2]

There are old Kodachrome processing machines lying around in the back of old film labs all over. Plenty of labs used to process Kodachrome in the 60's and 70's so the equipment is out there just in really bad shape.

It might just be time to let go.

Modern Ektachrome looks fine and can be had fresh. The expired Kodachrome I've been processing lately hasn't looked as good as it used to.

I shot a roll of 16mm Kodachrome from the last batch and a new Ektachrome 100D roll this summer and I'm sad to say the Ektachrome looked much better projected.