Were there non Kodak labs that could process Kodachrome

[winbert]

Hi all,

I knew this is a past. But in the middle of romanticism with Kodachrome, I wonder during the heyday of Kodachrome if there were many non-Kodak labs operating to process it?

I remember in 1980s when I was in Indonesia, my dad had to send the super 8 cartridges to Kodak address in Australia to process it (because of the pre-paid envelope). But our local TV cameraman who also used Kodachrome super 8 stock could shoot an event in the morning and aired it in the afternoon.

What do you think the way to process it so quickly?

cheers,

winbert

[nickrapak]

There were several non-Kodak labs that processed Kodachrome, although most were in the US. The last non-Kodak labs to process K-14 were Horiuchi Color in Japan, A&I in Los Angeles, and of course, Dwayne's Photo in Parsons, KS.

[woods01]

Are you sure the tv cameraman was shooting on Kodachrome? TV news was usually shot on 16mm Ektachrome in the 70s and TV stations of the day had a small on site processor to handle all their film.

[winbert]

Are you sure the tv cameraman was shooting on Kodachrome? TV news was usually shot on 16mm Ektachrome in the 70s and TV stations of the day had a small on site processor to handle all their film.

Yap pretty sure, because I was beside them when they loading the film. And I couldn't forget the yellow and red box as well as yellow cartridge wrap (aluminum foil). (ps: just to double check, since I never used Ektachrome in 1980s, what was the color of cartridge wrap at that time?).

Our local TV is very small one, it was intended for City TV only. So 16mm would be too expensive for them.

So may be during the heyday, they can also process Kodachrome at own lab?

Any opinion?

[Tscan]

Interesting topic. It has me wondering that in the 70's there we're a few more brands making S8 carts. We're any others using a K14 type process? Back then you could drop your S8 film all over, including those little film huts. Curious to how they we're expedited? I would imagine at least some kind of regional K14 service, as in each State? Maybe Ektachromes were done more often locally? All I remember is Dad dropping off the rolls somewhere and how excited we were to watch them a week later... much like today!

Last year I was in a small town in Eastern Oregon. There was an old building on main street that still had the original painted add on the side brick wall. It advertised selling and processing movie film. It was from the 30's or 40's.

[etimh]

Back then you could drop your S8 film all over, including those little film huts.

A cool little Fotomat hut during the heyday:


And after 1 hour processing made them obsolete:


Tim

[Tscan]

Exactly! thanks for that!

[Angus]

Back in the day there were a number of brands of super 8 film, but ony Kodak ever offered Kodachrome.

I can't say for sure what was available in the USA but I've seen 3M and Anscochrome in addition to Kodak stocks.

In Europe we definitely had Kodak, Agfa (pulled out in 1992). The Agfa film was sold under other names such as Boots (the UK equivalent of Walgreen's). We also had Perutz and Revue (mail order only, possibly made by Agfa), Ferrania, Dixons (camera store own brand probably made by Agfa), Prinz Color.

There were a number of brands but I suspect several were rebadged Agfa film.

Agfa continued on until 1992 and offered a film which was about 15-20% cheaper than K40. From the mid 80's they only offered a 25/40ASA film in competition with K40 but in earlier times they also offered a 160ASA faster film. The Agfa film was very pleasing but K40 was better, still I shot a lot of Agfa (and Boots branded) film because of the price difference.

When I started shooting super 8, Boots Moviechrome 40 was #5.49 a roll, Agfa Moviechrome (identical) was #5.99 and K40 was #7.49 - all films included processing. This was at my local Boots store. Boots ceased selling super 8 film in 2000 or 2001, K40 was #12.99 in their stores by then.

[Angus]

I remember a few years ago (perhaps 2003) I was on holiday in Spain and saw a shop among all the other tourist trap shops which advertised "Kodak Photo Cine". So I popped in...and they had 35mm still film but no cine film. That old ad was still on the shop in 2010.

Last time I regularly found super 8 film on sale in touristy areas was the late 80's. In the UK you can still find it in Jessops camera shops but its damned expensive.

[richard p. t.]

Ektachrome 160 at least sometimes came in a sealed yellow bag with red kodak 'k's, as did K40.
It is exceedingly unlikely that the stock your tv station shot and had processed same day was kodachrome.

[winbert]

Ektachrome 160 at least sometimes came in a sealed yellow bag with red kodak 'k's, as did K40.

Aaah... Richard, if you say this than it is very likely that was Ektachrome. I never used Ektachrome back then because the price didn't include process.

Many Ektachrome users in Indonesia processed it locally and they are now either faded color or gone magenta. Lucky my Dad always used K40 since the first time (more expensive and more turning time) but they are still good now.

BTW, slightly off topic, since I can now only use Ektarchrome (both 64T or 100D) will they get faded or magenta too like the old Ektachrome?

I am so worried.

thanks

[nickrapak]

The 100D and 64T are nowhere near as prone to fading as the old EM-26 and ME-4 stocks. Some research has indicated that those stocks may last up to 220 years, longer than Kodachrome's 185.