Ektachrome 40 Type A - How to process?

Post by **David M. Leugers** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 4:26 am

It's just weird that Kodak would have 2 40/25 film stocks at the same time. I'm really curious as to how it looked.

The idea for Ektachrome 40 was it gave you a low grain, low speed film that better matched and inter cut with Ektachrome 160. I liked it a lot, but I think it
died on the vine as not many shot it, and few even knew about it because most stores only carried Kodachrome 40. I had to special order a few rolls from a major photo store near Detroit in order to try it out. The colors were certainly more in line with Ektachrome 160 and the grain was very good. I'll have to see if I can dig those two rolls up and transfer them so everyone can see what it looked like.

David M. Leugers

Post by **VideoFred** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:49 am

David M. Leugers wrote: I'll have to see if I can dig those two rolls up and transfer them so everyone can see what it looked like.

David, did it look like this:

I have often noticed around 1970 there must have been a realy good Kodak stock available. Later, colors where not like this any more.

Old R8 Kodachrome 25 was very good, too.

Fred.

Post by **alex-rus** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 4:30 pm

I never used Kodachrome, but I know, that unused Kodachrome lasts very long if it is reserved in a cold. Results should be good!

____________________________________
Best regards from Russia!

Alexander, super 8mm filmmaker from Russia, Krasnoyarsk

Post by **David M. Leugers** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 6:52 pm

David, did it look like this:

No, I don't think so. The footage I have remaining {finally dug it up, haven't looked at it in over 25 years} looks more like Ektachrome 160 and not as sharp as your example. Of course, the crappy lensed GAF camera I used to shoot my footage with may distort what the film was capable of. I wonder if your example was shot on SM7244? I always wanted to shoot some of that stock, but never got my hands on before they quit making it. Your image reminds me of the look of VNF which the SM film was similar to.

David M. Leugers

Post by **VideoFred** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 7:36 am

David M. Leugers wrote: I wonder if your example was shot on SM7244?

I will have a closer look at that reel. Maybe something is printed on the film border. This is not my reel.. I have not shot it. The man who shot it has passed away so I can not ask him. I got it from his granddaughter. It's from the early seventies, that's for sure.

Your image reminds me of the look of VNF which the SM film was similar to.

What's VNF?

Fred.

Post by **James E** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 9:44 am

VideoFred wrote:
David M. Leugers wrote: I wonder if your example was shot on SM7244?
I will have a closer look at that reel. Maybe something is printed on the film border.

Your image reminds me of the look of VNF which the SM film was similar to.
What's VNF?

Fred.

VNF = Video News Film. It's an Ekta film ASA 125 and fantastic for transfering to video as that is what it is designed for. There are still some backstocks available and processing remains available althought not for long as Kodak made their last batch of VNF chemistry earlier this year. It can also be processed in E-6. The super 8 feature Sleep Always was shot w/ VNF and it looks fantastically professional.

Post by **alex-rus** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 11:51 am

I did not shoot old Ektachrome VNF, but looked it. Looks is good !
____________________________________
Best regards from Russia!

Alexander, super 8mm filmmaker from Russia, Krasnoyarsk

Post by **Matthew Buick** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 9:37 pm

David M. Leugers wrote:
It's just weird that Kodak would have 2 40/25 film stocks at the same time. I'm really curious as to how it looked.
The idea for Ektachrome 40 was it gave you a low grain, low speed film that better matched and inter cut with Ektachrome 160. I liked it a lot, but I think it
died on the vine as not many shot it, and few even knew about it because most stores only carried Kodachrome 40. I had to special order a few rolls from a major photo store near Detroit in order to try it out. The colors were certainly more in line with Ektachrome 160 and the grain was very good. I'll have to see if I can dig those two rolls up and transfer them so everyone can see what it looked like.

David M. Leugers

That would be great! I'll be glad to see what this film will come off like.

Post by **Matthew Buick** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 12:12 am

After nearly two years as a Super 8mm nut I love finding out exciting new things like this!

Was there an Ektachrome 25 also?

Post by **Matthew Buick** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 12:54 am

VideoFred, that still looks beautiful. Looks like well shot Kodachrome to me. K25?

Post by **woods01** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 5:47 am

James E wrote:still some backstocks available and processing remains available althought not for long as Kodak made their last batch of VNF chemistry earlier this year. It can also be processed in E-6. The super 8 feature Sleep Always was shot w/ VNF and it looks fantastically professional.

Hmm, I always liked the results I got from the few rolls of VNF that I shot.
A friend recently gave me a sealed cart that had apparently sat in a garage
for a couple years. I didn't think processing was still available... I might
give it a go.

Post by **Jim Carlile** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 9:27 am

T-Scan wrote:WOW! I never heard of E40 in S8 before. Looks to have a filter notch, so 40T/25D. Most likely is the same process as the old E160T. It's just weird that Kodak would have 2 40/25 film stocks at the same time. I'm really curious as to how it looked...
This makes me think of what color reversal stocks Kodak has loaded into S8 since 1965...
KodachromeII
Kodachrome 25
Kodachrome 40
Ektachrome 40
Ektachrome 160
Ektachrome 160G
Ektachrome 125 (VNF)
Ektachrome 64T

Anyone know of others?

Sure-- Ektachrome 7244 and 7242. For years the last one was the only 200 foot sound stock they made-- Kodak initially refused to make 200 foot K-40 available with stripe until about 1979. Most stores wouldn't even stock K40 sound anyway-- for some reason E-160 sound was pushed instead to the consumer.

7244 is the famous SM, made for their Supermatic processor. It doesn't have a black backing so it's much easier to hand process.

Ektachrome 40 lasted about five years. It was a nice stock, Lenny Lipton said it was his favorite. It uses ME-4 processing which is similar to E-4, not compatible with E-6. I'm sure Martin can process all of these.

The film in the picture looks like KII-- nice contrast and saturation, almost 3-D like. Even nicer was the original Kodachrome, made up until about 1963. It looked alot like the original Technicolor-- sharp and very contrasty. In fact, people complained so much about its demise that Kodak kept selling it alongside KII for awhile.

Post by **VideoFred** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 11:01 am

Jim Carlile wrote: Even nicer was the original Kodachrome, made up until about 1963.

This is a still from a 1962 R8 reel:

Incredible how well preserved those colors are!

Fred.

Post by **Matthew Buick** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 11:31 am

Jim Carlile wrote: Ektachrome 40 lasted about five years. It was a nice stock, Lenny Lipton said it was his favorite.

May I ask which years these five years were?

Post by **Jim Carlile** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:27 am

Matthew Buick wrote:
Jim Carlile wrote: Ektachrome 40 lasted about five years. It was a nice stock, Lenny Lipton said it was his favorite.
May I ask which years these five years were?

I can look it up but I think about 1974 to 1979, almost exactly. I'm trying to remember the exact reason why E-40 was developed, I think it had to do with more processing availability, and it came out as a set with E-160, which used to be called "High Speed Ektachrome."

About the R8 picture-- yes, that looks like the orginal Kodachrome. I suspected the other one was KII because most Ektachromes have faded a little.

Check this out as an example of Kodachrome from 1950. Right-click 'view image' for a better rendition: