Kodak 16mm Reversal Stocks

[Paul Mattei]

:( I see that Kodak now lists only 1 color reversal stock on their website. As an amature cinematographer, I have been a fan of 16mm kodachrome 40. They list only the new 100 speed daylight Ektachrome for 16mm. I called Kodak and they are saying you can still get Kodachrome 7270, but it is on back order. I just think that it is a shame that Kodak is abandoning this family of films. For the professional, this probabli isn't an issue, but for us amatuers, it is.

[Joe Gioielli]

Yes Paul. It looks like Kodachrome is on the way out. This has been tearing around the film community for about a year. First they ended it in Super 8, but said they would keep it in 16mm, no that does not seem to be the case. I'm sorry to see the stock go, but it seems that it just didn't make financial sense to keep it around. The fact that there is also only one place in the USA (perhaps one still in Europe, but I don't know for sure.) that can process didn't help. I guess that 35mm is doomed as well.

 

I really wish Kodak had just stated that all the Kodachrome was doomed from the get-go. I can't help feeling a bit jerked around, but whatever.

 

I haven't used the 100d yet, but John (from kodak) speaks very highly of this stock. I would suggest trying it out.

 

Best regards

Joe

[Paul Mattei]

Yes Paul. It looks like Kodachrome is on the way out. This has been tearing around the film community for about a year. First they ended it in Super 8, but said they would keep it in 16mm, no that does not seem to be the case. I'm sorry to see the stock go, but it seems that it just didn't make financial sense to keep it around. The fact that there is also only one place in the USA (perhaps one still in Europe, but I don't know for sure.) that can process didn't help. I guess that 35mm is doomed as well.

 

I really wish Kodak had just stated that all the Kodachrome was doomed from the get-go. I can't help feeling a bit jerked around, but whatever.

 

I haven't used the 100d yet, but John (from kodak) speaks very highly of this stock. I would suggest trying it out.

 

Best regards

Joe

 

Thank you for the reply!

[John Pytlak RIP]

Yes Paul. It looks like Kodachrome is on the way out. This has been tearing around the film community for about a year. First they ended it in Super 8, but said they would keep it in 16mm, no that does not seem to be the case. I'm sorry to see the stock go, but it seems that it just didn't make financial sense to keep it around. The fact that there is also only one place in the USA (perhaps one still in Europe, but I don't know for sure.) that can process didn't help. I guess that 35mm is doomed as well.

 

I really wish Kodak had just stated that all the Kodachrome was doomed from the get-go. I can't help feeling a bit jerked around, but whatever.

 

I haven't used the 100d yet, but John (from kodak) speaks very highly of this stock. I would suggest trying it out.

 

Best regards

Joe

 

Only two labs in the world still process KODACHROME movie film. The business case is driven by how much KODACHROME film is used, which has been decreasing for years, unlike other motion picture films, which have been increasing. Kodak isn't trying to "jerk around" customers as it tries to maintain availability of old "legacy" films like KODACHROME films even as the market has moved to more modern stocks. But at some point, it is just not feasible to maintain an old film formulation for a "niche" market.

 

The business decisions for still film are separate from those made by Kodak Entertainment Imaging (professional motion picture).

[Joe Gioielli]

Thanks John, please don't think I'm picking on you. I know that you're not in that area of the company.

 

But there is nothing, and I mean nothing, that will ever make me believe that Kodachrome has a future. First the Super 8 was killed, but we were told that 16mm and 35mm was safe. Now were being told that 16mm is a gonner but 35mm is still safe. Nope, Sorry, no sale.

 

I can't believe that enough 35mm Kodachrome (still film) is sold to keep the line going. I'd love to be wrong, but I don't think I am. I also have a hard time believing the fellows in charge of such things haven't run the numbers and come to the same conclusion. I just wish they'd say it. They're the ones I feel jerked around by.

 

Thanks again for all your help.

Joe

[John Pytlak RIP]

I can't believe that enough 35mm Kodachrome (still film) is sold to keep the line going. I'd love to be wrong, but I don't think I am. I also have a hard time believing the fellows in charge of such things haven't run the numbers and come to the same conclusion. I just wish they'd say it. They're the ones I feel jerked around by.

 

 

As I said, these are tough business decisions. Kodak wants to satisfy the needs of customers, and KODACHROME films have lots of "die hard" fans, including many within Kodak. But it has become a niche market with decreasing volumes. So use the opportunity to still enjoy KODACHROME film rather than worry about the future.

[A.Oliver]

Hi, 16mm k40 has be discontinued in Europe, i received a letter from kodak uk a few weeks back. I reckon you should be able to get non-processed paid 16mm k40 from the US for a little longer. I see kodak US has not yet officially announced the discontinuance of 16mm k40 on the 'product changes' list yet http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/newslett...=0.1.4.17&lc=en So has kodak UK given the uk user advanced notice?, i was aware of the end of 16mm k40 from a letter i received from the lab in early Jan 2006, appears the US are dragging there heels with an announcement. imo, it would appear that kodak wish to close the Swiss lab to all cine processing by Sep 2006. So make the most of any stocks you have, this really is the end of an era. This is not good news for the amateur who uses 16mm, like me, kodachrome is the only affordable way of shooting 16mm. 400ft of 100d plus processing in the uk cost me £240.00, i can get 8 rolls of 16mm k40 for that price!!!!!!!

John, any new reversal 16mm stock planned to replace kodachrome?

[Sam Wells]

400ft of 100d plus processing in the uk cost me £240.00, i can get 8 rolls of 16mm k40 for that price!!!!!!!

John, any new reversal 16mm stock planned to replace kodachrome?

 

I'd still like to see a "reasonable contrast" (IOW NOT 52/7285 / E100VS or Velvia) medium to low speed E6.

 

Someting experimentalists, students could work with on the one hand; something that would telecine reasonable easliy without having to invent the look in Davinci or Pogle color grading (do able with ECN *if* you have the time and a bunch of $$) -- something students and others could reasonably judge exposure on and correlate to video or HD video transfer

 

-Sam

[ochopatas]

Only two labs in the world still process KODACHROME movie film.

 

Not really moving the discussion along, but I want to point out that I just shot on Kodachrome and got it developed and pushed from a local guy in Michigan.

 

So I think there are more than 2 in the whole world. :)

[jijhh]

yeah, i know of three just in new york off the top of my head that still process it.

[David Mullen ASC]

yeah, i know of three just in new york off the top of my head that still process it.

 

They most likely send the Kodachrome off to one of the few labs in the world that handle it...

 

It's a complicated 14-step development process.

[Charles MacDonald]

They most likely send the Kodachrome off to one of the few labs in the world that handle it...

 

It's a complicated 14-step development process.

I recall reading that Fuji used to run Kodachrome at one time in their labs that deal with still photgraphers. They may still have a line that can handle the film. AFAIK, the process is the same as for 35mm slide version, although the tension is more critical for 16mm, and worse for Super 8.

 

I have hard of folks getting their super 8 processed quickly at US Wal-mart stores, and this would be using such a commercial lab.

 

Dwayne's = http://k14movies.com is probaly the only game if you want to deal directly with the lab.