Ektachrome RIP ??

Alain LeTourneau · March 2, 2012

Anyone have more news than this?

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20120301/BUSINESS/303010043

I don't see the stock on the February 2012 discontinued list?

Alain

Alain LeTourneau · March 2, 2012

http://www.thephoblographer.com/2012/03/01/did-kodak-just-discontinue-all-their-slide-films/

http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/2156493/kodak-discontinues-colour-reversal-films

Alain

Jim Carlile · March 2, 2012

Their official notice says nothing about 100D. Just the other "slide films," as they call them. Journalists then go on to speculate that this means all E-6.

I would suspect that they're keeping 100D around for a while in the MP format.

"The films are the Kodak Professional Ektachrome E100G, Kodak Professional Ektachrome E100VS Film and Kodak Professional Elite Chrome Extra Color 100."

In fact, Kodak strikes a difference between 100D and the others. 100D is clearly MP only now:

http://www.kodak.com/country/US/en/motion/products/reversal/5285faq.shtml

So don't worry.

Edited March 2, 2012 by Jim Carlile

andy oliver · March 2, 2012

Their official notice says nothing about 100D. Just the other "slide films," as they call them. Journalists then go on to speculate that this means all E-6.

I would suspect that they're keeping 100D around for a while in the MP format.

"The films are the Kodak Professional Ektachrome E100G, Kodak Professional Ektachrome E100VS Film and Kodak Professional Elite Chrome Extra Color 100."

In fact, Kodak strikes a difference between 100D and the others. 100D is clearly MP only now:

http://www.kodak.com/country/US/en/motion/products/reversal/5285faq.shtml

So don't worry.

Worry!, seen this before with 64t, discontinued in the 35mm format but not the super 8, then within 12 months it was gone in the super 8 format!. Kodak e6 is now history. Reckon we've around 12 months left for 100d in the MP format....

Adrian Sierkowski · March 2, 2012

That stinks a bit. Elite Chrome was one of mt favorite stills films, as was VS.

Jock Blakley · March 2, 2012

Eastman EKTACHROME 100D 5285 / 7285 is derived from and is essentially identical to Kodak Professional EKTACHROME E100VS 5085 / 6085, but is a different product that is handled by Kodak Cinema and Television, rather than the department that manages still films. Any discontinuation of a still film is meaningless to motion films unless a matched discontinuation notice for the MP is issued at the same time.

Of course there's absolutely nothing to say that they won't pull their usual stunt and discontinue it themselves within the year - as they did with EKTACHROME 64T.

Journalists writing for the stills publications have no comprehension that film is even used in movies, hence the blanket "colour reversal is dead" comments.

Mark Dunn · March 2, 2012

Well the announcement refers to the complex formulation and manufacture being a factor in the discontinuation, so it's difficult to see how it will survive if it's basically the same emulsion.

Fancy that. No more reversal film from Kodak.

:blink:

Charles MacDonald · March 2, 2012

Well the announcement refers to the complex formulation and manufacture being a factor in the discontinuation, so it's difficult to see how it will survive if it's basically the same emulsion.

Fancy that. No more reversal film from Kodak.

:blink:

Unfortunatly that is my interpretaion - with any reprieve being stock that is still in the warehouse. And I can imagine that folks who like the Ektachrome for slides will be figuring out how to get 35mm X 400Ft rolls spooled down for bulk loading in their still cameras if the Movie stock lasts longer than the Still stock.

Alain LeTourneau · March 2, 2012

Official word from Kodak (reposted from other web source):

"Yesterday, Kodak announced the discontinuance of its three Kodak Professional EKTACHROME and ELITE Chrome Films. This news does not affect our ability to supply 5285 and 7285 color reversal motion picture film products to our customers. We continue to provide these films in 35mm, 16mm and S8 stocks with the same great quality and product support you’ve come to expect from the Kodak brand."

Alain

Jim Carlile · March 6, 2012

Remember that it's not just the coating, it's also the packaging. If 35mm slide-film sales have declined so much that it's no longer worth the effort, then this would explain the discontinuation.

Compare this to MP. Sales have actually increased in this area. And also consider how much more MP color reversal film is sold than slide. There's still a sizeable market for it.

Kodak is also quite sensitive about these products and their substitutions, and it goes into their decision. For instance, they know that Fuji still makes 35mm slide reversal but not MP (any more). So it's still available. But the same's not true of S8 and 16 color reversal. 100D is the only game in town.

I'm not worried-- if you keep buying it they'll keep making it. But we'll know by early summer. If they're down to their last rolls in storage then they'll announce the end by about July or so. And then they'll estimate a six- to twelve-month timeline.