Kodachrome is no more

Why do you shoot a lot of it?

I admit I have not shot film in quite some time. I retired my two large format cameras a year ago and regretted it ever since. However, I am mostly shooting digital and probably will just continue. I loved Kodachrome myself but frankly digital cameras are so inexpensive these days and anyone who owns one is suddenly a professional photographer so who cares about film right? </sarcasm

“They give us those nice bright colors. They give us the greens of summers. Makes you think all the world’s a sunny day,... So Mama don’t take my Kodachrome away.” - Paul Simon

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Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Don't take my Kodachrome away!!!!

Thanks gkarris for beating me to the punch! Paul Simon's song was the first thing in my head when I read the story. I will miss Kodachrome as I still shoot film occasionally with my trusty Leica IIIc when I want a certain look. Goodbye Kodachrome, you will be missed..

Very unfortunate. I should go stock up on some.

Don

BanjoBanker said:

Thanks gkarris for beating me to the punch! Paul Simon's song was the first thing in my head when I read the story.

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Considering the article title was...Sorry, Paul Simon, Kodak’s axing Kodachrome.

One of the most played songs in my iTunes library.

What I don't get...

...is why companies like Kodak and Polaroid won't license the formulas for making these films to boutique companies that want to keep making them. Seems like a win/win to me; photographers can keep the films and processes they love, EK would get royalties, and someone else could build a business around it.

There's a group looking to do it with the Polaroid film packs (Polaroid Lovers Try to Revive Its Instant Film, NY Times May 25, 2009) though they have a long row to hoe with no assistance coming from Polaroid.

ADOX and maco products (under the Rollei name) are selling some old-school black and white emulsions - would they have the facilities to keep Kodachrome going?

^^^ because Kodak has new Ekta slide film, and you can now get instant cameras and film from Fuji...

gkarris said:

^^^ because Kodak has new Ekta slide film, and you can now get instant cameras and film from Fuji...

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Yeah, there's Ektachrome, and of course Velvia and Provia...it's just not the same, and of course, that may be a good thing.

Kodak now has a tribute to Kodachrome up on their site...

I mourned the loss of my favourite film (Fuji Velvia) right up to the moment when I took a deep breath and went digital. In the three years since then, I haven't looked back at film-based photography with any great nostalgia.

I thought my photographic world had ended when my favourite film disappeared. But it wasn't the end at all... just the beginning..

Doylem said:

I mourned the loss of my favourite film (Fuji Velvia) right up to the moment when I took a deep breath and went digital. In the three years since then, I haven't looked back at film-based photography with any great nostalgia.

I thought my photographic world had ended when my favourite film disappeared. But it wasn't the end at all... just the beginning..

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I've heard good things about the current Velvia 50; havent shot it myself, but from what I hear it's fairly similar to the original Velvia.

^ good point Doylem.
I bought a case of Velvia when I heard the announcement and eventually sold off the remaining stock in the fridge before it expired.

Even still, it'd be nice if I had the space and means to continue to use film right now.

jessica. said:

I bought a case of Velvia when I heard the announcement and eventually sold off the remaining stock in the fridge before it expired.

Even still, it'd be nice if I had the space and means to continue to use film right now.

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Me too... I bought a stock of Velvia and put it in the fridge. But it was depressing to think my photographic days were almost over (hard to believe now, but that's how I felt then...), and I gave my last few rolls away.

I didn't fire a shutter for maybe a year. Then I stumped up for a Nikon D200, found you can teach an old dog new tricks after all, and haven't looked back since.

I can't think of a single reason for going back to film...

I'm still using film and am contemplating switching to digital sometime in the future, but for the present, I have a beautiful "old" Nikon F100 and I love using it.

On topic, I'm always sorry to see the demise of an iconic brand, especially a high quality brand that gave many people much pleasure over the years.

Cheers and good luck