Friday 25 March 2011

Last of the Kodachromes: Part 1

House_20101101_0514_020
Winter in the Park

Kodachrome film was discontinued  at the end of 2009. The film wasn't processed using the common E6 process for colour film but used a special process. This meant the film had to be sent away for processing in special labs. These were spread around the world but as the use of this film declined so the labs closed. Dwayne's Photo in Kansas, USA, was the last, and this closed it's Kodachrome processing facility in December 2010.

House_20101101_0514_016

When I first heard the news about Kodachrome I didn't pay much attention as I usually shot digital and I believed I didn't have any Kodachrome film in my fridge. I was wrong. About 5 years ago as digital started to replace film many of the older style camera and photography shops started to close. I was still shooting a lot of film at the time and I went around many of these shops picking up old stocks of film as I went. Some of them were past there sell-by-date, but this just meant I got an even cheaper price.

House_20101101_0514_017

I eventually stacked up quite a collection of film which I store in a fridge in the shed. I have both 120 and 35mm film to use up.

House_20101101_0514_018

Eventually I paid attention to the Kodachrome story and decided I'd better look and see. I found 5 rolls of 36 exposure 35mm film. It was already October 2010. I'd better get on the case, shoot the film, and get it to the lab on time.

House_20101101_0514_023

No comments:

Post a Comment