2009-06-23

RIP Kodachrome

After 74 amazing years of rich color photography, Eastman Kodak has finally called it kaput on the oldest brand of color film in existence. Kodachrome has a special place in my heart because it's my boyfriend's favorite color film and I've dabbled with it myself a few times on my trip to Prague and Romania last summer (too few! *sniff*). I was kind of expecting the death knoll after learning that only one place in the world still processes k-chrome slides. It's all the way in bloody Kansas. My boy would have all of his rolls shipped out there and we would wait a few weeks for their return. Most of you may not know about the slide film, but you might recognize certain famous photographs taken with it, such as the Afghan Girl captured by Steve McCurry. Would her eyes have shone as brightly on any other film? Digital photography has come a long way, but even though I mostly do digital myself, the quality just doesn't compare to film. Unless you're willing to shell out a few thousand for top of the line equipment, that is. Remember the end of Polaroid film just a while ago? How many more photography greats must we part with in the future? Darn you, declining demand!


Images via National Geographic, Labby Road, Neatorama, PentaxUser, Historic Photo Archive, Adorama

And below, photos of me taken with Kodachrome by my boy Kevin. What speed is this by the way Kev?

6 comments:

Kevin~~ said...

Sabrina,
the top photo, with your face, was taken with brand new Kodachrome 64 ISO. The bottom one with your feet was with Kodachrome 200 ISO which expired in 1993 making it 16 years past the due date when it was exposed.

The legendary portrait of the Afgan girl was taken using Kodachrome 200.

<3

Rosie the Cat said...

It makes me sad, too. There's nothing like the quality of that film, and professional black and white Ilford.

art lover said...

hello!

i feel you on this one. i once had an obsession of collecting film. i still have some lying on my fridge and i can't find the strength to sell them.

i like your pictures!

-Liane
classic-ism.blogspot.com

The Frocker said...

Wow. I'm not a photography buff, but I do remember this film, and it's pretty sad to see it go. I just think that with the advent of digital cameras, people who take photos every now and then don't really use film anymore, hence a lack of demand.

Still, it's disappointing.

Amelia said...

I love that picture of you looking up. It has that soft look that it seems like only film can achieve. This is a sad day, indeed.

Miranda* said...

it is sad how film is slowly dying..just not right, especially speaking from a photographers perspective :(

i love your bf's photographs, they realy are stunning