So long old friend . .

[Tim Bennet.]

Kodak have just announced that there's to be no more Kodachrome slide film. Until three years ago, my entire life (and my Dad's back to the late 1930's) have been chronicled in the sequentially numbered little yellow boxes stacked up in the cupboard here.

The end of every holiday or expedition was always marked by the same ritual; the dispatch of the little yellow envelopes to 'Box 14, Hemel Hempstead, Herts". The good thing was, as the processing was prepaid, it didn't matter how destitute or broke you were at the end of a trip, you could always afford to get your slides 'done' and looking at them would buoy you through the depressing, post trip blues until the next half baked plan could be hatched.

I can't blame Kodak: I too largely deserted Kodachrome 64 and went (almost completely) digital three years ago. I just kept a few rolls for use in my Ricoh GR1v as nothing that small or lightweight comes close in digital. But, better use up the last rolls and seal down those little envelopes for the last time.

 

[Crackle]

Yes that is sad. I too have lots of Kodachrome slides, right bugger to scan but I can't complain really as I've also gone digital: End of an era.

 

[tyred]

Very sad. Slide film is unmatched for quality IMO.

 

[Crankarm]

Yes end of an era. Forever immortalised by Simon and Garfunkel lyrics.

Personally I preferred Fujichrome Velvia when it came out some time later. Haven't used any for about 10 years so perhaps that sums up the the market for it. There isn't one for slide film any more AFAIK. Not sure if it can still be bought. May be some pros still use it in limited volumes.

Digital is so much easier to use. Resolution and colour balance has increased no end. But yes slide film is still the best IMHO Kodachrome one of the best. I must have thousands of slides to be scanned into a digital image at some point .

 

[swee'pea99]

K64 was fantastic quality, but K25 was astonishing. With a good lens it would give you razor sharp definition at enlargements measured in hectares.

 

[Mayniac]

I agree, K25 gave amazing results.

But then I don't miss having to clean the dust out of the back of my OM1, or the disappointment if an exposure didn't come out as well as expected. At least with digital I can try again there and then, at no extra cost.

 

[Andy in Sig]

I'm still using slide film as I haven't gone digital. In fact I'll probably stay with slide for as long as it is manufactured and buy a scanner.

 

[Globalti]

I've been wondering recently what to do with my screen and Kodak Carousel projector, which are gathering cobwebs in the garage. Like you, our holidays were always made the more exciting by the arrival of the slides then the family slide show when Dad wrestled with a sticking projector. It was a very "outdoorsy" thing to do - I have sat through many hours of pictures of unidentifiable mountains while the family argued about whether that was Bidean nam this or Ben that. There's a box of slides under our hall table right now, it's been there about a year while I try to decide what to do with the priceless images inside it. Maybe we'll have a slide show this weekend.

 

[Fnaar]

Eeh, we've got hundreds of those slides... my brother has had them in a box for 2 decades or so...

 

[John the Monkey]

Mounted slides have a magical quality - one of life's small pleasures is getting a box back from the lab.

Never used Kodachrome myself, but lovely reds, as I recall from other people's work.

 

[swee'pea99]

The colours were always a touch on the ...um... intense side ('makes you think all the world's a sunny day, o yeah' - Mr P. Simon) which is why Agfachrome (and latterly Fuji) always had their own fanclubs. But for sheer resolution, nothing else came close.