Kodachrome

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In order to take full advantage of my new Leica (M6TTL + 35 lux asph)I have decided to try some kodachromes. I usually shoot provia 100F but have heard that kodachromes, although they have larger grain, are sharper (especially in flat lighting). I have also heard that kodachromes are more prone to colour casts (especially blue cast on overcast days and in the shade)than E6 films. So my question is this, how do you filter kodachromes (ISO 64/200) under different conditions?

ps. I will most likely only shoot K64 to start with, but would like to try K200 some time. What is your opinion of K200 (Steve McCurry has shot some fantastic photos witth this emulsion)

-- Jonas Vilslev (jonasvilslev@groenjord.dk), November 13, 2001

Answers

K64 is much more contrasty than Provia so it appears much sharper. Not true about color casts I find. E6 films are very likely to go blue at high altitudes which is not much of a problem with K64. It does suffer from recipricocity failure at around 1/8th second which may produce a greenish cast. The relative lack of recipricocity color shifts is a plus for the E6 100 films. You might like a warming filter in overcast skies if you are shooting people, but I rarely bother, after all you have this issue with E6 films too and K64 rarely goes blue (but equally it does not reproduce blue so powerfully as many E6 films)

I find that it is less red in tungsten light than Sensia or E100S - it is still not correct, but not as red.

The contrast is high - does wonders for sharpness, but it tests your technique too. It also has I think less exposure latitude than E6 films - plus or minus a half stop makes a bigger difference. The color palette is different from Provia. I find it preferable - of the E6 Fuji films I prefer Sensia/Astia 100 for general use. I like Velvia too for some things, but to my eyes K64 has a more natural color palette to Velvia. Contrast is about the same as Velvia I think.

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), November 13, 2001.


http://www.imx.nl/photosite/technical/kodachrome.html

-- Bud (budcook@attglobal.net), November 13, 2001.

My experience:

Ektachrome wants to go blue in the shadows. This is not such a problem with Fuji Velvia or Provia, especially as I customarily use a skylight filter. I have not noticed it at all with Kodachrome.

Kodachrome has a reputation for "natural" color; but in many cases, such as with the vivid colors of Mexican buildings, or the color of a cobalt-blue sky, I have found Kodachrome disappointingly understated. I trust Provia 100 the best for an all-around film; Velvia where punchier color and highest sharpness are needed.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), November 13, 2001.


I think K200 is a terrific film. I shot quite a bit of it in Edinburgh, Scotland last year in August, and got great results with an M6/35 ASPH combo. Good enough, anyway, to be digitally printed on a Lightjet at 16x20 size. However, the film I use for 90% of my stuff is Provia 100F. If you're shooting K-chrome and having prints made digitally, color correction can be done easily by the printer on the computer.

-- john costo (mahler@lvcm.com), November 13, 2001.

Compared to Provia (which I shoot more of than anything else) K25 and K64 are sharper. There’s a definite edge to the details with the K films. Call it contrast, response to the higher spatial frequencies, whatever it is the K’s have it over Provia. Not that Provia is bad – in many cases the extra 1 or 2 stops allow shutter speeds that more than make up the difference.

I like the palette of both types of film. The K’s are a bit cooler and less saturated. Both K’s and Provia are good with skin tones.

However, the K’s have less latitude than any film I’ve ever shot. It is very good with highlights, and from my experiences, pretty poor with shadows. If there’s stuff in the shadows you care about, then you have to open up and kiss the highlights goodbye. Get it right and the K’s record alot more than I see through the viewfinder. (My eyes tend to compress tonal range, while these films open it up.)

The downside for me: I have to use mailers (USPS) for K films and I don’t feel comfortable doing that anymore; E6 and Provia in particular can be pushed and pulled to get more or less speed and contrast; and my scanner (Polaroid SS4000) really loves Provia (and E100).

As for K200, I’ve never bothered to try it because Provia 100 rated at 320 and pushed is pretty sweet.

Good luck,

-- Jeff Stuart (jstuart1@tampabay.rr.com), November 13, 2001.



Kodachrome 25 has been discontinued in both pro and regular versions. Kodachrome 200 in the pro version (not sure about regulard) has also been discontinued. D64 is PROBABLY going to remain in production.?.?. With so few labs processing Kodachrome it may be doomed.

K200 DOES have significant grain, especially in continuous tone areas (blue sky)...I always called it my color Tri-X.

E100VS is my film of choice (my magazine art directors LOVE it...Provia is my second choice.

With all the problems of processing Kodachrome (and I could tell you horror stories), I'll stick with E-6.

Todd

-- Todd V. Phillips (toddvphillips@webtv.net), November 13, 2001.


The thing with K'chrome in the US is processing. If you live near somewhere that does drop shipments to a Kodak lab then you have no problem. If you have to use mailers then you are in are in risky hands as the US Mail is lousy. In the UK, for example, where the mail is much better, I used K'chrome and never had one lost. It seems a shame to me that this is driving people to go E6. Otherwise I have had no more problems with Kodak Fairlawn than with any other pro lab - they all make cock-ups occasionally.

K200 does indeed have high grain, but it actually has virtually the same sharpness as K64 which is very impressive. Provia is very "flat" compared to either K64 or K200.

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), November 14, 2001.


I've been using Kodachrome mailers for more than 40 years. I've never lost one single roll of film...never!

I've mailed the stuff from all over North America and Germany (before they closed the lab). The only concern I've ever had was about the film getting hot somewhere in transit.

However, given the current situation with airlines and (potentially) U.S. mail zapping film, I'm switching to E6 film and will have it processed locally wherever possible.

-- Bud (budcook@attglobal.net), November 14, 2001.


Hello all,

K200 isn't at all a bad film. Under incandecent or mixed daylight/incandecent it's not bad at all. It all depends on what you are shooting. I remember reading an article on William Albert Allard and he liked it a LOT for some of his interior mixed light applications.

When I started with my stock agency a long time ago....I shot Kodachrome exclusively. But then the problems started. Blue streaks and spotting on the chromes. Four totaly bleached out rolls (no images) from an Indy 500 (Kodak gave me four rolls of film and mailers....big deal). Way off magenta color. A Kodak rep. told me that not only could the film have been off magenta but SO COULD THE PROCESSING!!! Remember that K-12 processing requires a chemist on hand (though I guess this is better than a minimum wage HS student).

Given all the lab closings....it's impossible to use Kodachrome for a commercial assignment when they need the chromes NOW!

They have been and are good films...but I think the new generation of super saturated films does them one better.

-- Todd Phillips (toddvphillips@webtv.net), November 14, 2001.


I've never lost a roll of film sent via mail, either. And as for processing problems, I'm surprised that more people haven't heard of, and/or used, A&I in Los Angeles. You can buy an A&I mailer from B&H for $5.50 per roll (E-6 or Kodachrome, 35mm or 120; 220 is $11.00). That includes mounting. I've never had a problem with A&I. And as for using the mail (or not), you can always ship a bunch of mailers via UPS or FedEx. If you bunch the shipment, then the cost works out to about the same as if you had mailed them individually.

-- john costo (mahler@lvcm.com), November 14, 2001.


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