Kodachrome 64 Film & Processing

[Don]

Regarding the Kodak announcement on the elimination of Kodachrome 64:

Dwayne's Photo Service
PO Box 274
415 S.32nd St
Parsons, KS 67357

800-522-3940

" On June 22, 2009, Kodak announced the final manufacturing run of Kodachrome 64, the last remaining Kodachrome film. Dwayne’s Photo plans to continue processing Kodachrome films through the end of December 2010. As long as supplies last, Dwayne's will continue to offer Kodachrome film for sale. "

http://www.dwaynesphoto.com/index.html

[Ron61]

Don,

The end of film was in sight some time ago. I don't know if we still have any places here that process it or not. I think the Camera shop that I use has started doing everything digital. And I have three cameras, two Nikon with various lens and another smaller one to carry in the car that will now be useless. But I haven't used them for years as I like the digital and being able to do it at home.

Ron

[vector1]

parsons, ks, wow! that's a little town south of here, and i mean little.

[Ron61]

I wonder if they can still get slide projectors. I had a great Bell & Howe but it burned out the lamp and they aren't even in business any more so I did a search and all I found was a few other brands, some used and sold as was, and a few that had no spare parts but were new and the last they would have. I have to go into the camera store that I have used every since I moved up here later on so I may ask them about that.

Ron

[Don]

vector1: The article in either the WSJ or USA Today mentioned Dwayne's as the last photo lab in the US to process Kodachrome, employs approx 200 according to their web site.

Ron: A possible source, have used them numerous times, for the slide projector lamp:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/

[1ntCobra]

I've got some Kodachrome sitting in the freezer for years that I have not used. I also have some old Kodachrome processing mailers sitting around somewhere.

Back in the late 1980's I set up a darkroom for making Cibachrome/Ilfochrome prints from slides. I used to shoot only Kodachrome slides for years. I'd have the slide film developed professionally, but made prints at home. When I moved in 1992, I built a much bigger darkroom in my basement. But when I moved in 2003, I did not build a new darkroom. I sold all of darkroom equipment on eBay about a year after that. At that point I switched to print film and getting photo cd's made. My wife joined the digital camera age about 2 years ago. And I just finally gave up, put my Nikon F4s on the shelf and got a Nikon DSLR back in February. At least I can still use my film SLR lenses, flash equipment and other accessories on my new camera (although there are some functionality losses with some of the old stuff on the new camera).

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that my local supermarket stopped processing film.

[bomelia]

What will Paul Simon sing about now?

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by 1ntCobra

I've got some Kodachrome sitting in the freezer for years that I have not used. I also have some old Kodachrome processing mailers sitting around somewhere.

Back in the late 1980's I set up a darkroom for making Cibachrome/Ilfochrome prints from slides. I used to shoot only Kodachrome slides for years. I'd have the slide film developed professionally, but made prints at home. When I moved in 1992, I built a much bigger darkroom in my basement. But when I moved in 2003, I did not build a new darkroom. I sold all of darkroom equipment on eBay about a year after that. At that point I switched to print film and getting photo cd's made. My wife joined the digital camera age about 2 years ago. And I just finally gave up, put my Nikon F4s on the shelf and got a Nikon DSLR back in February. At least I can still use my film SLR lenses, flash equipment and other accessories on my new camera (although there are some functionality losses with some of the old stuff on the new camera).

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that my local supermarket stopped processing film.

Which Nikon DSLR did you get? I have a Nikon D700 and won't be using my F2 again... And you're right, I do get to use all of my old lenses. I had a D100 before and only a couple of them worked. With the D700 all of them work.

[1ntCobra]

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

Which Nikon DSLR did you get? I have a Nikon D700 and won't be using my F2 again... And you're right, I do get to use all of my old lenses. I had a D100 before and only a couple of them worked. With the D700 all of them work.

I got a Nikon refurbished D3 from B&H with only about 1000 shutter actuations on it. I saved some serious bucks that way, but the warranty was only 90 days. The D3 works with all of my lenses, some of which are non-cpu manual focus. I can program their focal lengths and maximum apertures and then pick which one manual focus lens I'm using from a menu to get more compatibility with metering modes and such. I have confused myself a few times wondering why I cannot change the aperture setting with the front command dial when I'm using a manual focus lens and then remember that I have to use aperture ring instead. Not that I like or use flash that much, I was surprised that my old SB-25 flash would not work with TTL metering on the new camera. I guess they only do backward compatibility so far with older flashes. I think the SB-25 was current technology at the time that the F5 came out.

[Ron61]

Since I went to using a digital camera I have only bought Olympus and had great luck with them except the one that I dropped and broke the lens on. I no longer do any photography that requires the changing of lens to get the long shots, so I have all of my Nikon stuff packed away and it is like new. I believe I have one 200MM lens and a doubler which really requires that you be out in good light. The 26 power zoom of the Olympus which is the equivalent of I believe 225 MM in 35 MM lens is enough for me. I have to use the tripod or steady it on the car or something to stop any blur. I really liked those cameras and hate to see them just it in the bags. Maybe someday they will be the Shelby of Cobras. I wish!!

Ron

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by 1ntCobra

I got a Nikon refurbished D3 from B&H with only about 1000 shutter actuations on it. I saved some serious bucks that way, but the warranty was only 90 days. The D3 works with all of my lenses, some of which are non-cpu manual focus. I can program their focal lengths and maximum apertures and then pick which one manual focus lens I'm using from a menu to get more compatibility with metering modes and such. I have confused myself a few times wondering why I cannot change the aperture setting with the front command dial when I'm using a manual focus lens and then remember that I have to use aperture ring instead. Not that I like or use flash that much, I was surprised that my old SB-25 flash would not work with TTL metering on the new camera. I guess they only do backward compatibility so far with older flashes. I think the SB-25 was current technology at the time that the F5 came out.

I had my eyes on the D3 and was about to spring for one when they announced the D700. It's the same sensor but the body is the same size as the D100 - about 1/3 less weight and bulk.

I have some non-CPU lenses too (one of my favorites is a 43-86 zoom) but I'd gotten a Nikon 8008 to take on some Grand Canyon trips and ended up with most of the lenses being CPU - I replaced the 35mm and 50mm with CPUs over time. They worked with the D100 too.

My SB24 also worked with the D100 and D700 but I got a SB800 for Christmas because the SB24 didn't have TTL flash.

With that combination I haven't looked back to the F2 or 8008 since the D700.

The D700 even have a PC sync cord socket for my old Vivitar flash! My Honeywell Strobonar (the best flash ever made) gave up the ghost years ago - it got hard to find replacement cells (the battery packs were discontinued long before) and the capacitor eventually decayed.

[1ntCobra]

Originally Posted by Ron61

Since I went to using a digital camera I have only bought Olympus and had great luck with them except the one that I dropped and broke the lens on. I no longer do any photography that requires the changing of lens to get the long shots, so I have all of my Nikon stuff packed away and it is like new. I believe I have one 200MM lens and a doubler which really requires that you be out in good light. The 26 power zoom of the Olympus which is the equivalent of I believe 225 MM in 35 MM lens is enough for me. I have to use the tripod or steady it on the car or something to stop any blur. I really liked those cameras and hate to see them just it in the bags. Maybe someday they will be the Shelby of Cobras. I wish!!

Ron

The DSLRs with their bigger sensors have advantages. One that comes in handy is being able to turn up the ISO speed without any real noticeable noise. My wife has a Fuji 9 Megapixel point and shoot. If you turn the ISO up to 1600, it goes so grainy with noise that the pictures are unusable. On my DSLR, I can go to ISO 8000 without any problems, but speeds higher than that do get noisy.

I also have some studio flash equipment (like umbrella flashes) that I occasionally used with my film SLR. They should still work with with my DSLR, but I have not had a chance to try them yet.

And I don't think you are going to make any money off of your old film SLR equipment unless you have some stuff that was rare or really expensive to begin with.

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by 1ntCobra

The DSLRs with their bigger sensors have advantages. One that comes in handy is being able to turn up the ISO speed without any real noticeable noise. My wife has a Fuji 9 Megapixel point and shoot. If you turn the ISO up to 1600, it goes so grainy with noise that the pictures are unusable. On my DSLR, I can go to ISO 8000 without any problems, but speeds higher than that do get noisy.

I also have some studio flash equipment (like umbrella flashes) that I occasionally used with my film SLR. They should still work with with my DSLR, but I have not had a chance to try them yet.

And I don't think you are going to make any money off of your old film SLR equipment unless you have some stuff that was rare or really expensive to begin with.

The advertised limit of the D700 is 6400. I've gone to the "Hi1" once with very little issue. At the max, the noise was very noticible.

Agreed, unless someone has a connection to old film equipment there is very little secondary market, even for the highest end 35mm. Hasselblad bodies can take new digital backs.