Advertising

The Seattle Times Company

NWjobs | NWautos | NWhomes | NWsource | Free Classifieds | seattletimes.com

The Seattle Times

Nation & World


Our network sites seattletimes.com | Advanced

Originally published September 22, 2008 at 12:00 AM | Page modified September 22, 2008 at 11:24 AM

Comments (0)     E-mail article     Print view

Fans plead not to take old Kodachrome away

It is an elaborately crafted photographic film, extolled for its sharpness, vivid colors and archival durability. Yet die-hard fans are...

The Associated Press

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — It is an elaborately crafted photographic film, extolled for its sharpness, vivid colors and archival durability. Yet die-hard fans are convinced the digital age soon will take their Kodachrome away.

Only one commercial lab in the world, Dwayne's Photo in Parsons, Kan., still develops Kodachrome, a once-ubiquitous brand that has freeze-framed the world in rich but authentic hues since it was introduced in the Great Depression.

Eastman Kodak now makes the slide and motion-picture film in just one 35mm format, and production runs fall at least a year apart.

Kodak won't say when the last one occurred nor hint at Kodachrome's prospects. Kodachrome stocks now on sale have a 2009 expiration date. If the machines aren't fired up again, the company might just sell out the remaining supplies, and that would be the end.

For decades, Kodachrome was the standard choice for professional color photography and avant-garde filmmaking. At its peak, a reverential Paul Simon crooned "Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away" in 1973.

But the landmark color-transparency went into a tailspin a generation ago. It was eclipsed by video, easy-to-process color-negative films and a tidal-wave preference for hand-sized prints.

Nowadays, Kodachrome is confined to a small global market of devotees who wouldn't settle for anything else.

Dwayne's, the Kodak subcontractor in Kansas that has had the market to itself since a Kodachrome lab in Tokyo closed in December, still processes tens of thousands of rolls annually but admits sales are sliding.

Dwayne's charges $8.45 per roll plus $9 for development. That's at least 50 percent more than color negative film, the kind that prints are made from.

Steve McCurry's portrait of an Afghan refugee girl with haunting gray-green eyes that landed on the cover of National Geographic magazine in 1985 is considered one of the finest illustrations of the film's subtle rendering of light, contrast and color harmony.

"You just look at it and think, this is better than life," says McCurry, 58, who has relied heavily on Kodachrome for all but the past two years of a 33-year career.

McCurry is turning to digital cameras as the technology gap closes.

"I like to shoot in extremely low light, inside of a home, a mosque, a covered bazaar," he says. "To stop movement, it's just absolutely impossible to do that with Kodachrome or with practically any film."

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company

More Nation & World headlines...

E-mail article Print view      Share:    Digg     Newsvine

Comments
No comments have been posted to this article. Start the conversation.

advertising

UPDATE - 12:10 AM
Bill Clinton meets with Senate Dems on health care

UPDATE - 12:16 AM
FBI reassessing past look at Fort Hood suspect

UPDATE - 12:08 AM
D.C. sniper mastermind set to be executed Tuesday

UPDATE - 12:04 AM
Case against Ohio bodies suspect expands overseas

UPDATE - 12:07 AM
Rains hitting Gulf Coast ahead of tropical storm

Advertising

Video

Medal of Honor
Bruce Crandall and John "Bud" Hawk of Kitsap County say no one "wins" the Medal of Honor. The two recipients of the medal explain they weren't trying to be heroes - just do their duty.

Pelosi answers questions at Swedish Medical Center
Pelosi speaks at Swedish Medical Center
"Pistol" Pete Ryan
Mourners gather at KeyArena for slain officer's memorial
Procession for slain SPD officer
Election Night: Approve R-71
Election Night: Reject R-71
Election Night: Joe Mallahan
Election Night: Mike McGinn

Marketplace

nwautos

2009's most fuel-efficient sedansnew
Choosing a new sedan? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment

Open Houses

Find this weekend's open house listings.
Or search by location:

 
Most read
Most commented
Most e-mailed
 
 
Advertising