Kodachrome Processing, RIP

[Dusty]

Sent my last 13 rolls of Kodachrome in to Dwayne's on 12/27 before they shut down the processing. Logged on a few days later and saw - and ordered - this:

tshirt-500px-2.jpg (71.61 KiB) Viewed 5373 times

tshirt-500px-1.jpg (74.5 KiB) Viewed 5373 times

They're so busy entering orders that when I called to tell them I had transposed the last 2 numbers of my credit card, they said don't worry, when we get to that part we'll call you. They have also stopped ALL rush processing jobs until Jan 10th just to clear the backlog!

If I could prove that one of my rolls was THE actual last roll officially processed, I'd see what I could get for it on e-bay! Maybe trade it in for Paul Simon's guitar that he used to sing about it.

Dusty

[UrsaMajor]

Sent my last 13 rolls of Kodachrome in to Dwayne's on 12/27 before they shut down the processing.

If I could prove that one of my rolls was THE actual last roll officially processed, I'd see what I could get for it on e-bay! Maybe trade it in for Paul Simon's guitar that he used to sing about it.

I have read two different stories about "the last roll".

One of the stories is that Kodak gave the last roll of film they produced to Steve McCurry, the photographer who took the famous Afghan Girl cover shot for National Geographic magazine using Kodachrome. He used that "last roll" for "images of significance" all over the world, including an informal portrait shot of a famous Turkish photographer. One variation of that story said that it would also be the last roll of film processed, and another said that it would "only" be the last roll manufactured.

The other story is that there had been a lot of people and organizations pushing to have their roll of Kodachrome be the last one processed, and things at Dwayne's had become rather chaotic as a result. Finally, the owner of the lab (whose name is Dwayne ) made a decision. The last roll processed would be one that HE had shot. Sounds to me like a nice solution to the Gordian knot . . .

Based upon the second story, I tend to believe the variation of the first story that says the roll Steve McCurry used was the last roll manufactured, but not the last roll processed.

With best wishes,
- Tom -

[David Kilpatrick]

Well, I may still have a roll or two around. And the processing formula is, I think, published. The problem with processing K is that the dyes are introduced in the processing baths, rather than generated within the emulsion, and the chemistry to do this is both very involved and very expensive.

Even so, I would be surprised if this is the end of substantive colour reversal film. Consider the Magic project and Polaroid materials. It's amazing what third party enthusiasm can do.

David

[Dusty]

Makes you wonder, if it's that good (I think it's the best slide film ever) how come it's no longer made? Couldn't they license a 3rd party to mfg it? Maybe the profit margins are too small for Kodak, but I think that there are enough film shooters out there to still produce it for a while.

Dusty

[bakubo]

Well, I may still have a roll or two around. And the processing formula is, I think, published. The problem with processing K is that the dyes are introduced in the processing baths, rather than generated within the emulsion, and the chemistry to do this is both very involved and very expensive.

Here is info on processing Kodachrome as B&W:

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-develop-kodachrome-film-b-w-hand-processing-kodaks-k-14-process-0123573/

[pakodominguez]

I think there are more important people that the one who got/shot/process the last roll of kodachrome. Like the people who bet for color photography in a time BW was king, and "old school" photographers used to dismiss color photography, same way even today some myopes keep saying digital is not photography...

In other hand, coming from South America, kodachrome was an eccentricity from rich amateurs... even when I was living in France! So, for me, as far as we have Provia available, nothing to regret...

[bfitzgerald]

I shot 2 rolls in November though I had to rush them more than I wanted to got them back fairly quickly really about 10 days or so. Not had a chance to see if I've got any decent shots, it is as DK has said in the past a difficult film to scan (sometimes) but in some cases it can be remarkably appealing tones wise.

I'll likely stick to negative film I've worked hard getting good scans and feel fairly confident on that it's also still fairly quick to get processed (colour) and reasonable cost wise. I doubt slide will go away reduced as all films have but not extinct Neg film would be last in line.

[Dusty]

Currently, Dwayne's website has the following posted:
Orders Are Delayed Up to Three Weeks

We are currently shipping out orders received: Dec 27th

Since I Fed-Ex'ed mine in on the 27th, it may be awhile yet until I get them back. As of this morning, they have not yet debited my account!

And, no, I haven't received the shirt yet, either!

Dusty

[bfitzgerald]

No doubt a backlog when folks rushed to send in their last rolls probably got swamped under the pressure at the lab.

[Dusty]

Just got a call from Dwayne's telling me they're going to debit my card today and ship this week. I asked about the last minute rush and the gal told me "thousands and thousands of rolls".

They actually processed the last roll today, Jan 18, 2011.

RIP Kodachrome, we all loved ya!

Dusty