Kodachrome 1940
Mar 7, 2019 13:04:06 #
My father shot Kodachrome in 1940. Back then and until 1954 a photographer had to prepay Kodak to
process and mount 35mm slides. During that year Kodak published a book authored by Ivan Dmitri titled Kodachrome And How To Use It published by Simon & Schuster of New York. Typical of the time the Kodachome photographs had a great deal of color contrast to show off color in a black and white world.
Leica and Contax cameras were recommended on the high end and the Kodak 35S and the Bantam Special
cameras were for those who were on the entry level. Can you imagine using a film with an ASA (ISO) rating
of 10?
This is what Kodak processed Kodachome looked like back then.
Two examples from the book where made by the author Ivan Dmitri and the other by Edward Steichen.
Kodachome had been introduced in 1935 with all this progress going on before World War Two.
process and mount 35mm slides. During that year Kodak published a book authored by Ivan Dmitri titled Kodachrome And How To Use It published by Simon & Schuster of New York. Typical of the time the Kodachome photographs had a great deal of color contrast to show off color in a black and white world.
Leica and Contax cameras were recommended on the high end and the Kodak 35S and the Bantam Special
cameras were for those who were on the entry level. Can you imagine using a film with an ASA (ISO) rating
of 10?
This is what Kodak processed Kodachome looked like back then.
Two examples from the book where made by the author Ivan Dmitri and the other by Edward Steichen.
Kodachome had been introduced in 1935 with all this progress going on before World War Two.
Mar 7, 2019 13:24:00 #
JFCoupe
Loc: Kent, Washington
Wonderful memory of a legendary film. Kodachrome was ISO (ASA) 25 when I began shooting slides about 1971. Many rolls processed over a 15 year period.
Mar 7, 2019 13:35:36 #
Pixelmaster wrote:
My father shot Kodachrome in 1940. Back then and ... (show quote)
Way back when they were shooting on glass plates, the IS0's were way lower! ISO 10 was fast in comparison, one reason there are hardly any portraits were the subject smiled from that period, just because, nobody could hold that smile for so long!
Kodachrome 25 was my favorite when shooting movies!
Mar 7, 2019 13:48:47 #
Pixelmaster wrote:
My father shot Kodachrome in 1940. Back then and ... (show quote)
Yes, I know the history of Kodachrome. Films were as slow as ASA 6 and lower not far before 1940. By the time I shot Kodachrome it was 25 in the Seventies. And there were other varieties of Kodachrome by then, like 40 (Tungsten Light?), and 64 (Daylight). Ektachrome was faster, up to ASA 100 but I never really liked it. For color negatives I preferred Vericolor Professional II (ASA 160). And my main film was Plus-X (B&W, ASA 125).
Mar 7, 2019 14:03:12 #
donrent
Loc: Punta Gorda , Fl
Remember it so well. The most natural and warmest color imagine. Wound I go back ? In a heart-beat and I'll use the very same camera a then. A Mercury11 that took 1/2 frame size photos. F2.8 lens, and speeds up to 1/1000/.
Mar 8, 2019 06:06:43 #
mas24
Loc: Southern CA
Very nice photos you posted. That brings back memories too. But, in the 1970s for me. My father shot both Kodachrome and Ektachrome with his 35mm SLR. I really can't remember which was superior in color. But, he would show family and relatives photos he shot. By putting them on a circular slide carousel, open up a movie screen, and turn out the lights. That was fun back then.
Mar 8, 2019 06:17:22 #
chippy65
Loc: Cambridge
Kodachrome worked well with Voightlander Vitomatic
Fujichrome was also very good.
also memories of bulk loading 35mm cassettes with ?? and self processing colour reversal
Fujichrome was also very good.
also memories of bulk loading 35mm cassettes with ?? and self processing colour reversal
Mar 8, 2019 06:32:28 #
I remember Kodachrome as an ISO 64 or ASA as it was back then. The camera store “pros” would tell me Kodachrome was best for reds and yellows and Ektachrome was best for blues and greens. Kodachrome had the overal edge in my opinion but I used Ektachrome most often because you could do your own processing with an E3 kit from Kodak. It was quite a thrill pulling my first strip of color film out of the developing tank. Mounting slides with my moms iron- not so much. Brings back great memories though.
Mar 8, 2019 06:36:34 #
Mar 8, 2019 06:55:30 #
steve49
Loc: massachusetts
The days of slide mailers came back with this post...
I remember sending the mailers from Australia and getting the slides when I got home.
I remember sending the mailers from Australia and getting the slides when I got home.
Mar 8, 2019 07:26:17 #
Pixelmaster wrote:
My father shot Kodachrome in 1940. Back then and ... (show quote)
Kodachrome was also my film of choice, though I did use Ectachrome at times also. And yes, if Kodachrome came back again, I would pull out my old cameras and use them in conjunction with my digital camera.
Rich...
Mar 8, 2019 07:48:40 #
Been there done that. First photos I shot where my father said OK you do it were at age almost ten in 1951 with that film and an Argus C2 f/3.5. We used the tissue paper instructions in the package as our exposure meter. Hard to believe but most shots came out when the slides came back from Chicago LaSalle street. Those slides are no in acid free boxes and except for occasional spots of mold on yellows The are in good condition. I still remember lots of details from that trip Indianapolis to LA to SanFran to Yosemite to ... eve though I can’t remember what I came for when standing in my shop.
Mar 8, 2019 08:54:58 #
Oversaturated reds look unnatural. Digital photography now allows the photographer to use true colors instead of the engineered looks of film.
Mar 8, 2019 09:33:23 #
anotherview wrote:
Oversaturated reds look unnatural. Digital photography now allows the photographer to use true colors instead of the engineered looks of film.
If you like the look of Kodachrome 10 there is a LR preset to reproduce that look from a newfangled digital camera. Or look at any National Geographic in the 40s or early 50s. Unfortunately 25 and later has a more “natural” look.
Mar 8, 2019 09:41:05 #
I got into photography in the mid-60's, and Kodachrome was the gold standard of slide films. My preference, even though 1.5 stops slower, was Kodachrome 25 (originally Kodachrome II). I was not a fan of the faster Kodachrome 64, since it seemed too red. I really liked to shoot fall colors with both, since they were so saturated. I used KII with both an Argus C3 and later a Pentax Spotmatic.
I understand why Kodachrome had to be discontinued, but I still miss it.
In the later 60's, I tried 3M slide film, but even with the free roll when you sent it in for processing, it was far inferior to any of the Kodak films.
I understand why Kodachrome had to be discontinued, but I still miss it.
In the later 60's, I tried 3M slide film, but even with the free roll when you sent it in for processing, it was far inferior to any of the Kodak films.
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.