Monday, June 22, 2009

Kodak 'Retires' Kodachrome


Some sad news today, after 74 years of production Kodak will be retiring their iconic Kodachrome film:
I'm not sure why it is that Kodak have chosen to end the film after 74.5 years thus missing a golden opportunity for a 75 year publicity of the bringing of colour film to the masses.
Surely delaying the announcement and having a 'Happy Birthday Kodachrome' year in which they could run competitions, have online galleries - a celebration of their achievements. They could have then deleted it at the end of the year letting the film go with a bang rather than just fading away in a very un-Kodachrome manner.
I feel its unfortunate that they have deleted it just six months short of the 75th birthday. I guess Kodak had to decide on whether there was going to be a new coating, stocks having dwindled in their supply chain and they now feel that they are going to concentrate on their newer technology films like Ektar 100.
Kodak have a tribute on their blog A Thousand Words
My Tribute will follow....

2 comments:

Peter D. said...

Sad, but true. Although I thought Kodachrome died when they stopped making it at 25ASA.

Photo–Smith said...

Well Kodachrome received the death of a thousand cuts, the cancelling of the T grain versions, then the 120 the 25 then the 200. the closing of European labs etc etc.
I have a few rolls left I'll shoot them this autumn and next spring.
Mark