Kodak Retires Professional Film Kodachrome
A Film Icon For 74 Years Disappears as Photographers Turn to Digital
Jun 24, 2009
The decline in film sales due to the digital revolution is inevitable as photographers turn to the latest imaging technology. Kodachrome also suffered from competition from other film types as it is a complex film to make and process.
End of the Kodachrome Era
Kodak’s development efforts have gone into other film such as the Professional Ektar 100 Film and Professional Ektachrome Film E100G and they offer features Kodak believes current Kodachrome shooters would appreciate.
“KODACHROME Film is an iconic product and a testament to Kodak’s long and continuing leadership in imaging technology,” said Mary Jane Hellyar, President of Kodak’s Film, Photofinishing and Entertainment Group. "It was certainly a difficult decision to retire it, given its rich history. However, the majority of today's photographers have voiced their preference to capture images with newer technology – both film and digital. Kodak remains committed to providing the highest-performing products – both film and digital – to meet those needs."
Kodachrome, Photographer Steve McCurry and the Afghan Girl
Steve McCurry is a well-known professional photographer who used Kodachrome Film for his Afghan girl picture featured on the cover of National Geographic magazine in 1985.
“The early part of my career was dominated by Kodachrome Film, and I reached for that film to shoot some of my most memorable images,” said McCurry. “While Kodachrome Film was very good to me, I have since moved on to other films and digital to create my images. In fact, when I returned to shoot the ‘Afghan Girl’ 17 years later, I used Kodak Professional Ektachrome Film E100VS to create that image, rather than Kodachrome Film as with the original.” (More about McCurry and the Afghan girl here.)
To mark the passing of Kodachrome, Kodak will donate the last rolls of the film to George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film in Rochester, which houses the world’s largest collection of cameras and related artifacts. One of the rolls goes to Steve McCurry to shoot and the images will be donated to Eastman House.
Digital Competition to Kodachrome
The development of color negative film for prints with its greater exposure latitude started the move away from Kodachrome. While print film is easier to use professional and advanced photographers stayed with Kodachrome because it offered legendary skin-tones and color reproduction and it was an extremely sharp film due to its fine grain.
For the average user transparency or slide film had another drawback, they usually needed a projector and screen to view the images properly, while prints are easier to display and share.
As the image quality of high end digital SLRs improved, the efficiency of digital became the killer of Kodachrome for the professional market.
Perhaps the last words should go to Paul Simon from his song “Kodachrome”: I love to take a photograph / So mama don't take my Kodachrome away...
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