Whatever floats your boat...

Goodbye Kodachrome

Thursday 12/30/2010, marked the last day you could get a roll of Kodachrome film

processed. The only store that was still processing Kodachrome was Dwayne's Photo

in Parsons, Kansas.

While this may mean nothing to those born in the digital age of photography, it is

a great loss to oldtimer professional photogaphers like yours truly. I only wish

I had shot more pictures on Kodachrome.

I've posted some links below that discuss the end of an era.

Comment by Pypermarru1 on December 31, 2010 at 3:12pm: I'm not a photographer but I totally understand what you mean.

I just recently canceled my home phone. I know it's not exactly the same thing, but giving up something that I had know for 40 years had a strange feeling of loss for me. Weird.

I'm cell phoning from here out.

Curious what you think of the new tech for photography? Better? Indifferant?

Comment by SydTheSkeptic on December 31, 2010 at 4:49pm: I feel your pain. I've given up my car for teleporting. It feels discombobulating, but- ya know, gotta roll with the times. ;o)

Comment by photo2010 on January 1, 2011 at 12:04am: Pyper! I'm struggling with whether I should give up our old house phone at the moment! It's been our home number for about 50 years, but now that I'm alone, I don't really need it, or the extra expense. Still there's an emotional attachment and sense of loss..I totally understand what you mean.

I think digital photography is good in many ways. It has brought photography to more people, (for good or bad). It is ecologically better since no chemicals are needed for processing and disposal. It still has a way to go to achieve the warmth and depth of film photography, but it will get there imo.

Comment by photo2010 on January 1, 2011 at 12:05am: Syd, really? No car? Good on ya! ;)

Comment by NatureJunkie on January 8, 2011 at 5:22pm: I remember that it was getting harder and harder to find Kodachrome processors even 13 years ago when I last worked for a custom photo lab. Still, I figured that even after digital had entirely usurped the commercial production of film, there would still be die-hard purists who would keep some processes alive for artistic purposes, processes such as dye transfer, daguerreotyping, cyanotyping, photogravure, etc. But perhaps Kodachrome processing is just too chemically specialized for anyone to pursue on any scale. It never was something that a person could do in a home darkroom. I predict that Kodachrome slides will become collectible curiosities now. And whenever people come across them, those strange gelatin gems will continue to "make you think all the world's a sunny day."