The last roll of Kodachrome ever made gets processed.

[Alex.Mitchell]

http://www.kansas.com/2010/07/14/1403115/last-kodachrome-roll-processed.html

I only started shooting Super8 after Kodachrome 40 was discontinued so I'm a little bummed out that I will never make images that look like that. I guess there are ways to make that kind of look in post or whatever but it's not the same. Anyway, let's just take a moment to recognize the passing of a unique aesthetic.

 

[Leo Ticheli]

Paul Simon has proved to be both poet and prophet.

"I got a Nikon camera; I love to take a photograph. Mama don't take my Kodachrome away."

Tearfully,

Leo

 

[christopher witzke]

With tears in my eyes'

 

[Shane Betts]

A sad, sad day. Can we even comprehend how many seminal images of our generation were captured in that unique Kodachrome way? Nothing has ever, nor probably will ever, looked like it.

If someone develops a Kodachrome look for digital I'll buy.

 

[Mark Phelan]

This is the same place I have been using to develop the 8mm film I shot for my film "Scouting The Past". Ends this year. I have five rolls left to shoot and process.

 

[Michael Mayda]

Thank you for posting this. It is a sad day, but it seems to be a fitting sendoff for the last roll... I'll miss you too, K36.

 

[Austin Glass]

I used Dwayne's once to process my 120 and 220 film. It's sad to see the film go, but also cool that that kind if history gets the attention it deserves. (now I know my format is next!)

 

[Francesco Bonomo]

feels like the end of an era...I'm glad McCurry was the one chosen to shoot the last roll, and I can't wait to see how National Geographic will pay tribute to that fantastic film next spring.
A sad day indeed...

 

[Jay Gannon]

End of a whole style and look of photography. Sad day indeed.
Digital is great, but it aint Kodachrome.

 

[alexwhitmer]

Why was it discontinued?

 

[David Rasberry]

Why was it discontinued?

Lack of demand. The market disappeared.

 

[Michael Hammar]

Lack of demand. The market disappeared.

Same thing happened in pro audio. The big 2" analog tape manufacturers stopped making them..... since everyone uses digital and computers to record these days......

 

[Fran Kuhn]

Why was it discontinued?

Alex,

If I had to take a guess, I'd say 35mm Kodachrome was doomed by the introduction of modern E-6 slide films in about 1986-1988. In particular, i remember a mass migration from Kodachrome in 35mm formats to an amazing "new" film called Fujichrome 50. Which later became Fujichrome Velvia. Most magazine photographers I knew felt compelled to shoot the Fuji stock because the colors were more vibrant than Kodachrome. I went from shooting about 100 rolls of K25 and K64 per month to zero.

Also, the E-6 films could be processed in a couple of hours, not the 24 hours that it often took for Kodachrome to come back. Made a big difference on tight deadlines. Still, I hate to see any film get discontinued, especially one with a look we will never really be able to replace.

I still have five rolls of K64 left in my refrigerator from Kodak's final batch. Still trying to decide what to shoot with them.

-Fran