Kodak, for some time now, has been marketing their Select series of consumer films. In this series, they have two types of slide film, Kodachromes (which used to be of the Pro line) and Elite chromes. Can anyone explain to me the characteristics and purpose of each type? All I know is that they differ in processing (K14 and E6 respectivley, if I'm not mistaken)and speed (though both lines have 200 speed films). Thanks guys!

-- miguel (mnn@skyinet.net), April 03, 1999

Answers

I really don't have any experience with Kodakchromes that is worth a damn except for one conversation I had with a photographer probably twice my age in a lab (we were both waiting for our prints) who told me that when he was just starting out, he used Kodachromes (and had to mail them to Australia for processing). I asked him why not E-6 instead and the answer was "Eh wala pang Velvia noon eh" :) (which says a lot). I did find this thread in Photo.net though which I hope would help:

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000A1c

-- Tommy Zablan (lensman49@hotmail.com), April 03, 1999.

Well it seems that KODACHROME films can only be processed by KODAK. The rest rely on the internationally accepted slide developer E-6 and its equivalents.

Additionally, Kodachromes aare the most ARCHIVAL slides you can find. It's just that there are no variants of this film unlike the Ektachromes. Yktachromes offer you more: VS (vivid, or vibrant saturation), S (high saturation), SW (high saturation, warm). Also available are Tungsten balanced films.

-- Carlo Ma. Guerrero (guerrero@netgazer.com.ph), April 04, 1999.

More info on KODACHROMES and EKTACHROMES. The old Ektachrome (E-3 process)can last about 12 years. The old Kodachrome (K-12 process) about 110 years.

The new Kodachromes and Ektachromes last even more. Ektachrome (E-6 process)about 120 years. Kodachrome (K-14 process) about 200 years.

-- Carlo Ma. Guerrero (guerrero@netgazer.com.ph), April 14, 1999.

I've seen some slides of Kodachrome from my expert friend and I tell you it doesn't worth a conversation such as these. These is just an "EGO MACHINE" just to say that Kodak have something special under their sleeves and you'll find out that its not that extra ordinary at all.

-- Alvin S. Granada (binogranada@hotmail.com), June 13, 1999.