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| A box of Ektachrome. Photo via Wikimedia commons |
The list of discontinued film stocks is lengthy and after Kodak pulled the plug on our beloved Kodachrome, it seemed like any film could be next on the chopping block. But perhaps those dark days are behind us because today Kodak announced the company will be bringing back a different film stock: Ektachrome.
Discontinued in 2012, Kodak’s decision to raise it from the dead is directly related to a recent increase in demand for analog film. Yep, you read that right. So does this mean that film photography is about to start down a similar path of revival as we’ve seen from vinyl records, which are currently selling at a 25 year high? We sure wouldn’t mind.
From the Kodak announcement:
“Sales of professional photographic films have been steadily rising over the last few years, with professionals and enthusiasts rediscovering the artistic control offered by manual processes and the creative satisfaction of a physical end product. The reintroduction of one of the most iconic films is supported by the growing popularity of analog photography and a resurgence in shooting film. Resurgence in the popularity of analog photography has created demand for new and old film products alike.”
Ektachrome is a color reversal film and was first developed in the 1940’s. Used for decades by National Geographic photographers, it’s been long favored it due to its fine grain and excellent color reproduction.
So come the end of 2017, you’ll once again be able to pick up a 35mm roll of it. And you’ve likely got a bearded, glasses-wearing hipster with a turntable to thank for that.
What do you think of the prospect of an analog revival? Let us know in the comments.
Kodak Brings Back a Classic with EKTACHROME Film
Las Vegas, NV, Thursday, January 05, 2017 —
To the delight of film enthusiasts across the globe, Eastman Kodak Company today announced plans to bring back one of its most iconic film stocks. Over the next 12 months, Kodak will be working to reformulate and manufacture KODAK EKTACHROME Film for both motion picture and still photography applications. Initial availability is expected in the fourth quarter of 2017.
KODAK EKTACHROME Film has a distinctive look that was the choice for generations of cinematographers before it was discontinued in 2012. The film is known for its extremely fine grain, clean colors, great tones and contrasts.
“It is such a privilege to reintroduce KODAK EKTRACHROME Film to the cinematography community,” said Steven Overman, Kodak’s chief marketing officer and president of the Consumer and Film Division. “We are seeing a broad resurgence of excitement about capturing images on film. Kodak is committed to continuing to manufacture film as an irreplaceable medium for image creators to capture their artistic vision. We are proud to help bring back this classic.”
Kodak will produce EKTACHROME at its film factory in Rochester, N.Y., and will market and distribute the Super 8 motion picture film version of EKTACHROME Film directly.
Kodak Alaris, an independent company since 2013, also plans to offer a still format KODAK PROFESSIONAL EKTACHROME Film for photographers in 135-36x format. KODAK PROFESSIONAL EKTACHROME Film is a color positive film, also known as “reversal,” “slide,” or “transparency” film. Unlike all of the other KODAK PROFESSIONAL Films available today, which are color negative films, EKTACHROME generates a positive image that can be viewed or projected once it is exposed and processed. This makes it ideal for high-resolution projection or presentations. It is also well suited for scanning and printing onto a range of professional-grade photographic media. Availability is expected in the fourth quarter of 2017.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)