Kodak Ektachrome

Ektachrome is a mark of Kodak correspondent with a range of invertible photographic films available in several formats and in particular in 35 Misters.

Principle

Ektachrome, initially developed with the beginning of the year 1940, allowed the professionals and the amateurs to treat their own films. It allowed also the introduction of invertible films colors in broad format, like the rollers or the sheets, which the Kodachrome did not allow.

In the same way, it was possible at small professional laboratories to be equipped for the development with Ektachrome, thing impossible with Kodachrome. With the wire of time the process evolved/moved (indicated of E-1 with E-5) and currently the treatment used is the E-6. This one can be implemented by small laboratories or the amateur with a simple developing tank.

Although Kodachrome was regarded a long time as a film of higher quality, the improvement made in the manufacture of films somewhat blurred the differences between the two processes. Moreover, the development of Kodachrome requires to call upon a laboratory of the mark, which lengthens the time of treatment (about 7 days). In comparison, the small laboratories can treat in their buildings Ektachrome and this since the years 1950. A laboratory amateur can make very well a complete treatment of Ektachrome in only one day.

History of the treatments

  • E-1 : Initial process for the treatment of films in sheet (1942 - years 1950)
  • E-2: Initial process for the treatment of films in reel (1942-1966)
  • E-3: Levelling for a professional treatment of films in sheet and reels professional Kodak EP (years 1950 - 1976)
  • E-4: Levelling for the treatment of films in reel (1966-1996)
  • E-5: Process reserved for the treatment of films used in air photograph AR6
  • E-6: Current process for the treatment of the majority of the invertible films colors.

Other firms use their own designations for identical processes. It is the case in particular process CR-55 of Fujifilm (equivalent in E-4) or process CRK-2 Konica (E-6).

The E-4 process was abandoned in 1976, however one continued to use it until in the years 1980 for the treatment of the microphotographic films Kodak PCF, and even until 1996 for the infra-red film color Kodak IE. And this for the simple reason that Kodak was legally dependant on a duty of treatment during 30 years.

The Ektachrome process differs rather clearly from the process Agfa Ap-41 used until 1983 for the treatment of films like Agfachrome CT18 and 50s Professionnel.

See too

Related articles

External bonds

Treatment of old Ektachromes films using amongst other things the processes E-2, E-3 and E-4:
  • Process C-22 the U.K. and Europe
  • Film Rescue the USA and Canada
  • Rocky Mountain the USA

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