Kodachrome or Ektachrome for cross processing.

[dmr]

Kodachrome has no dye couplers, dyes and couplers are provided in the three (!) color development stages, along with reversal exposures.

On this, I'm mostly just curious, not that I want to try it or anything, but can you or anybody maybe give pointers to a good explanation on how Kodachrome is processed. I keep hearing veiled references to adding dyes and couplers, and multiple re-exposures with colored light, but I've never found anything authoritative and concise. TIA.

[Ed Sukach]

On this, I'm mostly just curious, not that I want to try it or anything, but can you or anybody maybe give pointers to a good explanation on how Kodachrome is processed. I keep hearing veiled references to adding dyes and couplers, and multiple re-exposures with colored light, but I've never found anything authoritative and concise. TIA.

Camera and Darkroom had a definitive article on Kodachrome Processing - at least the K14 process. Many steps and solutions - and processing at various temperatures in the process. Most of the chemistry could only be obtained in LARGE bulk packaging ~ 500 pounds or so.

I've been as busy as I ever have been in recent memory lately. I'll try to find time to transcribe and post the recipe.

[dmr]

I'll try to find time to transcribe and post the recipe.

Thanks, Ed. I would appreciate that.

[Photo Engineer]

For those interested, here is a thumbnail of Kodachrome processing:

Rem-Jet removal
Rinse
First developer
Wash
Red Reexposure through the base
Cyan color developer
Wash
Blue Reexposure through the emulsion side
Yellow color developer
Wash
Chemical fog
Magenta color developer
Wash
Bleach
Wash
Fix
Wash
Dry

It takes over 1 hour IIRC, and the developers are very high pH and quite unstable. The process has to run 24/7 for all practical purposes to stay in control. And, since the couplers are in the developers, you can watch them turn cyan, yellow and magenta as they aerially oxidize.

It can be done by hand in a small sink line dip and dunk. That is how small samples of Kodachrome are processed during the research and development cycle.

FYI, in the 80s Kodak trade trialed a 400 speed Kodachrome that was beautiful, but no one was interested. So, it died before it was born. The last Kodak ads for Kodachrome were in the early 90s, as the market share had shrunk by then to the point where it was already dying before any d***tal came along.

PE