Re: Basement Kodachrome... or Film Forever!

[Evanjoe685@aol.com]

I read the comments of kodachrome color lost as it fades in age, and wonder
if anyone on this LUG tried to use digital photography to restore some fading
chromes that they have in their possession.

I work in the digital domain of color separation and have acess to digital
equipment.
I have dealt with various photographers who also asked the same question.  An
alternative is to  create a second generation chrome onto either E-6 film
stock or into a negative that you will have as an second generation meant for
photgrahpic reproduction.  Also in this process, you will retain the digital
information on a zip disk or whatever means there is for file storage. By
working with the photographer and a color separation specialist, you can
clean up the chrome and add the punch back into the digital image where you
know what the color should have been.  I know that alot of people talk of
bending the rules of creativity by going into the digital world, but if you
excercise authority and guidelines by which you want to retain the integrity 
of the original photograph, then no problem will arise.

The final output into either a transparency or a negative can be achieve by
going to a service bureau that has a Kodak LVT film recorder or either a
Solitaire film recorder that will create your new second generation chrome.
Maximum size, as far as I know is limited to 8X10 film size.  Also with the
digital file you can go directly to an Ilforchrome print. (Cibachrome is the
old name.)  

To best of my knowledge, this is the best alternative to saving old fading
Kodachrome or even old images by using digital photography to restore images.
(BTW I had scanned in some old glass plate images to restore and also to have
as a digital file.!  No problems encounter except that there is a slight
color rendition that you might have to live with that is not as true to the
original.  About 95 to 99% accuracy.)

It is best to understand that from a specialist's point of view that
Kodachrome IS THE HARDEST transparency to scan in and match, mainly due to
the type of dye used versus the standard E-6 process.