SilverFast Blog

Kodak on Instagram: first test photos shot on the revived Ektachrome film

Five years after Ektachrome has been discontinued, the new film will soon be available. Kodak is in the final phase of fine-tuning the coating process. Of course, the formulation itself is well-known, but some of the more than 80 different chemical components were no longer available. First, new producers had to be found for these chemicals, which has meanwhile succeeded. Kodak has now published first test pictures on Instagram.

Question: « Where did the Ektachrome pictures you recently posted came from? »

Kodak: « They came from the most recent narrow coating trial. We looked at the test shots on a light box, and were very excited. While we recognize that scans don’t necessarily do the film justice, we posted them to help people understand we remain hard at work to bring EKTACHROME to market. »

Ektachrome – end and new beginning

Ektachrome has been on the market since the early 1940s, but faced with financial difficulties in 2012 and the lack of demand due to a fast-growing digital market, Kodak ended the production of many film types – including Ektachrome.

But in recent years, the sales of professional photo film is steadily rising again. Professional and enthusiastic photographers discover the artistic control through manual processes and the creative satisfaction of a physical end product.

It may be assumed that the new Ektachrome film will be available this year, maybe in a couple of weeks.