DAY 152

HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Kodachrome

THE WORLD SEES IN COLOR

The first examples of practical color photography, Autochrome and Dufaycolor, were produced using a process called an “additive method” but it had some drawbacks, such as problems with enlargements and projection, which required the use of extremely bright lights.

Kodak’s Kodachrome film, invented by Leopold Godowsky Jr. and Leopold Mannes in 1935, used a completely different process called the “subtractive method.” It was initially introduced as 16mm motion picture film in 1935 and, in 1936, as 8mm movie film and 35mm slide film. However, it would eventually be mass-marketed in a wide variety of still photography formats (35mm, 110, 120, 126, 828, and 4 × 5 and ISO/ASA that ranged from 8 to 200) and really take off as the first successful color reversal film.

With its rich, durable images, fast emulsion rate, and availability in roll form, it was ideal for 35mm “hand cameras” and quickly became the color film of choice among photojournalists and commercial photographers.

Because processing of the film was too complicated for the average amateur photographer, the purchase price of the film included developing—except in the United States, where, for legal reasons, the cost is divided.

Kodachrome was the first widely successful, mass-market color film. Today, even after Kodak, citing a decrease in demand due to the rise of digital technology, announced the discontinuation of the product in 2009, it is still considered the standard by which all other color film is measured. —DJG