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Topic: Processing old K40 cart for free?

Jan Bister
Darth 8mm

Posts: 2629
From: Ohio, USA
Registered: Jan 2005

posted April 29, 2006 06:16 PM

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Well, earlier today I mentioned an old K40 cartridge I still had that came with my Eumig camera last year. Curiosity got the better of me and I finally ran the whole thing through taking random scenes around the house. Turns out there was only like 2-3 feet left before I ran out. [Big Grin]

[Big Grin]

So now of course I want to see how the thing turned out. (And what the previous owner shot on those first 12-13 feet of film.)

Question is...

...is the mailing envelope shown above still of any use to me? Apparently the film was bought process-paid so if I can still get it processed this way I'd like to know how/where.
Do I address it directly to Kodak's lab in Switzerland? (What is the address)? Or am I better off dropping it off at my local Wal-Mart? Or should I forget about either option and have Dwayne's Photo process it? They might be better equipped to handle exposed film of unknown age/condition anyway, am I right? (Not that that's really important to me here...)

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Call me Phoenix. *dusts off the ashes*

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted April 29, 2006 06:27 PM

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Hi Jan,

The envelope is actually nothing but literally a way to get the film to the lab.

If the film cartridge is labeled "includes processing by Kodak" you can mail it to:

Kodak mailer processing
c/o District photo
P.O. Box 3022
Beltsville MD 20705

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Jan Bister
Darth 8mm

Posts: 2629
From: Ohio, USA
Registered: Jan 2005

posted April 29, 2006 08:10 PM

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Yippie!! Thank you Steve. [Smile]

[Smile]

And there's nothing else to it? Just write this address on the front, my home address on the back, and off it goes (like the olden days)? I do know I have to pay for postage of course [Smile]

[Smile]

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Call me Phoenix. *dusts off the ashes*

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted April 29, 2006 09:15 PM

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You're welcome!

3 first class stamps will get you there, and on a sadder note: Kodak is ending this kind of processing on August the 1st, so now is the time!

Two things you might consider: 1)The mailer is flimsy, so a band of packing tape around where the address flap joins the envelope will increase the odds it makes it there (I stick my address label on the side of the cartridge too) and 2) the format of the mailer baffles postal services the world over so a "TO:" and "FROM" placed near the return and sending addresses increases the odds you won't get it mailed back to you by mistake! (Having this happen is how I learned to reinforce the envelope, when it showed up at my house it looked like it had been dragged behind a car!)

(I have 5 pre-paids left myself!)

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Jan Bister
Darth 8mm

Posts: 2629
From: Ohio, USA
Registered: Jan 2005

posted April 29, 2006 09:58 PM

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Sweet, I can't wait to find out what's on the film, provided it'll still be visible after processing. I just hope it's nothing of an adult nature [Roll Eyes]

[Roll Eyes]

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Call me Phoenix. *dusts off the ashes*

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John Whittle
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 791
From: Northridge, CA USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted April 29, 2006 10:10 PM

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quote:
I just hope it's nothing of an adult nature

The old Kodak policy was not to return anything of an "adult" nature--Kodak lab managers had the largest collections of amature porn in the US. Of course that goes back to the time it was called CP&P (color print and process).

So .... if you never see it again, there's the possibility that ....

John

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Jan Bister
Darth 8mm

Posts: 2629
From: Ohio, USA
Registered: Jan 2005

posted April 30, 2006 06:53 AM

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Whoa. So they actually viewed all the home movies that were sent in? Or did they spot-check them? [Confused]

[Confused]

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Call me Phoenix. *dusts off the ashes*

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Jan Bister
Darth 8mm

Posts: 2629
From: Ohio, USA
Registered: Jan 2005

posted May 27, 2006 09:17 AM

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I received the film back earlier this week and just watched it. [Big Grin]

[Big Grin]

It really must have been old, it came out very pale and with a purple cast to it... pretty much all the colors are gone, but the image is still visible. For the curious ones among you, apparently my Eumig camera's previous owner was a nature lover, for there are scenes of birds in a wintry landscape pecking for food. Quite charming, really, I almost wish it had come out better, but then I did get free processing so beggars can't be choosers. [Big Grin]

[Big Grin]

The few scenes I shot myself at the end came out pretty OK, too, actually with slightly more color than the previous stuff. Well, the camera works and that's a good thing to know. [Smile]

[Smile]

Now here's one stupid question I didn't think to ask before, though: Who processed the film? [Eek!]

[Eek!]

Did the people at the above address forward it to the Kodak lab in Lausanne or did I send the film to a U.S. lab? (If so, which one?)

--------------------
Call me Phoenix. *dusts off the ashes*

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Kevin Faulkner
Film God

Posts: 4071
From: Essex UK
Registered: Jun 2003

posted May 27, 2006 11:00 AM

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Jan, That result you got is typical of K40 which has not been stored too well....it tend to go magenta looking.

The reason your shots looked better for exposure is because believe it or not when you take an image it starts to deteriorate straight away. Its called latent image regression. Not something you notice in the normal course of things but will do on a film which has had the image (unprocessed) on it for years.
This is why the manufacturers suggest having the film processed straight away.
Anyway glad it came out ok. That reminds me that I have four rolls in my fridge to get exposed and processed before it's too late. If only we could have some good weather here in the UK [Frown]

[Frown]

Kev.

--------------------
GS1200 Xenon with Elmo 1.0...great combo along with a 16-CL Xenon for that super bright white light.

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted May 27, 2006 11:41 AM

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Kodak was sending US K-40 to Dwayne's until late 2004, since then it has been going to Switzerland.

How can I be so sure? Despite the fact that Kodak has kept this the biggest secret since The Normandy Landing, you can tell which lab by the reel they use.

Dwayne's= White reel in white card box (If you go Dwayne's direct you get this too.)
Switzerland=Black reel with snap-on cover

If the labs ever change packaging we'll have no idea!

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Jan Bister
Darth 8mm

Posts: 2629
From: Ohio, USA
Registered: Jan 2005

posted May 27, 2006 11:59 AM

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Clever! Thanks for sharing, Steve. [Smile]

[Smile]

Kevin, I was already aware of latent image regression so yes, I did expect my own footage to be slightly better than the previous scenes. The difference isn't huge, though - partly my own fault because I did leave the cart sitting around in a sweltering hot room during the last summer [Big Grin]

[Big Grin]

not even having thought of shooting the rest of it and having it processed just for kicks. It was all just an experiment in the first place, I certainly never expected any usable results [Smile]

[Smile]

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Call me Phoenix. *dusts off the ashes*

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John Whittle
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 791
From: Northridge, CA USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted May 27, 2006 01:31 PM

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quote:
Kevin, I was already aware of latent image regression so yes, I did expect my own footage to be slightly better than the previous scenes. The difference isn't huge, though - partly my own fault because I did leave the cart sitting around in a sweltering hot room during the last summer

Part of it is also the age of the rawstock. Film changes slowly after it's coated. Kodak used to age (or "ripen") Kodachrome and then the expose by date was affixed. The professional films were made with much shorter shelf life and thus were offen refrigerated at the store and suggested you do the same at the studio.

There is also an aim time after exposure. Kodak used to recommend that exposed Eastman color positive "rest" for two hours before processing (kinda like taking that prime rib out of the oven and resting it until carving) so that prints would more closely match. A normal print run would often show variation between prints of one printer point in any color direction.

A bluish tinge can also be caused by using the wrong film/filter for daylight/interior film. This is supposed to be keyed to the cart and camera but maybe the filter is "stuck".
(Indoor film exposed outside should have a wratten 85 filter which is orangish to balance the daylight color temperature).

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Kevin Faulkner
Film God

Posts: 4071
From: Essex UK
Registered: Jun 2003

posted May 27, 2006 06:23 PM

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Yes John, "There is also an aim time after exposure" that is spot on. You actually get some latent image progression as we called it at Ilford for some time after the image hits the film.
We used to also age the film prior to it actually being dated and stamped so that the period stated was the most stable.

It was great fun this colour film lark and oh how I miss those research days.

What I would like to do again is have a go at doing some of my own E6 processing so I will have to have a look round for one of those Russian film developing tanks and some E6 chemistry. There is nothing like actually opening a developing tank and seeing you exposed film just laying there waiting to be dried with your images on it [Smile]

[Smile]

Kev.

--------------------
GS1200 Xenon with Elmo 1.0...great combo along with a 16-CL Xenon for that super bright white light.

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Joerg Polzfusz
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 815
From: Berlin, Germany, Europe, Earth, Solar System
Registered: Apr 2006

posted May 28, 2006 05:43 AM

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Hi,

please keep in mind that Kodak only honours this free process until August 1st, 2006!
And don't forget to tear off the small number at the envelope's opening since Kodak keeps track of this number when your film gets lost/mixed up/whatever. (Sorry for my bad English - I hope you got the sentence's meaning nevertheless.)

Jörg

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Jan Bister
Darth 8mm

Posts: 2629
From: Ohio, USA
Registered: Jan 2005

posted May 28, 2006 12:22 PM

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Not to worry Joerg, that was my only K40 cart anyway. I'm currently using 64T stock... but will definitely give Velvia 50D or maybe Ektachrome 100D a shot - in a manner of speaking. [Smile]

[Smile]

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Call me Phoenix. *dusts off the ashes*

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