I'm currently digitizing about 100 reels of Kodachrome family movies from the 50's. I have been trying to get these in chronological order and generally have had good luck. Here are my assumptions about Kodak film packaging/processing from those times. First of all, quite a few of the boxes (and they are all in their original processing boxes (3" x 4" x 1", these were the boxes that the magazines were sold in..)...including the .02 and .03 cent postage from the Chicago lab..!!) have a nicely printed date on the box...might be 1954 for example, these are I am certain, a "Process by...." date. In addition, most of these have a stamped date inside the flap of the box and this includes a month and year...printed in light red ink. Those are, I'm sure, the actual processing date. In addition to these boxes, I have about 3 dozen smaller boxes from Kodak...these are the exact size of the 8mm film reel (3" x 3" x 1/2")...and most of these boxes have no date at all on them. They are a mix of 'regular 8mm" and Super8, so I know the Super8 would be post 1965.
So...I'm pleased that all of these rolls are in their original boxes...(I was the photographer for most of these rolls)...and many of them have had written 'content' labels also on the box. Of course, making the judgement of how old a person looks in one reel as compared with another reel IS part of the process of doing this. I'm also happy that all of this trove has been stored in that proverbial "cool, dry and dark" place...so the Kodachrome colors are all still bright and true.
I've noticed that the 'tail end' of most of these rolls have some sort of coding holes punched in the film. I spent a big part of my career working for IBM, so I'm quite familiar with BCD (Binary Coded Digit) numbering, but I've not been able to 'crack this code'...!!
So...I'd appreciate any thoughts any of the Members might have about this dating issue...
So...I'm pleased that all of these rolls are in their original boxes...(I was the photographer for most of these rolls)...and many of them have had written 'content' labels also on the box. Of course, making the judgement of how old a person looks in one reel as compared with another reel IS part of the process of doing this. I'm also happy that all of this trove has been stored in that proverbial "cool, dry and dark" place...so the Kodachrome colors are all still bright and true.
I've noticed that the 'tail end' of most of these rolls have some sort of coding holes punched in the film. I spent a big part of my career working for IBM, so I'm quite familiar with BCD (Binary Coded Digit) numbering, but I've not been able to 'crack this code'...!!
So...I'd appreciate any thoughts any of the Members might have about this dating issue...
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