re: Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away
Sad. Both, that Kodachrome is gone. And worse, that I'm old enough to understand Michael's allusion.
Very sad,
p

You and me both, Paul. K25 was my favourite film for decades...

Mike.

Mike,
Lived in Hawaii for a few years courtesy of the United States Navy (1968-74). Bought an Asahi Pentax and a few Vivtar lenses. Shot many many rolls of Kodachrome 25. I knew nothing. But today it's a wonderful archive of time and place. Kodachrome fit the zeitgeist perfectly. As anyone who was around in those days knows.

Now I'm feeling Kodachrome old. No reason to feel sad though, it was just a matter of time. Not too sure Kodak will survive as company. I wonder who will be next? Leica? Hasselblad?

I am no seer so can´t help you guess more accurately; all I can add is that I feel a sense of madness creeping into life in general - a sense that most things are spinning wildly out of control with an energy of their very own, outwith the power or wit of man to do a hell of a lot about, one way or the other. You mention the possible demise of three great companies. Once, you would have been laughed at or worse; now, there isn´t even surprise at the thought. There is no longer surprise at any thought. Many banks, upon which everything has been founded and all security based, have collapsed and we all, today, seem to carry on as if nothing has happened. We write about this, about that, as if none of it has any bearing upon our own survival beyond the possible inconvenience of finding ourselves with a camera that can no longer be repaired.

Why do I get this feeling that we are all avoiding looking at a spectre so much greater and more frightening than we care to see, that we focus on the trivial in a wilful attempt to mask the momentous?

Rob C

You're a lot of fun, Robsie.

Not to despair, this is the ongoing reality of change. I spend some time talking to my 88 year old mother-in-law everyday. She is having a hard time dealing with small changes, such as having to dial 1+area code now for local calls (she lives in the 818 area). I was thinking about all the change she has seen since the 1920's. It is dizzying. She lost her mother at an early age, was sent from home to home to do work, until she went off on her own at 15. This was during the Great Depression and wasn't the best time for a 15 year old to be on her own. But, she has done well given this background, she is a survivor. Adaptability is what kept her from despair. Adaptability is what will keep companies in the forefront. Kodak didn't adapt and paid the price. IMO, Leica's health is dependent on its ability to adapt, which it has not been doing well. Its niche is not growing.

That frightening specter you feel may just be fear of the unknown. A normal human feeling.

There are plenty of things to be afraid of - real doomsday stuff. Yellowstone is 40,000 years overdue, larger than 1,000 ordinary volcanos. I've heard that Earth's nuclear core has a 50/50 chance of dying out within the next 1,100 years, which is very short compared to a 4.4 bn year life. Sea levels will likely displace several hundred million people, soon enough.

But I think a lot about some of the seemingly ridiculous things we've gotten past - Voodoo economics is here to stay, and apparently works. Disposable cameras have been around for a long time. The nuclear waste keeps piling up, so we just push back the fences. See how easy that is?

And don't worry about Kodak. Their contracts with the military and spy agencies will feed a lot of families for some time to come. And of course, we can always make new treaties with former "adversaries" and expand Kodak's market that way. If we were really smart, we'd all get together and demand some new consumer sensor technology that Kodak's been sitting on, for apparent lack of consumer interest.

Never a big fan of K25 - it was Ektachrome 64 for me and my Spotmatic

Jeez, when I opened this thread, I was expecting to feel nothing worse than a bit of nostalgia, but now I'm afraid to turn on the news or go out the door. I think I'll unplug the computer and hide in the cellar until this blows over. I guess if the worst happens and Leica goes belly up, we can look forward to worrying about a supernova or the return of the Black Plague.

Peter Jacobson

Pete, unless you were too busy contemplating your navel, the BP never went away, just mutated. It is now devouring most of Africa and a hell of a lot of the "enlightened" world too - be careful whom you go to bed with...

But hey, that´s good news: latex shares will survive it all and make us rich!

Rob C

Mr P!

´Tis my rôle in life to keep folks happy!

;-)

Rob C

Ummm... wasn´t that something to do with CDs and digital? Really helped along the core products - good thinking, K! Almost as bright as getting yourself into medicine! Must do it again.

Rob C

Rob, having lost my brother to the modern plague, I'm all too aware of its presence and do what I can to support research. However, following his example, I choose not to dwell on it. BTW: Since I rarely photograph humans, I've spent precious little time contemplating navels, and I can assure you that my own is not worth a second look. Kate Winslet's on the other hand.........

Peter Jacobson

Peter

Sorry about your loss - these things are ever impossible to understand: the how is simple, but the why evades us. Losing my wife to C was one such experience - I know why she isn´t here anymore but find it hard to come to terms about the purpose - assuming there is one, without which the ultimate conclusion about life would be too grim to contemplate. A sort of sick, cosmic joke. Fear or faith as a non-religious person allows some acceptance, if not much more than that.

Miss Winslet´s navel wasn´t the first thing about her that sprang to mind - but different folks and different strokes (no pun intended but allowed to stay unedited now I do see it)...

;-)

Rob C

I think Paul Simon's song needs to be remembered for what it said; at lesat my interpretation: The 'Kodachrome" of my memories are full of color compared to the black and white of reality.

Are we having Kodachrome memories of Kodachome?