Faking Kodachrome in Camera?

Cinka · May 27, 2009

I've been trying to figure out how to fake Kodachrome for a while now and have come up with some labor intensive Photoshop adjustments and built actions, but it's never the same or I can't seem to get close.

Is there a way to fake the Kodachrome look with a digital SLR? Gels? Filters? Settings?

Thanks!

Reference: Flickr: The Library of Congress' stuff tagged with slidefilm

~K

Torus34 · May 27, 2009

As Kodachrome(r) is readily available, why not just use it? Believe me, it looks exactly like Kodachrome(r) without a moment spent on post-processing!

popawalker · May 27, 2009

I agree with Torus34, but if you still want to do it digitally, try the trial version of alien skin, it does ok, but still???

CrimsonFoxPhotography · May 27, 2009

Torus34 and popawalker, somehow the two of you missed the point of the OP. The whole idea is that she does not want to get the effect using post-processing....she wants to do it right in the camera. Kodachrome film might be available but she's specifically asking how she'd get the effect using a digital SLR.

Iron Flatline · May 27, 2009

It would take some tweaking, and be ineffective, but if you shoot JPG (or RAW + JPG combined) you can set hue, saturation, brightness, sharpness, contrast and a number of other settings. It might get you closer, but never close enough.

Theoretically it ought to be possible... I'm surprised the film makers don't push to set up profiles which might be uploadable to cameras so the look can be emulated. Might be a minor profit center for them, esp. if they could OEM the settings.

twozero · May 27, 2009

Iron Flatline said:
Theoretically it ought to be possible... I'm surprised the film makers don't push to set up profiles which might be uploadable to cameras so the look can be emulated. Might be a minor profit center for them, esp. if they could OEM the settings.

This would be great! I wish it would happen, but until then, I think you (the OP) are going to have to stick with PPing the photos. Because of the nature of digital and applying actions, they will react different everytime due to whatever data is in the image.

Cinka · May 27, 2009

Torus, you're so right...except, I don't have a film camera anymore. My sister "borrowed it" and can't find it now. My fiancee had a great little Pentax that he gave to his son. It's digital or nothing.

I actually forgot about the the RAW settings maybe I'll play around with that and see how close I can get. I also haven't used Alien Skin in about 10 years. They have a "kodachrome" feature?

epp_b · May 27, 2009

Crank up the contrast and saturation and underexpose by a stop, maybe? Just guessing.

Torus34 · May 27, 2009

Cinka:

You can find loads of fine 35mm rigs on eBay for very little cost. The Konicas in particular are going at low bids. They're fine old workhorses. So are the Mamiyas, Yashicas and Minoltas.

craig · May 27, 2009

"Mamma don't take my Kodachrome... Mamma don't take my Kodachrome...Mamma don't take my Kodachrome awaaay..." "Kodachrome" by Paul Simon

Yeah... the Kodachrome setting is right next to the amazing portrait setting.

Kodachrome's tonal values should be left to the now ill fated K-14 process. I think there is a whopping 2 labs in the U.S that still process it. Tell us what you like about the film and we can tell you how to sort of emulate it. Easy answer; If you shoot Nikon set your WB at Cloudy +2 for all daylight temp photos.

Edit: We are down to one K-14 lab in the whole world. Who would of thunk it.

Dwayne's Photo Service
415 S. 32nd Street
Parsons, KS 67357
US
(620) 421-3940
Toll Free: 1-800-522-3940
Fax: (620) 421-3174

Love & Kodachrome

ArizonaSun · May 27, 2009

Kodchrome is great stuff, I scanned some of my family's old slides from the 50's and 60's , they still look great!

~Stella~ · May 27, 2009

A lot of the images are missing, but you may be able to leach some info out of this thread: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/beyond-basics/113104-1960s-treatment.html

Garbz · May 28, 2009

There is a commercial plugin by AlienSkin called "Exposure" Alien Skin Software: Exposure which simulates film from digital files.

Depending on your budget this may be the perfect tool for the job.

popawalker · May 29, 2009

Kristin, what camera are you shooting with?

Joves · May 29, 2009

popawalker said:
Kristin, what camera are you shooting with?

Yeah that is what I would like to know. If it is a D300 there are some sources to load on your camera for it.
Index of /~khuon/photography/NIKON/CUSTOMPC