Got my kodachrome film back...dirty!

[Mike Buckles]

Went to Walmart to pick up my super 8, eagerly got home, set up the projector...and...dirt and spots all over the film, on the first time projecting it! It's not unwatchable, but certainly excessive, especially since it's never been projected before. My 17 year old films are much cleaner, and, I cleaned the film gate with compressed air and one of those bulb brushes before I loaded up the film...same with the camera before I even shot the film...it looks like there might even be some water spots on the film...needless to say, I was very discouraged. I know Walmart processes thru Dwayne's in Kansas...the previous roll I sent to them directly turned out fine...and that raw film was 10 years old! This was brand new fresh film from Kodak. Do you think this happened at the Kodak factory, or when it was processed? I doubt anything happened at Walmart, because they just send it on to the lab. I know Cameraguy had posted previously on how to clean film, and where to get the supplies, but I looked and can't locate the post...I doubt if cleaning the film will get rid of all of the artifacts, but it couldn't hurt! Luckily, this film was just exposure and focus and color tests done around the house...but what if it were something I spent a great deal of time capturing...like a home music "video" or a short film...anyone else have this happen to them? I don't ever recall getting a roll back with all the dirt/etc. on it before...mike

[rollemfilm]

had the same problem. use kodak from now on.

[JIM DUNN]

Sorry to say that the last K-40 I sent to Dwayne's for processing came back with water spots, gradoo, etc., and this Super 8 is destined to be blown to 35mm (via HD video).

[Mike Buckles]

Thanks for the article, Alex...it certainly appears that Dwayne's trys to be careful...the condition of the film is exactly how Jim described it...water spots too...I guess maybe I will have to send to Kodak for processing...too bad, Dwayne's was very close! I saw a posting recently that Kodak was now including prepaid mailers in the cost of the film...it's not available on their website, you have to call...barring that, where do you buy these mailers from? And approximately how long does it take to get back from Switzerland? The dirt and spots run thru the entire film, not just the open and close...i'm used to that! I'm glad I heard from some of you that have had the same problem...I thought maybe I was being overcritical about the problem...mike

[BolexPlusx]

Don't be too quick to blame Dwayne's. I asked them recently and they said that not all Wal-Marts use them. I assume the rest use Kodak.

Why does a thread like this have to appear 3 days after I sent a whole bunch of film to Dwayne's?

[Mike Buckles]

I'm pretty sure it was Dwayne's...the box and red leader that came with the Walmart film are identical to the box and leader that came when I sent a roll to Dwayne's directly...also, I'm in Nebr, and Dwayne's is in Kansas, and my film was back in about a week...due to the speed of the order, it's more likely it went to Kansas than Switzerland. Also, the film box was plain white...no Kodak markings at all.

[Alex]

The white box would be from Dwaynes, at least my last order from Dwaynes came in a white box.

I have e-mailed Jenny Gartner, the chemist at Dwaynes, and given her this direct topic post link so perhaps she will show up and give us more information. [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

[Alex]

Here is a link to a flicker article about Dwaynes, the only U.S. Kodachrome developing facility.

If most of the dirt was in the first few feet and the last few feet, the answer is to remember that when shooting Super-8mm , let a couple of feet at the front of the cartridge run through, and the last couple of feet at the end.

http://www.chapel-hill.nc.us/flicker/Programs/35.html

[rollemfilm]

never, not once, has a roll come back from kodak that had any problems. it's worth the wait to send it to kodak.

[Alex]

I think it's a more complex issue than just saying take it to Kodak, Switzerland.

I did a 40 hour turnaround on a couple of cartridges of Kodachrome by fed-exing it to Dwaynes. That's very important when it comes to doing work that must be completed in a timely matter, or if you are doing lighting experiments and need to see your results quickly, or if you are testing your camera by shooting a cartridge of film.

If Super-8 can continue to grow, I'd rather see more labs pop up then have Kodachrome be reduced to one lab in the whole world...yech!

Having said that, I believe Dwaynes will be responsive to complaints and improve. I hope I have the right e-mail for Jenny and that she responds to my e-mail in the very near future.