Re: Elitechrome slide processing

[Greg Triplett <triplett@hotkey.net.au>]

Ho James,

James Brook wrote:
> 
> I use Elitechrome (Its the new name for Ektachrome Elite II) slide film
> and I was wondering if any of you used it and if you've had the problems
> I've had with the developing. Every now and then I get back the slides
> and they have a very deep scratch on part of the roll. I got back one
> today with a scratch on the bottom of the slides for about half the roll
> of film. Although it doesn't happen often, it does happen and when you
> pay $12.95 for the film and $15.95 for the processing this just isn't
> acceptable. I've confirmed that it isn't my camera and I was wondering
> if any of you have had a similar problem with Kodak's processing of
> slides. Apart from this the film itself is excellent and the colour
> reproduction is very good. I would recommend this over Kodachrome any
> day. The only problem is I don't know if the colour will last as good as
> the colour in Kodachrome slides.

I think Kodak is going through a bad time right now. 

In November I had a batch of 6 Provia 400's developed by
Kodak. This is the E6 processing the same as your Elite
Chrome. These shots were all taken in one day at JFK airport
of "iron" coming off runway 31L. The slides had dirt spots
on some of them and also some scratches. The scratches were
not parallel to the film direction of travel and were often
across the slide. I was not amused with scratches on a
couple of my Concord shots. 

>From the same trip were 12 Velvias ( E6 process again )
which are OK and 66 Kodachromes which are also OK.

For the whole batch of 86 films about 30% of the envelopes
arrived back broken with the slide boxes hanging out and
other envelopes had been stuck back together with sticky
tape. One box was lost for a week and two boxes were
smashed.

A user of Kodak slide films for 32 years, I am quietly
checking out the alternatives. The Fuji films are good.
Haven't tried the processing yet though.

Maybe Kodak is a brand name which has had its day like
Qantas.

As for Elite Chrome 200 film. I tried it out extensively
last winter on Conrail stuff. All blue engines and snow etc.
It didn't scrub up too well in terms of colour saturation.
Velvia did a lot better. Also tried Astia and Provia which
weren't too good either.

Regards

Greg Triplett