Kodak Retires KODACHROME Film

A 74-year icon of color film photography — Kodak’s Kodachrome — was retired on June 22, 2009.

June 22, 2009

Kodak Retires KODACHROME Film; Celebrates Life of Oldest Film Icon in its Portfolio
Newer KODAK films and digital cameras became the preferred choice for photographers.

ROCHESTER, N.Y., June 22 — Eastman Kodak Company announced it would retire KODACHROME Color Film in 2009, concluding its 74-year run as a photography icon.

Sales of KODACHROME — the first commercially successful color film (1935) — had declined as photographers moved to newer KODAK films and digital imaging. By the time of the announcement, KODACHROME represented a fraction of one percent of Kodak’s still-picture film sales.

As part of a tribute, Kodak planned to donate the last rolls to George Eastman House in Rochester. Photographer Steve McCurry would shoot one of those final rolls, with images donated to the museum.

Processing availability had also diminished: Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas remained the only lab processing KODACHROME at that time, and indicated it would continue through 2010.

To explore other KODAK films mentioned in the announcement, Kodak encouraged photographers to try choices such as KODAK PROFESSIONAL EKTACHROME E100G and EKTAR 100.

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