Kodachrome filter for rich slide film color

The legendary slide film

Kodak introduced Kodachrome in 1935, and it stayed in production for most of a century. It was a color slide film, viewed by projecting it onto a screen, and it needed its own complex processing.

Kodachrome 64 was a favorite of travel and documentary photographers for its sharpness, fine grain and long-lasting color. Kodak stopped making it in 2009, and the last processing ended soon after, which only made it more legendary.

What this preset does to your photo

Saturation and contrast are both raised strongly, giving dense, vivid color. Red is lifted most in the midtones and blue in the midtones and highlights, so warm and cool colors both get richer. A slight warm shift keeps skin pleasant.

Grain is very fine, among the lightest of the film looks, and a moderate vignette frames the image.

Because both reds and blues get deeper, a red jacket against a blue sky gets the classic slide-film punch. Shadows also get darker with the added contrast, so very dark areas can lose detail.

How to get the best result

Colorful scenes are where this look excels. Bright clothes, a painted wall or a sunny street will all come alive. Strong daylight works well, since slide film was used in good light.

The Minimal frame keeps attention on the color, and the 1:1 square export recalls the shape of mounted slides.

If faces start to look too intense, open the photo in the editor and lower the intensity slider. Around two thirds strength keeps the richness while easing the saturation.

Tips

• Wear bold reds, yellows or blues.
• Shoot in bright, direct light.
• Avoid already saturated scenes, they can get too intense.
• Use the editor's intensity slider for subtle results.

Questions