With the announcement of new, reformulated Ektachrome Slide Film being released by Kodak AND Film Ferrania Italy releasing a all-new Slide Film (later this year), there has been LOTS of interest in Color Positive Film!
Last year FPP introduced a brand new “retro” film stock called FPP RetroChrome. Purchased from a US Government auction and shipped from an underground “cold vault,” this color slide film has been fed to thousands of FPPer’s cameras…producing amazing results!
What is FPP RetroChrome film?
RetroChrome is government surplus Eastman Ektachrome. Made for industrial and governmental applications, Kodak adds “it is color reversal camera film that is intended for photography under daylight illumination. Among its many applications are news photography, sporting events and industrial photography.” The film is cold-stored expired. The film performs excellent at it’s intended box speed which leads us to believe that this film has been stored in the “deep freeze” for the past decade.
So, what’s available of FPP RetroChrome Color Slide film?!? Check out our products HERE.
What is “Chrome” Film? Chrome film is a color reversal film than develops into a color positive when processed via E6 chemistry. Color positive film can be scanned (just like negative film) and is awesome because you can project color slides using a Kodak Carousel or other slide projector! Ask your lab if they can process E6 – Recommended lab – https://thedarkroom.com/)
How do I develop FPP RetroChrome film? If you are sending your film out then select E6 option for color slides or if you wish to cross-process, select C-41 option for color negs. Note that cross-processing will produce slight color-shifts. If you home-process, use the FPP Rapid E6 kit for color slides or the FPP C-41 kit for cross-processed color negs!
above: Daniel Lachman’s You Tube review of FPP RetroChrome!
Last Word – What is Cross-Processing?
Cross Processing is when you process Color Slide Film (E6) in Color Negative chemistry (C-41). The results will yield a color negative with an alternative color palette. Colors may be subdued and pastel-like. According to WikiPedia “The results of cross processing differ from case to case, as the results are determined by many factors such as the make and type of the film used, the amount of light exposed onto the film and the chemical used to develop the film.”