Dr. Hug's Photo Scanning Service

We Digitize Slides, Negatives, Prints

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Is it a Kodachrome slide?

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Kodachrome is Kodak's brand name, but the slide mount (frame) isn't always labeled with the name "Kodak" or "Kodachrome".  We call these slides unbranded, unmarked or generic Kodachrome slides.

  • Note:  If you do not choose to have Digital ICE applied, you do not need to sort out the Kodachrome slides.

 

The way to determine if the slide is Kodachrome is to look closely at the film surface. One side of the film is duller than the other (the dull side is the emulsion side). Other ways to determine the dull (emulsion) side are:

  • The dull side is the side that should face the screen when in the slide projector.
  • Often the dull side is the side that has the company name and/or logo printed on the mount.
  • When looking through the dull side, the images and any wording should appear backward.

 

You need to look closely at the dull side (using a magnifying glass helps).  You can tell it's Kodachrome because it has a much more distinguished raised surface (texture) of the image on the film.  Regular slides have a slight raised surface (ripple) of the image on the film.  Another difference is that the dull side of a Kodachrome slide is usually not as shiny as a regular slide's dull side.  If you have a slide that has "Kodachrome" printed on it, you can use it for comparison to help determine unbranded Kodachrome slides.

 

See a close-up photo of a regular slide, a Kodachrome slide and a generic, unbranded Kodachrome slide below.

Kodak Ektachrome Slide (regular slide)

It has a slight ripple on its surface.

Kodak Ektachrome Slide (regular slide)

Click to enlarge.

Kodak Kodachrome Slide

It has a texture on its surface.

Kodak Kodachrome Slide

Click to enlarge.

Generic, Unbranded Kodachrome Slide

It has a texture on its surface.

Generic Kodachrome Slide

Click to enlarge.