[Aegon]

I have a roll of Kmart "Focal" brand 400 ASA slide film, 20 exposures. It has been sitting in a box for a very long time. There are no processing notes.

I think it might be a licensed version of Kodachrome. Nothing expressly says so, but some info here: Kodachrome processing ca. 1980 - Photo.net Film and Processing Forum suggests that Kodak licensed K-14 films to others as part of an antitrust lawsuit.

Anyway, I'm going to shoot it and set my expectations low. I'll update this thread when I get results. If someone knows something definite about this film that I'd love to hear it. Or if you know for a fact that this is a waste of time...

[Ratmagiclady]

It still seems unlikely that that is a Kodachrome process: more likely E-6 or E-4: 400 speed slide film of any kind ran to the uncommon in days of 20 exposure rolls, and Kodachrome *200* was a novelty (That didn't catch on: I'm pretty sure I was *driving* by the time they served up *that* underwhelming experience, if not working retail: that's put things some time past 85. ) ) ... long after K-mart had more or less discarded the 'Focal' branding.

As of like 1980, I'm not sure there *was* a 400 rated slide film anywhere, for any kind of money, never mind a K-process one from K-mart. If there was, it'd probably be an Ektachrome or Agfachrome sort of deal. (Ie, no rush to get it off to Dwayne's.) Or: Not actually a slide film at all. Photos of packaging?

Any color film of that age is likely to be skunked at best, anyway. Frankly, fast color of that age pretty much sucked at the *time.*

Interesting thing is, though, if the process isn't labeled on the canister, I might be able to recognize it by smell and taste: but it really should say what process it is, in general. The only exceptions I know would be color print film or those repackaged movie-film schemes attached to proprietary labs by their own branding.

[Aegon]

Great info RML!

It says, "price includes processing". So any Kmart should do this for free, no?

I think I got my hopes up for nothing. I'll shoot the roll and bring it to the local E-6 developer. Maybe they can smell it.

I'd take a photo but I already loaded it. The canister is a dark ruby color and the film exposes gray on the leader.

[BillM]

3m produced 400 isa (E6) based chromes, used to shoot a fair amount, first
time I exposed and chemically pushed was with it ( to app. 800 isa )
grey leader made memories 'ears' perk up, always had slight cyan cast.
Dont know when production ended, remember buying in '84...'85.
If emulsion has been held somewhat stable, might be fun as curiosity goes.
nasal appraisal not so far fetched.(with experience)

[Ratmagiclady]

Great info RML!

It says, "price includes processing". So any Kmart should do this for free, no?

In an honorable world, maybe. But Kmart's changed hands since then, and I doubt you'll find much from them. You could taunt the manages of the electronics section, though.

I think I got my hopes up for nothing. I'll shoot the roll and bring it to the local E-6 developer. Maybe they can smell it.

If they're old enough, anyway. The interesting thing about scent/taste is it's one of the most closely-tied to memory. Film that old would probably taste that way to anyone who paid attention *at the time.* But few others. You're only really tasting the top layer of it, and that can change without people thinking much of it.

I'd take a photo but I already loaded it. The canister is a dark ruby color and the film exposes gray on the leader.

Yeah, that sounds like E-6. Kodachrome leaders are brownish.

May as well just send it off and see what you get. Only Dwayne's even *does* Kodachrome anymore, and not for long.

And, yeah, btw: that 3m film was reasonably common once upon a time. Made sense when a Powerpoint was a Carousel projector, I guess.

[sachnguyen]

Tôi không biết gì về loại film này!

[GeneV]

I just finished scanning some 35+ year old Focal slide film that was promptly processed in the 70s. I can assure you that it is not Kodachrome. It does not look anything like Kodachrome, and has been no where near as stable--even processed.

[ChrisPlatt]

Agfachrome film was always sold with processing then.
Just a guess, but your Kmart film could be rebranded Agfa...

Chris

[GeneV]

Agfachrome film was always sold with processing then.
Just a guess, but your Kmart film could be rebranded Agfa...

Chris

I shot a lot of Agfachrome in Germany. It came with processing but without frames.

This looks more like the 3m stuff. The colors are very different from Agfa.

[stevebrot]

Agfachrome film was always sold with processing then.
Just a guess, but your Kmart film could be rebranded Agfa...

Chris

Back in the day, the prevailing opinion was that the K-mart film (along with most other off-brands) was made by 3M. I never used it. I guess one way to tell would be to look at the canister and/or box. If it says made in USA, it is most likely 3M.


Steve

[GeneV]

Back in the day, the prevailing opinion was that the K-mart film (along with most other off-brands) was made by 3M. I never used it. I guess one way to tell would be to look at the canister and/or box. If it says made in USA, it is most likely 3M.


Steve

My sense is that Agfa became more of a player in US store-brand films later on in the 80s. This 70s era film is definitely not Agfa, and I only heard of 3m making the film at that time. The color and the grain are very different from numerous Agfa slides I shot at that time. Agfachrome had lovely reds, a finer grain and was sharper. (Agfa could not hold a candle to Kodachrome, though)

[INLarry]

From experience, I'd place money on anything Focal branded being made by 3M. Later on in the 80's and 90's the packaging would include a fine-print "manufactured by 3M" on the box and canister, but can't speak about early 80's. Similar to the Polaroid brand sold at Walmart simply being re-branded Agfa films. Oddly, I think I've still got some rolls of Focal branded print film in a drawer.

[John Poirier]

It still seems unlikely that that is a Kodachrome process: more likely E-6 or E-4: 400 speed slide film of any kind ran to the uncommon in days of 20 exposure rolls, and Kodachrome *200* was a novelty (That didn't catch on: I'm pretty sure I was *driving* by the time they served up *that* underwhelming experience, if not working retail: that's put things some time past 85. ) ) ... long after K-mart had more or less discarded the 'Focal' branding.

As of like 1980, I'm not sure there *was* a 400 rated slide film anywhere, for any kind of money, never mind a K-process one from K-mart. If there was, it'd probably be an Ektachrome or Agfachrome sort of deal. (Ie, no rush to get it off to Dwayne's.) Or: Not actually a slide film at all. Photos of packaging?

Any color film of that age is likely to be skunked at best, anyway. Frankly, fast color of that age pretty much sucked at the *time.*

Interesting thing is, though, if the process isn't labeled on the canister, I might be able to recognize it by smell and taste: but it really should say what process it is, in general. The only exceptions I know would be color print film or those repackaged movie-film schemes attached to proprietary labs by their own branding.

There never was a Kodachrome faster than 200. I think there were at least 3 or 4 400 slide films available by 1980. Seems to me I shot some concerts in about 1975 with 400 slide film. However, I'm not about to start pulling apart slide mounts to find them...

John

[jogiba]

Aug 1967 Popular Mechanics:


Popular Mechanics - Google Books



Back then Kodak had 160 asa High Speed Ektachrome:


Kodachrome 200 did not come out until 1986.

[rt22306]

I'm a bit late, but was just reading this thread. I don't remember ever shooting any slide film from K-Mart, but their Focal brand print film was 3M indeed. If I recall, in the late '80s perhaps early '90s 3M spun off their film business and it became Imation. I don't think they used private branded Fuji or Konica, it was 3M all the way. (I was a K-Mart shopper back then, being in the Navy and later college...)

Some of last Imation film I used though said on the box that it was made in Italy.

3M also ran batches of their film for the film developing kiosk chains; I was most familiar with Jack Rabbit, being from the Southeast. They had a kiosk in the shopping center near the main gate of the base 30 some years ago...