50's Kodachrome Film Simulation V2 - Gold Version
- Sep 10, 2023
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 19
Promised a different article showcasing the second version of Kodachrome film simulation, so here you have it. The gold edition. The original Kodachrome 64 recipe provides a punchy look, leaning a bit on the blue side, while this version focuses on a Velvet Blue Amber color science like the Golden Age Kodachrome.
I am quite very excited to showcase this film simulation, and that is because I am in love with the images coming out of my Sony camera when using this film recipe.
The Kodachrome V2 is a variation of the Kodachrome V1, but with softer tonalities, golden skin tones and a deep velvet blue cast over the image. It is made after Kodachrome 10 used in the 50's Golden Age.
Later in this article, I will showcase a straight comparison between Sony Standard colors, and both versions of Kodachrome film recipes, but first I want to showcase some references I've used when creating this film simulation.
35mm Kodachrome byĀ Toni Frissell
1942 - Kodachrome by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information Source
1942 - 4Ć5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information Source
Kodachrome Film Simulation samples
And now let's see some film simulation samples
All images unedited - Sony RX100 VI
Kodachrome Overview
Honestly, both versions are excellent, and it's really hard to choose my favorite, but somehow I tend to fall on the second version. That is because I have a weakness for the magical blues of the skies and the velvet cast over the whole image in combination with the golden skin tones. All with super soft tonalities and film-like contrast. It works wonders.
The skies are the perfect shade of blue, not too magenta and not too much on the teal side, right in between. I simply love it. It evokes a feeling of nostalgia, of purity and innocence.
The Kodachrome V2 proves to have excellent dynamic range, being able to keep details in both shadow and highlights, even in the toughest conditions.
Check it out!
The Yellow Green cast seen on her face is from the green tent next to us, not to be confused with a color problem from the film simulation. In the following pictures, the cast is always going to appear on the side of the tent.
I love the subtle Magenta hues in her face from the photo below.
Kodachrome Color
The Kodachrome V2 film recipe features a distinctive magenta cast, reminiscent of the original Kodachrome film roll. While achieving a perfect match using only in-camera tools may not be feasible, this recipe comes remarkably close to capturing that classic look.
Kodachrome film is well-known for its vibrant colors and unique tonal qualities, and the V2 recipe aims to replicate those characteristics as faithfully as possible. The inherent magenta cast adds a nostalgic feel that many photographers appreciate, echoing the aesthetic of some of traditional Kodachrome prints.
It's important to note that while this recipe is designed to approximate the original film's appearance, variations in lighting conditions and camera settings can influence the final results. Therefore, some adjustments may still be necessary to fine-tune the output to your liking. Overall, the Kodachrome V2 film recipe offers a compelling option for those looking to evoke the timeless quality of Kodachrome film in their digital photography.
Kodachrome Photo 1960 - Source: Shorpy
50's Kodachrome Sony Film Simulation Recipe
At this time of the year (August), all the trees and foliage are turning Olive in color, instead of being lush green. However, the Kodachrome film simulation does a great job at shifting the greens towards teal, keeping them lush and fresh looking.
The skies are gorgeous.
Accurate to real life, not Teal nor Magenta,
sensibly balanced in the middle.
You might need to tweak the color filter settings to get a perfect match, as in the samples below. Slightly shift the color filter point by 0.25 stops between Magenta-Green until you hit the right spot to refine the recipe for your own camera.
This recipe was designed to be used with a Floating Kelvin Value. Meaning you can push it in 2 directions, for cold tones or warm tones, and the hard limits are between 3900K and 5000K, pushing the colors depending on your taste.
Kodachrome v2 Film Simulation Recipe 3900K
Kodachrome v2 Film Simulation Recipe 4600K
Let me explain the concept of Floating Kelvin Value. The original Kodachrome recipe gave various results, either filled with a strong blue cast, like the first images in this article, or with a more balanced Blue cast and Golden skin tones, like in the second image.
To cover the needs of each user, I've prepared a Temperature Window/Range in which you can play around to get the results you want. So basically, you can use the same film recipe and get different results. Start from 3900K for a cold tonality and up to 5000K to emphasize more on the golden skin tones. You can decide which is best for you. :D
Comparing Sony colors to Kodachrome film simulation
Ok. How does this picture profile compare to Sony's standard color, or even better, to the Kodachrome 64 V1? Let's see the comparison.
Sony Standard vs Kodachrome 64 V1 vs Kodachrome V2
Skin tone test
You can notice how Standard Sony colors are very dull straight out of camera, lacking color contrast. Kodachrome 64 recipe V1 is a punchy film simulation, with deep, rich tones. Overall it has accurate colors just a bit on the blue side, while V2 is much softer on contrast, more saturated colors focusing on a complementary Gold - Velvet color palette. V2 has more of a vintage nostalgic feeling to it, while the Kodachrome 64 V1 has a bold and defined character.
Both versions of Kodachrome start from a high point of saturation, but can be easily adjusted to the need of the individual user only in a matter of seconds. So no biggie.
Each Sony camera has a slightly different color science, so adjustments might be needed to get the same results.
Each of these Film recipes is customizable and only requires the 'know how', which you can easily get from my videos.
The following video is one of the most in-depth tutorials on Sony's picture profiles, and I made it, so anyone can customize and create their own film simulations for Sony cameras. I highly recommend it. Check it out!
I do like this simulation and going to use it when i go away camping next week in its current form. Actually quite excited to run through a few of the simulations on the camp site throughout the week.
I have also been trying to tweak this sim for a seperate purpose as i like how skin is coming out with sport especially if i actually use the raw file variant in C1 as its giving a nice skin rolloff and not blowing highlights from the players on field in harsh light , but downside for me for this aspect is the magenta cast that can happen on skin which of course is part of kodachrome. Any easy way toā¦