Colour Slides

I have posted this topic under research material as it is for this purpose I am using them, although in my case for family history.

Having spent over a month scanning slides I have noticed that some slide makes have deteriorated rather rapidly in the last 10 years. As an example, the scan I did in 2009 of the Duxford Control tower, taken in 1972, was very yellow but had some elements of colour that could be enhanced. A re-scan in 2018 showed less colour and colour correction failed to get the colours back despite removing the colour cast. This problem has affected many of my slides from the early seventies although this is the worst by far. From 1977 the problem is less pronounced and easily corrected providing the original was not over or under exposed.

The main culprit in my collection is PRINZCOLOUR slides which was a Dixons brand at one time. As slide have three layers, one per colour, I suspect one has failed almost completely. Another brand ORWO has turned an alarming shade of blue but has not faded as far as I can see. Again this is correctable but seems a lot bluer that when first processed - which was very blue then.

KODACHROME, AGFACHROME and FUJICOLOUR has faired well but I am amazed that family slides from 1957 to 1963 look as sharp as the day they were taken and have not changed hue to my eyes. However KODACHROME from 1966 has turned more blue but again easily corrected.

Of the 1980 slides BOOT own brand seems to have degraded, which is odd as I always assumed they were AGFA made as they used the AGFA CS type mounts.

The point of this is to warn those who used slides to check their collections regularly as some brands are changing fast. If they fade away they will no longer be a valuable resource in the future.

I should point out that my slides are stored in a cool, dry cupboard, in the dark and always have been.