Chromatic 01 Classic Kodachrome | Kodachrome Film Preset for Lightroom Mobile & Desktop

K1 is for travel, landscape, and outdoor photographers who want the vivid color presence of classic slide film applied as a versatile everyday starting point.

For photographers who have found standard digital color too flat or neutral and want more color presence and life without the heavy saturation of a vivid filter.

The reds are different. Kodachrome's red rendering was its most distinctive quality — warm, slightly shifted toward orange, richer than digital. K1 replicates this specifically.

Blues have depth without going vivid. The slightly cyan-shifted blue of Kodachrome — sky, water, shadows — adds depth without the oversaturation of pushing Blue Saturation.

Skin tones stay warm within the vibrant palette. Kodachrome was widely used for portrait photography — the warm skin tones are calibrated to work alongside the vivid color rather than conflicting with it.

1 × K1 Classic Kodachrome DNG file — for Lightroom Mobile
1 × K1 Classic Kodachrome XMP file — for Lightroom Classic
Installation guide
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This preset captures the vibrant, warm-saturated aesthetic similar to the iconic K1 filters. It’s the perfect professional alternative for those wanting an authentic, analog-inspired look that feels "real" rather than "filtered." By emulating the high-contrast and rich saturation of vintage 35mm film, the K1 ensures your digital shots have a polished, nostalgic finish that stands out on both desktop and mobile.

Step 1 — White balance first. K1 assumes a warm-neutral starting point — 5,000-5,400K for outdoor daylight. Kodachrome's warm color science reads most naturally on a warm-neutral foundation. On cool white balance, the vivid color can read as oversaturated rather than vibrant.

Step 2 — Apply K1 Classic Kodachrome. The Kodachrome color rendering, moderate contrast, and film character apply simultaneously.

Step 3 — Adjust Exposure and White Balance per photo. K1 handles the Kodachrome color identity. These two adjustments handle the per-photo differences.

Portrait photography with K1: the vivid palette of Kodachrome is primarily suited to outdoor and travel subjects. For close-up portrait work, reduce to 78-82% strength and check that Orange Saturation after applying reads as warm rather than orange. K1's skin rendering is warm by nature — on subjects in direct warm light, this works naturally.

Camera-specific notes: Sony files need Green Hue +8 toward yellow after applying — Sony's slightly teal greens compete with Kodachrome's warm palette. Canon files are a natural fit for K1's warm color direction.

On phone photos: 80-82% strength.

What is the difference between K1 and K2? K1 is the clean, balanced Kodachrome baseline — vivid but controlled. K2 Warm Kodachrome adds golden warmth on top — better for golden hour and warm-light environments. K1 for versatile everyday use, K2 for warm-light conditions.

Is K1 accurate to the actual Kodachrome film stock? K1 is a Lightroom interpretation of Kodachrome's color science — the vivid reds, deep blues, warm midtones, and moderate contrast are all calibrated to reference the original stock. It is not a technical emulation of the chemical process but a careful recreation of the visual characteristics.