Polish RA-4 paper 4MD

[Samu]

I came across an RA-4 paper by Polish company, called 4MD. I found their website 4md.pl. Does anybody know anything about this product? It looks like it is not sold widely outside of Poland, and there also by their parent companies (Eurolans sp. z.o.o.) website, that seem to be broken, and registration of clients not working properly. Besides Poland, some stores in Czechia seem to be selling the stuff. The company sells also their brand of color (C-41 and RA-4) chemistry.

Is this paper repackaged Fuji, or what it is? Maybe somebody has any idea. I do understand some Polish, but even this way there is very little information about the product, except the slogans of the company's own marketing team.

 

[koraks]

Is this paper repackaged Fuji

I don't think so; given the price point and packaging options, it's Lucky paper.

 

[Paul Howell]

Only a guess, Kodak sold Lucy a film coating line along with a color paper coating line in the 90s, the film was Kodacolor 80s vintage. Unless Lucky has updated the paper emulsion it will a version of Kodak. Lucky has resumed making color film, so far I have not seen any in the U.S market.

 

[koraks]

Kodak sold Lucy a film coating line along with a color paper coating line in the 90s

It's a little different; Kodak entered a joint venture with a couple of Chinese firms sometime around 2000. As part of that deal, they (Kodak) assisted in setting up color manufacturing operations at Lucky, which had already been producing photographic material by that time. Some transfer of IP was apparently involved in the JV, but what IP exactly, I don't know.
Whether the current Lucky paper resembles Kodak - IDK, but it seems to be pretty bad especially in terms of archival stability. I don't think Kodak made a paper after about 1965 that has this little protection against aging (fading dyes, yellowing). So it might be based on Kodak formulas, and quite likely is, but it also seems to be a stripped-down/cost-down version of something similar to Kodak Royal Digital paper.

Lucky has resumed making color film

I'd love to try that out some day.

 

[Pelovsky]

I run through a few rolls of this 4MD paper in the past. The RC support was similair to Fuji CA, colors were a tad more vibrant than Fuji CA, but it scratched quite easily. Back then it was dirt cheap (I got it on some sale or offer or whatever at approx. 20 euros per 30cm x 80m roll).
Color paper is so cheap (when bought in rolls) that I'd say there's no reason to switch from the paper you like and are used to just for the sake of lower price.
The Euroland company used to be Kodak distributor in Poland, selling bricks of 10x Kodak Color 200 for peanuts, Kodak RA-RT 4x5l developer for just a little more etc. They also used to sell their own RA4 chemicals - I remember using their blix, cheaper than Fuji's and just as good.

 

[Paul Howell]

The venture between Lucky and Kodak was in the late 80s to mid 90s, although Lucky was suppose to import to the U.S some gray market film did show up as house brands. A chain of mini labs called Moto Photo sold a lot of Lucky 400 as one of its house brands in 12 exposures to real estate agents for flyers, color was ok, but rather gainey.

 

[Samu]

I run through a few rolls of this 4MD paper in the past. The RC support was similair to Fuji CA, colors were a tad more vibrant than Fuji CA, but it scratched quite easily. Back then it was dirt cheap (I got it on some sale or offer or whatever at approx. 20 euros per 30cm x 80m roll).
Color paper is so cheap (when bought in rolls) that I'd say there's no reason to switch from the paper you like and are used to just for the sake of lower price.
The Euroland company used to be Kodak distributor in Poland, selling bricks of 10x Kodak Color 200 for peanuts, Kodak RA-RT 4x5l developer for just a little more etc. They also used to sell their own RA4 chemicals - I remember using their blix, cheaper than Fuji's and just as good.

I am very satisfied with my Fuji DP II, but as we are neighbors, (mieszkam w Kownie(), it is strange, that these papers and developers are not imported here.
I would like to order one roll for just to try, but the net page is broken. You van choose Slovakia or Latvia, but not Lithuania for delivery address. No resellers can be found for these products. To be frank, I am more interested on C41 and Ra4 chemistry than paper. Is there any resellers in Poland who would send to Lithuania? (Mówię także po polsku.)

 

[Samu]

I run through a few rolls of this 4MD paper in the past. The RC support was similair to Fuji CA, colors were a tad more vibrant than Fuji CA, but it scratched quite easily. Back then it was dirt cheap (I got it on some sale or offer or whatever at approx. 20 euros per 30cm x 80m roll).
Color paper is so cheap (when bought in rolls) that I'd say there's no reason to switch from the paper you like and are used to just for the sake of lower price.
The Euroland company used to be Kodak distributor in Poland, selling bricks of 10x Kodak Color 200 for peanuts, Kodak RA-RT 4x5l developer for just a little more etc. They also used to sell their own RA4 chemicals - I remember using their blix, cheaper than Fuji's and just as good.

What is the dela with Euroland? All of their web pages seem to be more or less broken. Is the company still working, becoause their produce is nor sold by any other wholesaler.

 

[Pelovsky]

What is the dela with Euroland? All of their web pages seem to be more or less broken. Is the company still working, becoause their produce is nor sold by any other wholesaler.

that's so nice meeting someone speaking Polish from the beautiful city of Kowno
I didn't do any business with Euroland since the covid pandemic, so I don't know how do they operate now. I've seen their web shops under different names - e.g. esubli.pl. The thing is that the prices they list are without VAT, so when you count that in + shipping costs - it's far from a bargain.
In 2018 I did exchange some emails with a sales rep from Euroland - kszczap (at) euroland.pl, maybe you could try this.
I mainly buy my chemistry and paper from foxell.pl - their prices are very reasonable, but I don't know if they'd be willing to post abroad.