Any tips for Kodak Ektamatic SC paper?

adelorenzo · Dec 8, 2012

I picked up a big box of Kodak Ektamatic SC paper, which searches of APUG and google tell me has some sort of integrated developer and was used for making rapid (and short lived) contact prints. The Kodak data sheet also suggests that it can be processed in trays with standard developing/fixing processes like normal paper.

Has any one used this paper before? Any tips or suggestions?

Also looking at the same data sheet, apparently the 'F' paper was smooth, glossy, white, single weight paper. My box is the 'A' surface and I can't find any information on what that means. Does anyone know the difference between the A and F variants?

MattKing · Dec 8, 2012

According to the sample/description in my 5th edition/1977 printing of the Kodak Darkroom Dataguide, Surface "A" offers "Smooth, lustre on a white, light-weight base. This paper is thin enough for the illustrative pages in a report or a manual. Folds without cracking."

The sample looks quite nice .

Prof_Pixel · Dec 8, 2012

Note the Data Sheet says: "KODAK EKTAMATIC SC Paper is a projection-speed, selective-contrast, black-and-white paper with a fiber base. It is designed for exposure with tungsten light, and used for applications requiring extremely short processing times, such as medical, military, photojournalist, and proof printing applications"

I used to use A surface paper for images in reports and Christmas cards; I think it was Kodabromide, but it might have been Medalist.

Mike Wilde · Dec 10, 2012

I fiddled with some quite a few years ago that came with a stabilization processor. the A was smooth, but not glossy- and thin. Think of typical photocopy paper, but maybe a bit thinner.

SC had incorporared developing agent. It just needed an alkaline solution to make it work. I processed it a solution of 20 mule team borax laudry booster after my stabilization processor activator solution reservoir ran dry. I am not sure what the second bottle of stuff did, but you did not have to fix the paper if you only wanted the print to last a few days, as many did when this process type was popular. For long lived prints you had to fix and wash them. Tricky considering how thin the base was.

I fear that the stuff you have may be fogged. A lot of integrated developer stuff goes bad a lot faster than traditionally coated material of a similar age.

adelorenzo · Dec 10, 2012

Thanks for the replies. The thin paper sounds like it could be interesting for something, crossing my fingers that it is still in good shape. I'll update the thread once I've had a chance to try it out.

adelorenzo · Dec 24, 2012

Turns out it was fogged enough that I don't want to use it for anything. Too bad as the 8.5x11 thin sheets would be perfect for putting contact sheets in binders.

kreeger · Dec 29, 2012

Oh, this takes me to the "wayback machine". So, the original market for Ektamatic SC - it was used for rapid printing of B&W for press work in newspapers prior to RC papers coming out. Kodak made a companion processor and chemicals that made a print available in less than 30 seconds to be viewed. I printed on this stuff a lot in my job back in 70s using the processor. It made a damp sticky type print that air dried sort of. If you wanted to keep the print long term you just fixed and washed as normal papers. As I recall the paper was very similar to the Polycontrast Rapid fiber based paper without the rapid processing. The A weight paper was able to take pencil or other retouching materials very easily. It was half the thickness of single weight and as you determined the 8.5x11 size was great for contact sheets.

canuhead · Dec 30, 2012

It was a single weight fibre paper that I thought looked very nice. I still have some 11x14 that I haven't cracked open yet but really should. No idea if one can still get the stabilizer and activator. The predominant use was for contact sheets at newspapers afaik. Some used 8x10 paper and some newspapers contacted the entire roll as a single strip. THAT looked pretty cool.

Have you tried adding some benzotriazole to help with the fogging ?

kreeger · Dec 30, 2012

I neglected to mention this... the paper can be developed normally with any developer you use with paper, which you may have already discovered. It was a neutral tone with Dektol, with the Ektamatic process it was more of a warm brown.

Minarik · Feb 14, 2020

Old topic, but someone interested. I just opened an Ektamatic SC feom 1976. A bit fogged, but not crazy. Next time I will use some benzo.

Terrence Brennan · Feb 25, 2020

I used this stuff in the mid- to late-1970s to make contact sheets; I used the recommended Kodak processor and chemicals.

When I was done with my day's proofing, I would tray shuffle the prints through Kodak F-5, and send them for their usual wash-and-dry sequence. If I didn't feel like finishing up in one day/evening, or only had a few sheets I would let them sit in my darkroom, on the counter, and the next day place them in an 8x10 box reserved for un-fixed and washed prints, which was clearly labelled as such. When I had enough sheets I would do the wash-and-dry sequence.

I found this material very convenient for contact sheets and sometimes quick work prints. The prints which I made 43+ years ago are still fine!

smurphy · Mar 8, 2022

Hi Everyone,

Picking up on this older thread. Does anyone know if Ektamatic was a chloro-bromide paper? I'm doing research on stabilization processes and can't seem to find that information anywhere. Thanks in advance for any assistance.

MattKing · Mar 8, 2022

There is a small possibility that @laser (Bob Shanebrook) may be able to answer your question and/or point you toward some additional resources.
If he doesn't respond to this thread, make a request here to have your private Conversation function turned on.

leon bren · Mar 3, 2024

Continuing this old thread, I picked up some boxes of 8x10 and 12x16 Ektamatic. I'd never heard of it. It is singleweight, but prints beautifully with Dektol. More suprisingly it liths beautifully using Aristo powder lith. There are a few examples on FlickR. It gives a rather grainy lith but can be surprisingly variable. If you come across some, grab it with both hands.

laser · Mar 3, 2024

I am familiar with EKTAMATIC SC Paper. It is a selective contrast (Kodak or Ilford Filters) incorporated-developer (hydroquinone) paper that can be processed in activator/stabilizer processor for temporary prints or processed like conventional paper dev/stop/fix/wash . A is light weight and F is traditional glossy and can be ferrotyped.

chuckroast · Mar 3, 2024

leon bren said:
Continuing this old thread, I picked up some boxes of 8x10 and 12x16 Ektamatic. I'd never heard of it. It is singleweight, but prints beautifully with Dektol. More suprisingly it liths beautifully using Aristo powder lith. There are a few examples on FlickR. It gives a rather grainy lith but can be surprisingly variable. If you come across some, grab it with both hands.

Ektamatic was a VC paper intended to be processed in an Ektamatic SC machine that had developer and stabilizer bottles inverted into it. It found favor in places like newspapers where you needed prints done very rapidly. The prints came out damp and ready for use within a few minutes, but for longevity, ordinary fixing was required.

It worked by having some of the developer embedded in the paper itself, though it may be possible to developer and fix conventionally.

I printed a ton of this stuff in the 1970s working as a PA for a small, local photographer that covered everything from new events to weddings, and portraits.

Any tips for Kodak Ektamatic SC paper?

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Any tips for Kodak Ektamatic SC paper?

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