Ektalure or Portralure replacement

archer · Apr 1, 2010

This subject may have been discussed before but I can't find the thread so please bear with me. Please tell me what current available paper most closely matches either of these papers most especially Ektalure. I'm down to the last of my frozen stash of 20x24 Ektalure and 16x20 Portralure both in the G surface and I have two large portrait commissions and the print orders may well exceed my supply of paper, hence the need to find a suitable replacement. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Denise Libby

rwboyer · Apr 1, 2010

I have a 500 sheet box that sadly has deteriorated but I am playing around with some anti-fog agents to see what I can do with it. Here is what it looks like now w/o anti-fog agents:

http://photo.rwboyer.com/2010/01/14/kodak-ektalure-paper-misadventures-in-the-world-of-analog-photography/

Now to answer your question - I have tried just about anything but nothing is exactly the same. Some of the closest stuff is the Foma VC FB matte papers on the warm or natural base. I am going to offer some sample prints for these as soon as my next shipment comes in if you want to see it.

RB

Mike Wilde · Apr 1, 2010

I know it is not as easy, but I have tried with Ilford MGWT, and with a light sepia tone and it sort of immitates Ektalure. I do have some afga (111 or 118) perhaps just from before they packed it in that purported to have a warm tone base, but I have not tested; it is tucked in the freezer for now. I am now down to about 5 sheets of the burlap and tweed finishes combined in 16x20.

I now aches me to use a piece, so I always print on a readily available paper and make sure I like the image for a few weeks before I try to get the look on that of the Ektalure.

PVia · Apr 2, 2010

RB, that's a great image and I like the look a lot.

Whenever I have fogged papers, I look for a way to make it's weakness into a strength. Certain images lend themselves so well to an alternative treatment, and your suggestion of lith would be perfect. Did you try it? How did it turn out?

I recently tried some Ektalure for lith printing and loved the result...

Actually just this evening I was lithing some Portriga that can't stand up to regular treatment and the results were quite nice with no edge fogging or other streaks, and colors were beautiful.

rwboyer · Apr 2, 2010

PVia said:
RB, that's a great image and I like the look a lot.

Whenever I have fogged papers, I look for a way to make it's weakness into a strength. Certain images lend themselves so well to an alternative treatment, and your suggestion of lith would be perfect. Did you try it? How did it turn out?

I recently tried some Ektalure for lith printing and loved the result...

Actually just this evening I was lithing some Portriga that can't stand up to regular treatment and the results were quite nice with no edge fogging or other streaks, and colors were beautiful.

I have had so many irons in the fire that sadly i have not tried it yet - It has been on my list to get some lith developer in my "next" order for a while and it keeps slipping my mind.

If you do not mind may I ask what developer and process you used with your ektalure when you did the lith with it?

RB

PVia · Apr 2, 2010

I used Moersch EasyLith...it was very nice with the Ektalure.

Black Dog · Apr 2, 2010

I've tried Fomatone Nature 532 and will definitely use more when my stash of Ektalure runs out.

rwboyer · Apr 2, 2010

PVia said:
I used Moersch EasyLith...it was very nice with the Ektalure.

Thanks

I will give that a try.

RB

Ektalure or Portralure replacement

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