Final run of Kodak Supra Endura...stock-up time is now

frotog · Mar 16, 2010

After hearing the news from two prolabs in nyc I just got off the phone with Pete at Kodak Professional (1800-242-2424 ext. 19) who confirmed - Kodak Supra N surface in all sheet sizes has been discontinued. Pete said that F surface sheet sizes were back ordered for now and that, as far as he knew, they would do one more production run and that's it, no more, all gone. Evidently sales in traditional c-paper are miserable and Kodak's ship is taking on so much water they had to jettison the white elephant in their product line - optical exhibition quality c-paper. This leaves us with DNP A-9, which I'm currently printing contact sheets on, and kodak edge and kodak royal. However, none of these papers are available in sheets and none of them have the neutral color gamut of Supra. So stock up on the Supra now and enjoy it while you can!

Ektagraphic · Mar 16, 2010

I hate to tell you but this is kind of old news. I guess people could use Edge and Royal. You can buy a 10" roll of 200' for around $80 at B&H

Ektagraphic · Mar 16, 2010

Where can you find the DNP paper? I don't know much about it but I have prints made on it all the time from Blue Moon. Nice paper so far. I would love to have some opticals done on Edge to see it.

frotog · Mar 16, 2010

I had no idea it was old news. Has anyone mentioned it on this forum? If I remember correctly, at the time they originally announced the discontinuance of Supra they took it back, saying that just the rolls were being discontinued and that sheets would still be available into 2010. This is the first I heard of sheets being discontinued.

The A-9 is available through minilab supply, Diversified and a few others. It's the only optical-optimized paper available in sizes larger than 30". Gamut is reminiscent of the old Fuji crystal archive.

Vonder · Mar 16, 2010

I'm not sure how old the "news" is, but I recently went ahead and bought a color head for my enlarger and ordered chemicals and paper - the Kodak Endura. Alas, I only ordered 50 sheets, 8x10, and now wish I'd ordered 11x14 - the biggest size I normally print - as it's out of stock everywhere and now going away. I can switch to Fuji if I buy a Jobo tank to keep the chemicals warm in - oh wait, no I can't, Jobo is bankrupt and going under. I guess I'll just stick to my lab doing my Reala and Astia and - oh wait - those are going away too.

It will be both fun and bittersweet to get into color right at the end. Right before digital takes over completely. There's still B&W of course. Got to get me some Neopan in 120... oh wait...

Photo Engineer · Mar 16, 2010

According to the Kodak web site, Ultra is still there in sheets.

PE

lilserenity · Mar 16, 2010

Well I shall try and get another box of 9.5 x 12 and 8x10 and hope that Fuji CA is indeed cut in sheet form again in the UK.

Otherwise I'm gonna have to get a printer and scanner, and that's something I can't afford at present.

Can't give up colour medium format for a digital SLR!

Vicky

Ektagraphic · Mar 16, 2010

When I call Kodak and speak with them, they tell me there is NO paper available in sheets any longer....

Ektagraphic · Mar 16, 2010

I am very sorry. I stand corrected. That was as of the last time I spoke with somone and my mind is in diffrent directions today so I guess I was wrong. Kodak says Supra Endura in the F surface is still available in sheets. I was told though that the Ultra not available in sheets....1-800-242-2424 is their number. Option 19.

fschifano · Mar 16, 2010

Nothing looks quite like a analog C print. Inkjet prints can be nice, but they don't look the same. There are still options. Fuji CA should be ok. If Kodak is still available in rolls, it's not too difficult to cut sheets from a roll with a trimmer.

perkeleellinen · Mar 16, 2010

My latest boxes have expiry dates of 01/2011.

perkeleellinen · Mar 16, 2010

Wolfeye said:
It will be both fun and bittersweet to get into color right at the end.

Tragic isn't it? Worst part is that you'll come to love your prints and wish you'd ignored all the skeptics who told you how 'difficult' it is and tried this years ago.

Vonder · Mar 16, 2010

perkeleellinen said:
Tragic isn't it? Worst part is that you'll come to love your prints and wish you'd ignored all the skeptics who told you how 'difficult' it is and tried this years ago.

Maybe. I got pretty good at digital printing with an Epson 2200. Just went broke buying the ink and paper. Now I won't go broke, because I won't be able to buy it at all.

Then again, the color head isn't mounted, the chemicals aren't yet mixed, and the paper is unopened... if I never DO take the plunge I can remain a happy ignoramus for the rest of my life and STILL tell folks the legend of how hard color printing was...

"Why, twas so hard, I didn't even try it!"

frotog · Mar 16, 2010

Fuji CA is not the same paper it once was. The higher contrast consumer papers look a lot better.

Clearly we cannot trust the Kodak website. I can't stand their shadowy double-speak when their spokespeople say things like "it's still available" when what they really mean is that they have no intention of telling you that the higher-ups have already written the obit, the corpse is cold, but yet to be interred. I'm all too familiar with this lame strategy.

Nonetheless, Ultra in rolls is still available and it's still the same old ultra which to me means that it's so high contrast that it's really only viable with grossly underexposed negs - but of course anyone who is a regular Ra printer already knows this.

I'm placing an order for 11" edge as we speak. Over the next couple of weeks I'll do a shoot-out between edge and A-9 to determine which of these two papers will be my go-to proof paper and work print paper. Exhibition prints will now be done on the light-jet...end of an era.

I'm curious as to the longevity of the consumer emulsions vs. a light-jet rendered print on Supra VC. I guess I'll get back on the horn with Peter, the last man standing over in Kodak professional, ext. 19...sob.

nickandre · Mar 16, 2010

Edge is very, very similar to Supra Endura.

Thank god I already have a fridge full of supra already. I'll empty the piggy bank and grab some more though...

frotog · Mar 16, 2010

tiberiustibz said:
Edge is very, very similar to Supra Endura.

Thank god I already have a fridge full of supra already. I'll empty the piggy bank and grab some more though...

Yes, you've said this before. I got a short ream from my lab to test out and it appeared closer to Ultra than Supra to my eyes. But I'm going to order a long roll to really get into it and learn it's characteristics. I'm all stocked up on Supra for the moment, having purchased the remainder of the rolls thanks to a list of vendors that kodak professional was kind enough to email me. Let's see ...4 rolls of 11x288' = 987 11x14's ...I should have no problem getting through this before it starts to turn in the next month or two. Too bad it doesn't keep like film, huh?

frotog · Mar 16, 2010

If anyone's interested in trying out the DNP A-9 I can provide 50 sheet boxes of 8.5x11 or 11x14 for $35, free shipping to the lower 48. PM me if you're interested.

nickandre · Mar 16, 2010

frotog said:
Yes, you've said this before. I got a short ream from my lab to test out and it appeared closer to Ultra than Supra to my eyes. But I'm going to order a long roll to really get into it and learn it's characteristics. I'm all stocked up on Supra for the moment, having purchased the remainder of the rolls thanks to a list of vendors that kodak professional was kind enough to email me. Let's see ...4 rolls of 11x288' = 987 11x14's ...I should have no problem getting through this before it starts to turn in the next month or two. Too bad it doesn't keep like film, huh?

I got a couple of 11x288' rolls of somewhat expired royal generations paper. It looked within 5cc color balance and slightly less saturation/contrast than supra endura but that could have been the age. The base was almost imperceptibly darker as well. We're not high and dry without cut supra endura, but we sure as hell ain't better off.

David Grenet · Mar 16, 2010

tiberiustibz said:
Edge is very, very similar to Supra Endura.

I find it to be more saturated in the blues. I don't like the thinner base.

It reverses fairly well too, but with a little mottle and high contrast (see my post from a few years ago)

Jedidiah Smith · Mar 16, 2010

Something I wonder:
Could a middleman such as Freestyle, or B&H (I'm thinking someone with some buying clout) . . . could they purchase a bunch of rolls (relatively cheap), and then have them whacked up into some regular sizes - say 8x10, 11x14, 16x20 and then have them sold to us, the end users, with a mark up for this service.
If there's at all a market for cut sheets, you'd think someone could do this, even if it's not worth a corporation's time like Kodak to cut, maybe somebody else would be happy doing it for the money.
That is if there is any money, of course.

Jed

frotog · Mar 16, 2010

David Grenet said:
I find it to be more saturated in the blues. I don't like the thinner base.

From what I've been told Edge and Royal are the same emulsion but Royal has the thicker base and the snazzy gold script on the back. The added saturation in the blue layer is consistent with my experience...typical of commercial papers - "Now with bluer skies!". Oh boy.

brucemuir · Mar 16, 2010

What is DNP A9?

Anyone care to fill me in?

Ektagraphic · Mar 16, 2010

The old Konica paper is now DNP as I understand. It is a pretty nice paper made for optical printing....I wish I could find out more info about it though....

slm · Mar 16, 2010

I just bought everything needed to color print, today (including some Kodak Supra paper).
If I understand correctly, it's all (that is, all RA-4 Kodak paper) discontinued ?
What's our alternative ? Fuji Crystal Archive ? I've read it's optimized for printing digital files, and not great for optical printing, is this true ?

Thanks
Steven

Photo Engineer · Mar 16, 2010

As I said before, Ultra Endura in sheet form is not discontinued. I've posted the URL elsewhere.

PE

Final run of Kodak Supra Endura...stock-up time is now

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