Photokina News: Kodak Prof. Ektar 100 Film

Ian Grant

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Luckily Fuji is still in the market and improving it's films. So if Kodak don't keep up they'd lose their film sales to Fuji, and they still make good profits from film.

Ian
 

Lee L

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No reciprocity data given.

Could this be a 2 electron sensitization film of the type PE mentions in his posts?

Of note to astrophotographers: a peak in red sensitivity at 650nm, good for hydrogen alpha emissions if the reciprocity is good.

Mandatory internet totally uninformed wild speculation: a 2 electron replacement for the discontinued UC films?

Lee

Outguessed myself. (I'll try to be crazier with future speculation.) The Kodak website says it does replace the UC films:

Does the announcement of EKTAR 100 Film impact any other films?
Yes. EKTAR 100 Film will replace KODAK PROFESSIONAL ULTRA COLOR Film / 100UC. And based on the superior performance and very positive response to our new PORTRA 400NC and VC Films, KODAK PROFESSIONAL ULTRA COLOR Film / 400UC will also be removed from the portfolio by year end 2008.

What formats will be available and when?
EKTAR 100 Film will be available in 135-36x format (CAT# 603 1330) beginning in October.
 
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Tim Gray

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Sweet. It's always good to see new films developed. I'll buy a couple rolls and play with it, even though I don't shoot much color. Sounds like a great film to pair with Portra - Portra for portraits, Ektar for non-people pics.
 

Nick Merritt

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Good to know this, and glad to see the Ektar brand back in use. Sorry to see the 400UC disappearing, however. And I would really like to see this in 120.
 

Michel Hardy-Vallée

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There's a page about the film on Kodak's site:
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/prof...ktar/ektarIndex.jhtml?id=0.2.26.14.5.14&lc=en

And the press release has some very interesting info about Kodak and film:
http://www.photographyblog.com/index.php/weblog/comments/kodak_professional_ektar_100_film/

"The new film incorporates KODAK VISION Motion Picture Film Technology to achieve its unparalleled fine grain."

"Kodak will host a panel at Photokina, entitled “Pro Photography: What’s Film Got to Do With It,” featuring professional international photographers Pep Bonet, Amy Postle, Eddie Soloway, and Det Kempke and moderated by Prof. Dr. Rolf Sachsse."
 

mjs

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This is cheerful news! I've been moping around ever since they discontinued Ektar 25; I'll have to get some of this new film when released. Time to start lobbying the local shop.

Mike
 

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I assure you that the EK engineers are not sitting on their thumbs, and they know what you want. That includes the sales reps as well that know what the market wants!

PE
 

Michel Hardy-Vallée

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More interesting tidbits from the Q&A page:
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/prof.../ektar/qAndA.jhtml?id=0.2.26.14.5.14.14&lc=en

It sounds like EKTAR 100 Film might be an alternative to high color reversal films?
Exactly. And that’s important as E-6 processing becomes less readily available.

Why did you name it EKTAR?
In years past, the EKTAR name, and EKTAR 25 in particular, were synonymous with fine grain. However, the low speed and limited exposure latitude of EKTAR 25 Film essentially mandated use of a tripod. EKTAR 100 Film offers the same fine grain as EKTAR 25 Film, but with 2 additional stops of speed, and significantly more exposure latitude (-1 to +2).
 

pentaxuser

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Michel Hardy-Vallée said:
EKTAR 100 Film offers the same fine grain as EKTAR 25 Film, but with 2 additional stops of speed, and significantly more exposure latitude (-1 to +2).
Click to expand...

Can I take this to mean that "if push came to shove" as they say when lighting conditions demanded an increase in speed it could rated at EI 200 with minimal/negligible loss of shadow detail and still print well?

pentaxuser
 

Chazzy

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I don't remember that the old Ektar films had exaggerated color, but maybe I'm wrong. Am I?
 

Lee L

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Chazzy said:
I don't remember that the old Ektar films had exaggerated color, but maybe I'm wrong. Am I?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't have said exaggerated. I'd have said more saturated, but very true and well balanced, especially compared to other films of the time when it was first introduced.

Lee
 

sun of sand

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it had better be an *awesome* film if it carries the Ektar name
Better than another won't cut it


I'll be buying it
Have high hopes
 

Photo Engineer

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This just in from Kodak:

“It is often the smallest details that mark the difference between a good photograph and one that stands out and becomes memorable,” said Mary Jane Hellyar, president of film, photofinishing and entertainment group at Kodak. “With our new Ektar 100 film, we’ve created a film that helps the photographer capture unprecedented detail in remarkably vivid color.”

"The new film incorporates Kodak Vision motion picture film technology, officials said. "

So this verifies 2 electron sensitization being used in this film along with other Vision technology which has moved down to the still arena.

PE
 

kodachrome64

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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry 8300: BlackBerry8300/4.5.0.55 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)

Great news. In your face, Ilford fanboys! Just kidding

It's too bad that the UC films will be going away, but I am very encouraged by this news. Between the wonderful new TMY-2 and this new film, I hope people really stop poo-pooing EK. Obviously it is not their intent to conspire to stop selling film if they are still coming out with new products. Sure, we all mourn the loss of KM25 and Tech Pan, but obviously we weren't buying enough of it to keep it going. I personally don't blame them for trying to make a profit and I would rather them do what they need to do to keep going rather than stop selling us film all together.

It is great to hear things like this and to see what 2008 technology can bring to the films we already love (at least giving us two extra stops)! I hope they can do for the C41 color films what they did for the B&W films with TMY-2.

Nick
 

braxus

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Im very happy to be reading this. I emailed Kodak a year or two ago asking if they could re-engineer EKtar 25 into a new 100 speed film and they seem to have done exactly that! Im impressed. Kodak seems to be listenning to all of us who have been missing the old 25 film. Now I don't mind if the colors are saturated, but I hope the contrast isn't too high. Or it won't take good people shots. But maybe this film isn't meant for that anyway.

And I too would like to see this in 120. A PGI 25 film in 120 would make excellent large prints. And when done optically Im sure it would blow away some digital prints.

Thankyou Kodak for bringing the Ektar 25 film back to us, but in a 100 speed emulsion. Oh my poor freezer is going to burst.
 

Alex Bishop-Thorpe

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I'll be sure to pick up a few rolls as soon as it's available on freestyle - and prod my local shop to get some in stock eventually. A new film is big news, and helps balance out the discontinuations we seem to keep hearing about...well done Kodak.
 

braxus

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I was also thinking of something else just now. We all (who know about Ektar 25) have been pleading with Kodak to bring it back. They did this by making it an updated film. So would Kodak consider taking the same 2 or 3 electron technology (as per TMAX 400 for example) and re-engineer Panatomic X to say a 100 speed film, but still using the traditional grains and curves of the old 32 ISO film? And make that one available in 120 and 4x5 as well as 35mm. Then it would give a good reason to drop Plus X which isn't selling well these days.
 
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