Where is Supra Endura?

AlexG

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Kodak really can't seem to keep up with their products anymore. I guess it was another bad year for them.
 
OP
OP

hrst

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Argh. This is insane. Supra Endura was already a high-contrast paper IMO. Now we have only Ultra endura, that is even higher in contrast. I've not tried it but probably unusable if you want normal pictures, not special effects.

Supra Endura spec sheet says it can be exposed optically (well, why not) but that it gives high contrast and cyan neutrals.

Unbelievable shit. What's the point in manufacturing special paper but not the normal one?

If I had known this, I would have bought much more paper from AG-Photographic and put it to freezer.
 

tim elder

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This is bad news to me. I print color negative film optically and use Kodak Supra Endura paper exclusively. I've never used Fuji paper before. Being that I have to buy some new paper soon anyway, maybe now is as good a time as any?

Tim
 

pentaxuser

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This is very bad news. Despite Fuji leaving the field open for Kodak to have a monopoly on the RA4 sheet paper market, it seems there is still not enough of a market for 2 optically exposed papers( Supra and Ultra).

Makes you wonder how much longer any RA4 can last that is suitable for optical exposure. Looking on the bright if a little optimistic side maybe this might change Fuji's mind about sheet paper. I have never understood why Fuji consider sheet paper to be uneconomical. It's simply a question of cutting sheets with what must be existing cutting machines. Unless the increase in price was exorbitant enthusiasts would be prepared to pay the extra cost.

It's a vicious circle as there may be adverse knock-on effects for small volume RA4 chemical suppliers such as Fotospeed and Tetenal

pentaxuser



Rolls are a lot of hassle unless you have a taylor-made cutting machine.
 

DanielStone

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fuji CA was discontinued in sheet form? Freestyle still has it listed, so does B&H. I'd imagine that something would have been said loudly by either of these two about it.

-Dan
 

Chan Tran

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This is bad news. If we are forced to print our negatives digitally then what's left of film?
 

AlexG

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Maybe someone can capitalize on this and cut rolls down into sheets and sell it online. I'm sure many people would buy it!
 

Ektagraphic

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I'm going to give some friends at Kodak a call tomorrow to see what the deal is.
 

perkeleellinen

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This is the thread about the Fuji paper no longer offered in sheets:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)
 

Stan160

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AlexG said:
Maybe someone can capitalize on this and cut rolls down into sheets and sell it online. I'm sure many people would buy it!
Click to expand...

Copied from the Silverprint Fuji Crystal Archive page:

FUJICOLOUR CRYSTAL ARCHIVE SFA 4MP NEG PAPER
CURRENTLY DELETED FROM FUJI's RANGE - REMAINING STOCK ONLY AT PRESENT
but... THE PAPER IS DUE TO COME ON-LINE AGAIN SHORTLY, & WILL BE CUT BY A THIRD-PARTY CONVERTER (so don't despair!)
 

Martin Reed

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Stan160 said:
.....
but... THE PAPER IS DUE TO COME ON-LINE AGAIN SHORTLY, & WILL BE CUT BY A THIRD-PARTY CONVERTER (so don't despair!)
Click to expand...

The deal bringing this about has apparently been concluded, but it's still under wraps, there should be an announcement very shortly.
 

pentaxuser

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Martin Reed said:
The deal bringing this about has apparently been concluded, but it's still under wraps, there should be an announcement very shortly.
Click to expand...
Hurrah Martin. I suspect you may have had a hand in this and if so well done. If not then thanks for the announcement at least

I still don't understand why Kodak seems to have deleted the paper with the broadest range of use (assuming it has) and retained what I understand to be a more niche product. :confused:

pentaxuser
 

Matt5791

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pentaxuser said:
I still don't understand why Kodak seems to have deleted the paper with the broadest range of use (assuming it has) and retained what I understand to be a more niche product. :confused:

pentaxuser
Click to expand...

We have Supra Endura coming through thick and fast from Kodak, no problem. Although it would be useful to see the return of Fuji - even if I personally always preferred the Kodak products. I had my brains picked about the best sizes etc to re-release FCA in by Fuji head office last week, even though I didn't think my brains were worth picking
 

pentaxuser

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Matt I understand from a U.S. based member on another analogue site that Kodak have announced the ending for (analogue) Supra Endura as being the end of the year so like Agfa products I'd expect it to be available until well into 2010 depending on stocks and production but unless it changes its mind then the end is inevitable.

I wonder if Kodak has given its rationale for retaining Ultra instead. Presumably it's sales. If Supra had been outselling Ultra then I can't think of any reason why it would be Supra to be killed off.

Nice that Fuji should contact you about sizes. Between this and Martin's comment there is clearly likely to be two choices in sheet RA4. Kodak Ultra and Fuji CA. I hope it retains 5x7. I would have thought that on minilab sales volumes 5x7, followed by 8x10 are still the most popular sizes. Better still as it is re-starting cut sheets it should consider changing to the 35mm equivalent size of 5x7.5.

I hope Kodak haven't bet on the wrong horse only to discover later that it backed an "Edsel"

pentaxuser
 

frotog

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This is so depressing. Are they planning on discontinuing supra endura in roll sizes as well? Has anyone tried printing on the new digitally optimized stuff. Cyan neutrals? WTF? Sorry but using Ultra and adjusting pH of developer in a replenished RT system is just not a viable options for printing editions and getting consistent color . I could understand doing this if you were working in trays and doing onesy twosy stuff where you will not notice how far you're out of control.

Not having used fuji ra4 papers in years, could someone tell me what's currently available for optical printing? The fuji website descriptions were a bit confusing...
 

perkeleellinen

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Looks like I'll be moving to Fuji CA when my Kodak papers run out then.

It would be really great to be able to buy a 5x7 box.
 

perkeleellinen

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I'm using Ektacolor Edge at the moment. I've got some rolls that I bought extremely cheap and I cut it myself (big hassle). The paper is a little thin, I think it's a budget line. I can't really comment on how it compares to other papers as I lack experience, but I get nice results from it.
 
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