Where is Supra Endura?

[Matt5791]

Edge is the base cheapy paper from Kodak.

 

[Tom Kershaw]

Matt,

From your position does it look confirmed that Kodak have discontinued Supra Endura in the UK?

Tom

 

[pentaxuser]

So to be clear on this the situation is as follows:
1. Supra Endura discontinued as of end 2009
2. Fuji CA no longer produced in sheets but agreement reached with a third party who will cut Fuji CA into sheets - sizes and prices yet to be announced
3. Kodak Ultra still produced in sheet sizes but is not a real alternative to Supra
4. Kodak Edge will continue as the "cheapy" and only alternative for optical exposure in sheets sizes and is similar to Supra but thinner

Have I got all four right. If not would those in the know please correct?

pentaxuser

 

[frotog]

Not sure about Kodak edge. I spoke to Kodak professional today and I was told that ultra is no longer available in sheets (not that it was ever a viable alternative). There may still be hope for Supra if everyone petitions Kodak. Please see my recent post, "Looking for options..." for more info.

 

[Tom Kershaw]

So to be clear on this the situation is as follows:
1. Supra Endura discontinued as of end 2009
2. Fuji CA no longer produced in sheets but agreement reached with a third party who will cut Fuji CA into sheets - sizes and prices yet to be announced
3. Kodak Ultra still produced in sheet sizes but is not a real alternative to Supra
4. Kodak Edge will continue as the "cheapy" and only alternative for optical exposure in sheets sizes and is similar to Supra but thinner

Have I got all four right. If not would those in the know please correct?

pentaxuser

Kodak Supra Endura is cheap enough for analogue darkroom use, throughput and applications.

Tom

 

[perkeleellinen]

I got an email from Kodak about this and it's a bit confusing:

Dear Steven,

Thank you for contacting us with your concern regarding the availability of Kodak Professional Supra Endura Paper for your optical printing needs.

Although many of our roll stock of Kodak Professional Supra Endura Paper has transitioned to Kodak Professional Supra Endura VC Paper, we continue to offer the Kodak Professional Supra Endura Paper in sheet sizes through most dealers of Kodak Professional products. For a list, here's a link to our dealer locator on our website:

What to make of that?

 

[pentaxuser]

I got an email from Kodak about this and it's a bit confusing:



What to make of that?

Nobody's told this Kodak guy? Or he is angling after a new job as a politician and will go 15 rounds with Jeremy Paxman at his best who still won't be able to pin him down to answering the question asked rather than the question he thought should have been asked

pentaxuser

 

[frotog]

No. It will be available until the stock runs out. The "transition" means that the supra endura emulsion will no longer be made.

 

[Ektagraphic]

Gone but the VC is a viable option according to Edgar Praus who is testing it for Kodak. It may be available in sheets a little later.

 

[Ektagraphic]

If we ALL email/write a physical letter (the better option) to Kodak maybe, just maybe they will listen. They did with Ektar.

 

[frotog]

Gone but the VC is a viable option according to Edgar Praus who is testing it for Kodak. It may be available in sheets a little later.

Wrong. VC has saturation on par with Ultra. Do not be fooled.

 

[frotog]

Have you tried it yet? I'm still working on some regular Supra I have left.

I have not as it's only available in large, expensive rolls and after seeing a side by side comparison at the prolab where I have my c41 done I know not to buy it. Besides having the saturation of Ultra, the color balance goes weird under an enlarger - balance for flesh tones and neutrals go cyan, balance for grey and flesh tones go just plain ugly.

 

[Ektagraphic]

I know that but I trust Praus. I'm sure it is much higher contrast but from what I understand it is still fully useable.

 

[frotog]

I know that but I trust Praus. I'm sure it is much higher contrast but from what I understand it is still fully useable.

The point here is not whether it is useable. Of course it is useable. Just as Ultra is useable, Edge is useable, and Fuji ca super c is useable. The point is that they are about to phase out the last normal contrast ra4 paper on the market. Also, keep in mind that you are paying your lab money to make prints from negatives. I don't care if he's your brother. What do you think they're going to say?, "Nope, this new stuff sucks under an enlarger...why not quit jobbing your work out to me and just buy yourself an epson with all the money you'll save?".

 

[Ektagraphic]

Well, he has given me good advice before that has always worked but you certainly have a point.

 

[frotog]

Well, he has given me good advice before that has always worked but you certainly have a point.

I'm sure he has Ektagraphic. I don't mean to be pushy or contrarian. But after seeing optical prints made with this paper I can tell you that it bears absolutely no resemblance to Supra Endura. So if you use this paper and you like its qualities call kodak professional (800-242-2424 ext. 19) or email at kprotraditional@kodak.com and let your voice be heard. If they hear from enough of us they might just change their minds. (BTW, Ektagraphic, thanks for sending them a letter through the post...great idea...I'm going to do the same)

 

[mikez]

I just started RA-4 printing a couple months ago and this was my go-to paper. Fuck this. I really liked my combination of shooting PRO160S to get neutral colors/tones and then being able to get a bid more "edge" and contrast with Supra Endura. Shit eating Kodak.

Edit: I talked to someone who I trust and is very involved in the "RA-4 Community if you will" and they said there were rumors about this for a while so we shouldn't be too surprised, but that if enough people raise hell to KODAK that they could potentially bring the product back.

 

[Ektagraphic]

I did give them a call and I laid it into them. They connected me to some guy that was supposed to help me because he knew a lot about it...I laid into him the fact that Kodak says that they support analog and some other stuff...I know some people that work up there that I was not able to get a hold of but will surely call tomorrow.

 

[mikez]

Good job, what number did you call?

 

[frotog]

1-800-242-2424 ext. 19....remember that you'll catch more flies with sugar than ...

 

[Ektagraphic]

Well, I should say I very pleasently laid it into them. To quote my mother "kindess always comes back to you"

 

[DanielStone]

Fuck this. I really liked my combination of shooting PRO160S to get neutral colors/tones and then being able to get a bid more "edge" and contrast with Supra Endura. Shit eating Kodak.

I'm feeling the same as you. I've recently started shooting the 160s, after shooting predominately Kodak NC for the last 2 years. It seems to have all the saturation in the right places, and not in where it shouldn't. Call it a "smart film" if you were . But combined with S.E., i really liked the combination for optical printing. Even under mixed lighting it handles really well as a combo.

-Dan


ohh.... this is what 160S and S.E. give me. This was for a "mixed lighting" assignment for one of my classes.

 

[danzyc]

oh shittttttttttt!!!!!!!!! shit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i love this paper!!!!! i only use kodak supra endura!!!!!!! whyyyyy?????????????? i don t want the digital shit!

we should fight togheter i think, a lot of people use this paper in the world!!!

this have a politically non-sense (ultra endura should be the first to phase out! or other digital shit!)

friends how i can help you and the paper?? petition? mail?

thanks

 

[rjphil]

I have found the same non-responses from Kodak as you all have. Little by little the products we "non-giant "users have gone away, from EPN (which I used a LOT of) now to Supra, my choice of paper since it came out. Guess my 30 years of loyalty to the great yellowness doesn't mean much anymore. I'm sure there are a lot of small labs like ours and end users as well that are just going to be left out of the equation.

 

[Tim Gray]

This sucks. I don't print color, but I was toying with the idea.

I'm sure Kodak isn't moving enough of the product to make a profit anymore. It's stinks that there's not a better solution for smaller market items. But it looks like the traditional sheet market for color paper dropped below some critical point this year, between this announcement and Fuji no longer selling sheet paper.