Kodak Leverages Innovative Imaging Science to Create New KODAK PROFESSIONAL ENDURA Premier Papers

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Dec. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) today announced a new family of silver halide-based media, KODAK PROFESSIONAL ENDURA Premier Paper and KODAK PROFESSIONAL ENDURA Premier Metallic Paper, which leverages advanced breakthroughs in Kodak imaging science research.  This media yields a new cyan dispersion and enhanced emulsion technology and as a result, offer benefits for both portrait and commercial labs.  Benefits include a larger color gamut with the capacity for more saturated color, while at the same time maintaining accurate skin tone reproduction, highlights and shadow detail.

"We're very excited every time our imaging science group develops an innovation that benefits so many of our customers," said Dennis Olbrich, General Manager, Film, Paper and Output Systems, and Vice President, Film, Photofinishing and Entertainment Group, Eastman Kodak Company. "Early testing among both portrait and commercial labs indicate that KODAK PROFESSIONAL ENDURA Premier and Premier Metallic Papers surpass our exacting demands and are high-quality media that outperform our previous offerings and truly enhance our customers' printing abilities."

The wider color gamut together with the capacity for more saturated color and accurate skin tone reproduction, highlights and shadow detail were traditionally not feasible in a single paper.  These key attributes of the new media, which elevate the entire ENDURA media portfolio, allow users more latitude in the final look of their prints without forcing these traditional either/or choices.  The creativity remains in the hands of professional photographers and the professional labs that serve them.  Operationally, the new papers offer more efficient workflow capabilities, including improved post-process finishing.  Backed by Kodak's manufacturing excellence, consistency from roll to roll and batch to batch help minimize process variability.

KODAK PROFESSIONAL ENDURA Premier Paper

For portrait labs, KODAK PROFESSIONAL ENDURA Premier Paper provides unique benefits by maintaining natural-looking skin tones, from highlights to shadows, while expanding color gamut, enabled by a technological breakthrough, the latest advancement in coupler technology.  This innovation also provides a lighter/brighter D-Min for cleaner-looking whites, and at the same time a higher D-Max capability for bold rich blacks, better contrast and exceptional performance in typical home display. 

"One of the reasons we've considered Kodak a valuable partner for so many years is the ongoing commitment to continually innovate its silver halide-based products," said Don Burrell, President of Burrell Photo, based in Crown Point, Indiana.  "With the new ENDURA Premier Paper, we get prints that just jump off the page, allowing us to deliver even better quality to our customers.  At the same time, the paper drops seamlessly into our current workflow, making the conversion to the new paper extremely simple.  This ongoing innovation from Kodak is invaluable, both in our business and in the quality and value we in turn bring to our customers."

"After converting to Kodak's New ENDURA Premier Paper, we instantly noticed blacker blacks and improved color gamut giving brighter greens, blues, yellows and cyans," said John Temby, Operations Manager for H. Tempest, Europe's largest photographic schools printer.  "We have also noticed lighter whites that give a fresh feel to our prints.  These changes have been achieved while maintaining a very pleasing accurate skin-tone reproduction, which is particularly important for schools photography.  Our printing workflow was smoothly converted to the new paper which has given consistently good results ever since.  It is good to see Kodak investing in new photographic technology that has further enhanced our production quality."

Commercial labs will benefit from the new paper due to its high D-Max capability for bold, rich blacks, and increased color gamut for strong, vibrant colors (greens, blues, yellows and cyans), crucial in commercial prints.  Improved whites that are lighter in density and clean, sharp text and graphic reproduction combine to deliver state-of-the-art image stability.

KODAK PROFESSIONAL ENDURA Premier Metallic Paper

KODAK PROFESSIONAL ENDURA Premier Metallic Paper has all of the same features and benefits as KODAK PROFESSIONAL ENDURA Premier Paper, with the added distinction of an attention-getting, glossy finish and metallic appearance.  KODAK PROFESSIONAL ENDURA Premier Metallic Paper helps create striking, glamorous prints with exceptional visual aesthetic and depth.  This "chrome on paper" effect appeals to professional photographers, specifiers and display designers seeking a dramatic look. 

KODAK PROFESSIONAL ENDURA Premier Paper and KODAK PROFESSIONAL ENDURA Premier Metallic Paper will be available worldwide in early Q1 2012.  For more information on specific availability of these papers by market or other KODAK PROFESSIONAL Products, visit www.kodak.com/go/professional or on www.facebook.com/kodakprofessional.

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SOURCE Eastman Kodak Company