Azo availability

**Michael A.Smith** · 25-Jul-2001, 22:26

From time to time we get phone calls and receive e-mails asking questions about Azo. Some are from folks wondering if Azo is still available. Seems the camera stores just don't want to handle it and they tell pe ople it is no longer being made. Azo is being made. We are committed to keeping it in production. Below is a press release we recently wrote. Full information is on our web site at www.michaelandpaula.com under "Azo", or give us a call at 610-847-2005.

Michael A. Smith

Azo

Unprecedented effort by two photographers to save the last of the contact printing papers from oblivion.

Due to the unwillingness of major photography supply stores to carry Kodak?s Azo paper, Michael A. Smith and Paula Chamlee announce that they have be come limited dealers for this product. "This is not something that we really wan ted to do," Smith explained, "but we are committed to preserving Azo?the finest photographic paper out there, and this was the only way we could see to do it. W e are even building a 200 square-foot freezer so we can properly store this pape r." Smith and Chamlee are hopeful that in addition to the current market for tho se who make contact prints from large negatives, a new market will open up for A zo for those photographers who make enlarged digital negatives and want to conta ct print them. "Azo has the longest scale of any paper today; it even has a long er scale than platinum paper. For those wanting to make contact prints, it is, b y far, the preferred choice."

Smith and Chamlee will carry all currently manufactured sizes and grades. They h ope the contact printing community will support their efforts so that this extra ordinary paper can remain in production.

Smith and Chamlee report that the following sizes and grades and quantities are currently available. Continued availability will be a function of demand.

4x5 Grade 2 500 sheets 8x10 Grade 2 100 sheets and 500 sheets 8x10 Grade 3 100 sheets and 500 sheets 8 1/2 x 11 Grade 2 250 sheets 20x24 Grade 2 50 sheets 20x24 Grade 3 50 sheets

More information can be found on their web site: www.michaelandpaula.com under " Azo" or call them at 610-847-2005.

**Aaron Ng** · 27-Jul-2001, 11:05

Hi,

Since Azo has a very long scale, does it mean we need a negative with extended development just like we do for platinum process? If yes, how much more development or what DR is needed?

How much does Azo 8x10 cost?

Thanks in advance.

Aaron

**Michael A.Smith** · 28-Jul-2001, 08:21

Yes, Aaron, a long-scale negative is ideal for printing on Azo. What is DR? How much development is needed? That depends. Impossible to give you an answer on that. Develop by inspection until the negative looks dense enough. Then print. If the negative is too soft, develop it longer next time.

Azo 8x10 prices: Grade 2 $79.95; Grade 3 $91.95. Why the difference?

Earlier this year Kodak discontinued Azo Grade 3 in 100-sheet boxes. That does not concern us personally because we always buy 500-sheet boxes. But we know that if a 500-sheet box is the minimum order that no one would buy it who is not already a committed user and that Grade 3 would soon disappear. So we lobbied Kodak to keep 100-sheet boxes in the catalogue. After many months they agreed to do so, but only as a "Special Order." What that means is that not only is our minimum purchase unbelievably high--it is 108 boxes--but that the price for it has been raised. And so we must charge a higher price as well. We purchased 108 boxes. We're probably the only ones fanatic enough to do that and we now have Grade 3 100-sheet boxes in stock. Normal camera stores will probably tell their customers that Azo Grade 3 100-sheet boxes have been discontinued, but it has not.

More information is on our web site.

Michael A. Smith