Ektalure: a depressing (re)discovery

**Richard K.** · 6-Aug-2011, 22:23

Originally Posted by Allen in Montreal

I actually preferred the old Insignia and hoarded it when I heard the game was over for that paper.

Yes. another great paper! I just threw out a few remaining boxes because it was badly fogged. The Ektalure is just fine, though. It's hard to believe that we just can't produce this quality of paper today (for a variety of reasons)!

**russyoung** · 13-Aug-2011, 18:35

Sad indeed. This was the paper, along with Azo in "A" weight, that I learned to print on in the late 1960s. It was a great paper esp when combined with Tri-X in Microdol 1:3. It was an even better paper before c. 1973 when they made some major (unannounced) changes that affected the color and the characteristic curve. It tones so beautifully in so many toners, esp Polytoner. Sigh.

**PViapiano** · 13-Aug-2011, 23:41

Try lith printing with old paper. I've done this with my Ektalure and others and it is absolutely superb...

**akfreak** · 14-Aug-2011, 02:43

Some listed on Fleabay not exactly as you describe but it is EKtalure

**Roger Cole** · 23-Apr-2012, 17:58

Originally Posted by russyoung

Sad indeed. This was the paper, along with Azo in "A" weight, that I learned to print on in the late 1960s. It was a great paper esp when combined with Tri-X in Microdol 1:3. It was an even better paper before c. 1973 when they made some major (unannounced) changes that affected the color and the characteristic curve. It tones so beautifully in so many toners, esp Polytoner. Sigh.

Resurrecting this old thread because I scored a couple packs of 8x10 G surface a while back and it's been safely ensconced in my freezer until I had time to print more extensively, which I might actually in a couple of weeks. What developer do you folks experienced with this paper recommend? Any version of polytoner still available? Freestyle lists something by that name but it's a multi-color toner and I don't think the same thing at all. I've been using brown toner (Freestyle Legacy Pro version of the Kodak formula) with results I'm very pleased with on Ilford MGWT.

I only have 50 sheets so the less I use experimenting the more I have for final prints.

**Lynn Jones** · 26-Apr-2012, 12:09

A fine pro photographer somewhat older than I, was Glen Fishback (his son is a fine photographer/educator). In his middle years he started a first class photography school in Sacramento, "The Fishback School of Photography" and while he lived he did a great job. For those of you who liked Ektalure paper, that was the required paper for Glen's students.

Lynn