Duratrans - where to get, any alternatives?

[Michael Nagl]

Dear colleagues,

I am planning to make contact prints on duratrans. It seems to be unavailable across the entire city of Vienna. Badger Graphic doesn´t list it. Where can I get it? Are there alternatives (Fuji, Ilford)?

Thanks in advance for your advice
Michael

[Greg Lockrey]

I get mine from a US distributer called DTGweb at http://www.dtgweb.com. It's not Duratrans but just as good. Beautiful stuff. http://www.dtgweb.com/shop/home.php?cat=540

[Michael Nagl]

Thanks Greg,

but I want to make contact prints, analog, RA-4 process!

[Greg Lockrey]

I didn't know that there were two kinds of Duratrans.

[Kirk Keyes]

Thanks Greg,

but I want to make contact prints, analog, RA-4 process!

And then backlight them???

[Michael Nagl]

Yep.

[Gene McCluney]

To those that are unclear about what Duratrans is. Duratrans is/was a Kodak product that you expose like color paper and process in standard RA-4 color print chemistry and it produces a print on a frosted base that can be backlit like a transparency. It was/is extensively used to make display images for large advertising displays and trade show displays that are backlit. There are inkjet materials that produce a similar product, that you run thru your inkjet printer.

I have no idea if Duratrans is still in production, but if it is, you use it just like standard RA-4 color paper, like Kodak Endura. Expose it under the enlarger to a color negative, and process in standard RA-4 color print chemistry.

The material referenced in a previous post above is for making "duratrans" like prints on inkjet printers and is not a darkroom product.

[Clay Turtle]

Yes, I was /am interested in similar material once Both Kodak duratran & Fujitrans are listed & are RA_4 processed. Kodak data guide 2003 / Fuji 2001 but as these are commonly used commerial advertising medium, they are probably still around.

[Donald Miller]

I may be wrong but I think that Duratrans is kaput. At least it was the last time that I checked. I think that it has been supplanted with some material on which they can do injet printing today...certainly not a photosensitive material.

If I were wanting to make rear projected images than I would probably do a digital conversion to the material that allows inkjet printing.

[IanMazursky]

Kodak lists duratrans as discontinued.
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/e143/e143.jhtml

It has been replaced by Endura clear & Transparency material.
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/products/papers/enduraTransClear/main.jhtml?id=0.2.24.14.24.24&lc=en

[lenser]

The lab that I use, Alliedphotocolor.com, in St. Louis still offers Duratrans in their price list. Assuming that this is still active, perhaps they can help you with sources.

Good luck.

Tim

[Gene McCluney]

Kodak lists duratrans as discontinued.
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/e143/e143.jhtml

It has been replaced by Endura clear & Transparency material.
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/products/papers/enduraTransClear/main.jhtml?id=0.2.24.14.24.24&lc=en


I can't get the Kodak link above to work, but if Endura clear and Transparency material is supposed to be the replacement for Duratrans, then it is RA-4 process compatible, and would be the correct product to use, (either clear or transparent) if you want to make enlarged back-lit transparencies from color negatives.

[Michael Nagl]

Thanks Gene for explaining what I should have stated more clearly. In the meantime I have found out that there also exist Ilfotrans and Fujitrans. The Kodak & Fuji materials seem to need a processor that runs at half the usual speed, Ilfotrans uses the normal RA-4 process at normal speed. Anyone have experiences with the different kinds of transes?

[Mark Sampson]

The Kodak films' process needs to run slower because the films take longer to dry than RA-4 paper. It's been years since I used them- but you print on them just as if they were color paper.

[Nathan Potter]

In the 80's I used a photomechanical film from Kodak that consisted of a frosted mylar base with an orthochromatic emulsion (similar to Kodalith ortho I think). I processed it in a high contrast developer for map making purposes. It was called Koda........ something. Probably no longer made. BUT I was fooling around with transferring 4X5 continuous tone negs to the stuff using Selectol paper developer then backlighting using florescent lighting. Results were rather impressive at times.

Nate Potter

[Filmnut]

I have, over the years used the Kodak, Fuji, Ilford, and at one time Agfa, also made a compatible product, all designed for backlighting, and processed through the usuall RA4 chemicals. I know that Fuji and Kodak still supply these products, but I don't know about Ilford, Agfa, is of course gone.
They need a longer processing time not only for the drying, but the emlusion is thicker and it needs roughly double the development time to get the required contrast.
Duratrans and the new Enduratrans work the same, but the Endura is designed to have a longer viewing life.
It prints much like colour paper, but needs different filtration in your enlarger, and about one stop more exposure or so.
The biggest problem will be to find a supplier that will sell in the cut sheet sizes you need.
Keith

[Majsan]

Hi guys, Duratrans is a lightjet product (photographic process). Backlit prints are very similar, inkjet printed prints which can be of just as high quality. They are often cheaper. You can order inkjet duratrans at lots of places, for example online here: Backlitprint (http://www.backlitprint.com)

Cheers

[Mandy]

you can get inkjet duratrans (http://www.backlitprint.com) here.

[ghost]

Printing with an inkjet on plastic- will look like inkjet on plastic...this will NOT reproduce anything even close to the actual R4 materials already mentioned. I have seen an work done with the Kodak product which is gorgeous but it requires both longer develop and dry times.