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Kodak Announces New Digital Addition to the ENDURA Paper Lineup
New paper for digital color printing boosts image quality and drives lab efficiency
ROCHESTER, NY, Feb. 17 — Reaffirming the company’s continued commitment to the professional photo paper business, Eastman Kodak Company today announced an innovative new addition to the KODAK ENDURA paper family optimized for color digital printing performance. Specifically designed for the professional portrait and wedding photography marketplace, limited samples of this new paper will be available for evaluation and extended trial in the U.S. and Western Europe beginning in March.
“Professional labs have embraced digital technology with more than 75% of images being captured and output digitally in developed markets, and the steady growth in demand for digital prints is helping to stabilize the overall professional printing market,” said Mary Jane Hellyar, President, Film & Photofinishing Systems Group and Senior Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. “The time is right for a dedicated digital paper for color printing.”
This new paper provides dramatic image quality improvements, enabling professional photographers to deliver to their end customers a visually more appealing end product. Richer, more vibrant colors virtually pop off the page because of a significantly increased color gamut. With a 10% gamut improvement over Kodak’s renowned ENDURA Supra and Portra papers, the new paper even allows for the reproduction of some colors that were not possible before. Additionally, greatly improved digital fringing performance means sharper prints for clearer line and text reproduction.
The technological advancements built into this new paper increase efficiency for Pro Labs, underscoring Kodak’s dedication to serving the professional market with innovative products. Pro labs using the new ENDURA paper can experience up to a 10% reduction in developer and bleach replenishment rates, providing significant cost savings.
A faster paper speed increases calibration robustness and decreases the power requirements from the digital exposure devices (Lasers/LED’s) in printers, thereby extending equipment life and improving productivity depending on the hardware being used.
Yet to be officially named, general availability for this paper is slated for Q4 of 2006.
About Eastman Kodak Company
Kodak is the world’s foremost imaging innovator, providing leading products and services to the photographic, graphic communications and healthcare markets. With sales of $14.3 billion in 2005, the company is committed to a digitally oriented growth strategy focused on helping people better use meaningful images and information in their life and work. Consumers use Kodak’s system of digital and traditional image capture products and services to take, print and share their pictures anytime, anywhere; Businesses effectively communicate with customers worldwide using Kodak solutions for prepress, conventional and digital printing and document imaging; Creative Professionals rely on Kodak technology to uniquely tell their story through moving or still images; and leading Healthcare organizations rely on Kodak’s innovative products, services and customized workflow solutions to help improve patient care and maximize efficiency and information sharing within and across their enterprise.
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KODAK ENDURA, Supra and Portra are trademarks of Eastman Kodak Company.
2006
