Here is some happy film news! Eastman Kodak has just announced this morning that the very popular color negative material Kodak Ektar film (C41 process) is now going to be offered in sheet film size for 4″ x 5″ and 8″ x 10″… these new sizes complement the already offered 35mm and 120 film sizes. I have written here on FR on the strengths of this film and think this is a very positive move on Kodak’s part. Now if I could just find a lab here in Vermont who still processes C41 sheet film I’d be all set…
Here is an attached PDF that is the official release information from Kodak.
Figital Revolution 
Praus Productions in Rochester (somewhat near you) does C-41, and is highly recommended.
I applaud this new sheet film. It does, tho, give me pause. We have Portra 160 and 400 available in those sizes. I know it’s a different emulsion, but what concerns me is: won’t this essentially cannibalize sales from Portra? Do we then have a scenario where neither Portra nor Ektar produces sufficient revenue, and the axe falls? I’d love it if we could have Portra and Ektar, but can we?
I find the release strange after the list of things discontinued mainly 120 TXP. I dont know many people who shoot large format color negative. Its like $5 a sheet each to shoot/process 4×5 color. Not many have that luxury.
I don’t think you guys need to worry– if the number of images and groups on flickr is any indication, there’s a huge and growing interest in large format photography these days. I’ve read that it’s particularly popular in Asia. The cameras and lenses are plentiful (150 years of old gear) and cost the same or less than lesser formats, even a cheap scanner is good enough for prints that would have only been possible with a super deluxe darkroom setup. Shooting wise, my experience was that 4×5 ends up costing about the same as roll film– in terms of time spent in the field and resulting number of shots worth printing. (In turns of back strain and annoying attention from bystanders LF is defiantly costlier 🙂
TXP is still available in sheet film size fwiw.
You can use the Tetenal c41 kit if you want to do it yourself…