Digital BW, The Print

Regular glass and acrylic both provide some UV-filtration. I have not seen hard numbers but I have heard around 50%. If the glass or acrylic has UV filter then it will block 98%-99% but the coating causes a slight yellow tint that has a warming effect. Even the Truvue museum glass will have a slight warming effect due to the UV filter. I have found that good regular acrylic such as Cyro Acrylite is very optically pure and no green or yellow tint but it is susceptible to glare and as mentioned, the non-glare is etched and reduces sharpness. TruVue also puts the anti-reflection coating on Cryo Acrylite acrylic and sells it as Optium but it is even more expensive than the Museum glass. 

Personally I prefer standard acrylic with good lighting. It is inexpensive, light, no green tint, and I don't have to worry about it breaking. Decent framing glass is even less expensive than say Acrylite acrylic and although it has a green tint, cheaper glass at say a typical hardware store or on some import frames can have even more green tint. Some of our customers that do not have control over lighting will go for non-glare etched surface. The Cryo non-glare is not too bad but I have seen some non-glare surfaces that are just horrible. For etched surfaces you have to be concerned about the distance between the image and the glazing so you cant use it on things like shadow boxes. 

On our website we have a page that discusses some of the trade-offs between glass and acrylic and another that talks about regular vs non-glare acrylic:
http://www.framedestination.com/picture_frame_info.html


Cheers,
Mark
Frame Destination, Inc.
http://www.framedestination.com


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul" <
> Thank you, Ernst.
> 
> Actually, I have some carbon prints now under review at Aardenburg. My test run began last February and so far results are looking good. Mark (Aardenburg's director) points out in one of his documents that he uses a Philips light source and that the print is under "ordinary glass picture framing". He says this spectral response is similar to daylight passing through "standard acrylic glazing". I wonder if this "ordinary glass" and "standard acrylic" do not filter UV. Perhaps if Mark is following this thread he'll jump in and help us clarify.
> 
> Full disclosure! I have no financial connection with Aardenburg but I do want to put in a plug for this service... it is well worth the modest membership fee.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Paul
>