Digital BW, The Print

Ho Tidd ;-)

> Okay, full circle now, why do you believe that Piezo prints have a greater
> dynamic range than silver prints? Is this a just a sense, a hunch based on
> theory, or something you've observed through controlled tests?

I have printed the identical prints using chemical and then scanned the
negative and printed using Piezo.  I see more tones in the Piezo prints than
I do the chemical prints.

Also, because of the ability to basically create a dither to replicate a
huge range of tones, as well as add number of inks within that set, you have
the capability to create a huge number of tones.

> IOW, lets say you were comparing each process using a 200 step
> wedge, which
> I imagine would challenge our eyes ability to discriminate between the
> steps,

That is correct, and why there really is a limit to the number of tones that
are "usable", but like audio, because you may not discreetly discern
something, doesn't mean there isn't an overall "effect" that it creates.
That's getting into the esoteric.

> are you of the mind a piezo print can handle it better than a
> properly exposed and developed contact print on a good silver
> paper? If so,
> why?

Handle it better, yes I believe it can, for reasons I stated above, as well
as the ability to use tonal curves and setpoints to be able to control the
discernment of these tones.

Regards,

Austin