Digital BW, The Print

Thanks for the long reply. I guess my problem arises from confusing 
the results of color tests with the quad (pigment-based) inks. 
Chris
--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Paul Roark" 
<paul.roark@v...> wrote:
> Chris,
> 
> You wrote:
> 
> >Looking through the MIS Web site, I'm having a hard time getting a
> >clear idea of how long I can reasonably expect prints made with 
their
> >quadtone and variable quadtone inksets to last before noticeable
> >fading occurs. Is there good info on this yet -- any real 
competitors
> >for B&W.
> 
> MIS has posted their RIT test results.  The MIS Archival Color 
inkset was
> rated for a display life of at least "50 years."  (I really don't 
know how
> good these estimates are, but for comparison purposes, they have 
some value.
> It's better than nothing.)
> 
> The RIT test of the MIS Archival Color was limited by the yellow 
pigment.
> Generations, with it's new yellow pigment (the other colors appear 
to be the
> same pigments) is now up to "75 years." (MIS will also sell this 
new yellow,
> but it changes the color and won't work with the old profiles.)
> 
> Because the variable-tone inkset is based mostly on the MIS black, 
and uses
> only very small amounts of the cyan and magenta in the toner, it 
should be
> rated at much longer than this.
> 
> The variable-tone black is similar to the Piezo black and different 
than the
> MIS black.  However, in comparisons tests I've done, they are equal 
in their
> fade resistance.
> 
> In general, my testing indicates, consistent with the opinion of 
most
> observers, that pigmented inksets will outlast dye-based inksets.  
The more
> pigment in an inkset, the more it seems to fade.  So, Piezo and MIS 
are the
> competitors that I have been interested in.  I know of no other 
pigmented
> B&W inkset.
> 
> I've done comparisons between those two, and the MIS fades less.  I 
believe
> this is because the Piezo midtone inks contain significant amounts 
of dyes.
> 
> Note, however, in comparing these two inksets, that the Piezo 
inkset warmed
> less than the standard MIS inkset at the 100 hour point of my 
tests.  They
> were about equal at 200 hours, and the MIS pulled ahead at 300 
hours.
> 
> I personally think that warming is more of a problem than fading.  
The
> carbon based pigments in MIS and Piezo should last a long time, on 
the right
> paper (a major factor).  However, they do warm.  The rate of 
warming is
> fastest at first and then slows.
> 
> What we've found so far with the variable-tone inkset is that the 
colder the
> tone, the less the print seems to warm.  While some like to warm 
their
> prints to achieve a more sepia color, I want my neutral prints to 
stay that
> way.  As such, I have built-in some coolness in the variable-tone 
neutral
> curve to absorb some of the initial warming.  (My next effort will 
be to add
> a counter-shift mix to the toner to offset the warming -- but no 
guarantees
> here.)
> 
> Paul
> http://www.PaulRoark.com