Digital BW, The Print

All,

Frankly, it is nice when we get information on this list from folks with no axe to 
grind, as some posts seem to indicate.  Others...  I'm not so sure.

For myself, I have run the Cone original inks, which warmshift to a degree I find 
troubling.  I have also run MIS-FS's, which also warmshift, although somewhat 
less than the Cone originals.  I find their blacks lacking. Both inksets fade, in my 
experience, as demonstrated by window tests.  I do wonder, if the FS's are so 
pure, why do they shift at all?  What's going on there?

Now I've got PiezoTone in the 7000, and they are definitely producing the best 
images I've ever seen. I use the Pro24 RIP, and the profiles actually seem to 
work better than with either of the previous inksets, and that makes me very 
happy.  This comparison is done printing the exact same image file on the same 
paper/software/printer.  The PiezoTones produce better shadow detail 
rendering. It's too early to tell on how they fare as far as fading is concerned, 
but none have warmshifted in about a month's worth of printing.  I have not 
mounted window tests as of yet, but intend to. I do love the color, as it is 
closest to my darkroom stuff, and they do seem to emanate a certain depth, no 
doubt due to the superb blacks.
I'm not going to defend Jon, and possibly there is some doublespeak at work here 
on his part, but perhaps it only seems so, too. I'm no expert on the formulation 
and manufacture of ink, and don't presume to understand what are probably 
very complex issues of chemistry. He's a long way ahead of me on that.  He 
obviously has a lot to guard against in his public commentary.  After all, it must 
be frustrating to do the ink R&D at what is probably no small cost, only to have 
competitors come out with cheaper variations as soon as he releases his 
product. So whatever...

In the end I don't really care that much what is said by whom about what.  I look 
to my own experience and to that of those I feel I can trust for unbiased 
information.  I just want to print with inks that work.  That means ones that 
don't fade quickly, and that have an agreeable color and hold it.  And that means 
in the PRINTS, not in a swatch test. If your thing is swatches, then I suppose how 
they fare in testing is important. Extrapolating from there is perhaps dangerous 
and premature...

Phil
http://philbard.com