Digital BW, The Print

The most recent Wilhelm report (6/20/2000) I have on the Lysonic E 
Quad Neutral inks reported them at greater than 100 Wilhelm years and 
counting both on Lysonic Standard Fine art Paper and on Somerset 
Velvet. Also at 80 - 90 Wilhelm years on Epson Photo Paper. All on 
the 3000. (The Lysonic E Quad Sepia inks reached 80 - 90 years on 
Lysonic Standard Fine Art, 55 - 60 years on Somerset Velvet, and 15 - 
20 years on Epson Photo Paper. Also on the 3000.)

Some photos from the 1800s are still going strong. But I'm not sure 
they would be if they had been doing the kind of hard time prints do 
in Wilhelm's tests. I don't disagree that there's an informal, 
experience-based 150+ year standard for B&W prints' longevity. But I 
guess we don't know how many Wilhelm years that would be? Wilhelm 
years are made up of days which include 12 hours at 450 lux. Isn't it 
plausible that 100+ Wilhelm years is a _higher_ standard for B&W 
prints?

Sam



>Lynne,
>
>My only comment would be that in the world of B&W photography where silver
>fiber sets the standard, 80 years would not be considered archival.
>Photographs from the 1800's are still going strong so I think we need a
>print life of 150+ years if not more. This assumes you care about archival
>prints or want to get involved with all the issues around "fine art" print
>sales.
>
>Color on the other hand has a totally hypocritical other standard of 25(?)
>years which is the life expectancy of an Ilfochrome print the standard in
>color photography for the last couple of decades. Digital can match and
>exceed this with no problem. Even with some of the dye inks.
>
>I would wait for some info on the 2200 at this point. If the metamerism of
>the 2000P has been solved it would make color printing much easier than the
>3rd party archival color inks but even here I think the 3rd party inks have
>a much longer life expectancy. You should check out the Archival Color Group
>at:
>
>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/archivalcolor/?yguid=76919450
>
>Martin Wesley
>http://www.borderless-photos.de/guests.html
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Lynne Siler" <lhsiler@...>
>To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
>Sent: Tuesday, July 02, 2002 12:48 PM
>Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Epson 2200,1280 and quad tone options
>
>
> > I've been using Lyson quad black inks on my epson 1270 and printing on
> > German Etching Board available from digital art supplies. I think the
>prints
> > are beautiful and have been assuming from my early research into this that
> > they are archival prints - around 80 years. Does anyone dispute this?
> >
> > In fact I've been so happy with these that I've been considering getting
> > into archival color, and from what I've read on the list it may be a good
> > idea to wait for the 2200 and see how it looks. Any feedback?
> >
> > Lynne Siler
> > Asheville, NC