Digital BW, The Print

----- Original Message -----
From: "antonisphoto" <antonisphoto@...>
To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 08, 2002 1:00 PM
Subject: [Digital BW] Re:EAM+Piezotones: Printer beware!


>
> > We have long known that carbon pigment inks warm even in the absence of
> > light. It is probably an oxidation reaction and this is may be the
advantage
> > of the Epson encapsulated inks.
>
> Martin,
>
> I have just looked at an EAM and a German Etching print of the same image
> which were kept in the dark. The "browning" out did not happen. These were
> letter size proofs of work in progress, with similar "black" areas,
printed at the
> same time as the big prints. I believe the reaction of the black Piezotone
ink is
> related to exposure to light and possibly air. The dark-stored prints were
also
> kept in a plastic bag (the kind that comes with EAM).

Interesting information. The original Piezo/Sundance inks does warm even if
left in a box but is very paper dependent. We just don't know enough about
the chemistry of these inks to be able to know what is going on but light is
obviously a trigger. Didn't you stick a PT print in a window at one point or
am I thinking of someone else?
>
> I have a 2200 on order and am looking forward to using it with the
ImagePrint
> driver when released. Then I can compare the encapsulated inks directly
with
> the quads.

I definitely look forward to hearing your impressions.
>
> >
> > Paul sent me some scans of wedges Robert printed with the PT-K replaced
> with
> > the FS-K which looked pretty good, although it is hard to tell from
scans of
> > wedges. I hope to hand load some cartridges next week and see how it
> looks.
> > I was willing to stay with the existing Sel-PT and take my chances
because I
> > like the look so much but this abrupt failure gives me second thoughts.
>
> According to Robert, FS-K works well with EAM and Hahnemuhle, but Museo
> likes the MIS-DD black. This as far as dmax goes - fades are another
story.
> Incidentally, I printed some grayscales using each individual ink/nozzle
to
> print the whole scale. I did this with WT-PT and the color of the black is
very
> startling next to the grays. Looks like a whole other animal. Who knows
what
> kind of thinking is behind using this same black for all flavors of PT.
Looks to
> me like they needed the money before they finished the R&D....

The PT-K is red-warm from my measurements and unfortunately that may be key
to the "look" of the Sel-PT ink set. I will be interested to see how the
overall hue changes with a different black. Were all of these prints from
the same batch of black?
>
> >
> > BTW, what were the temperatures where the prints were stored while you
> were
> > gone? Robert and I have theorized that Paul's fader which has lower
light
> > levels than the commercial faders but much higher temperatures is
> revealing
> > flaws not seen in say RIT testing where there is strict temperature
control.
>
> This is a room that warms up in the late afternoon, as all Spanish-style
houses
> do in Southern Cal., but we enjoy relatively low humidity. In any case, I
don't
> think there were any particular extremes during July and August that would
> cause unusual degradation. This isn't an attic or a basement, just your
basic
> living room.

Well that doesn't sound like a torture test.
>
> So, as long as we keep our prints carefully sealed in bags in a dark
drawer,
> all is well with the PiezoTones!!
>
> But seriously, have you left any PT prints with lots of black, printed on
> Hahnemuhle papers out in the air and light (for longer that 2 months)?

Well my work prints tend to drift around the house a bit but they don't get
any direct sunlight and only minimal indirect. Tend to float to the bottom
of the pile and be covered. The finish prints go into plastic sleeves open
at both ends and are in stacks or in boxes. So far I have not noticed any
problems but I am rather nervous at this point. If the Sel-PT with the FS-K
looks good I will be playing it safe and going in that direction. Paul's
fade test still show the FS-K to be the best of the 3rd party inks in terms
of warm/fade.

Martin