Digital BW, The Print

The fade test of the UltraChrome "B&W" test strip in my fluorescent light
fader has reached 300 hours.  It was tested against the MIS Archival
pigments (with the tougher yellow, like Gen4, and the VM/FS black -- what I
use for color) the PiezoTone Selenium inks, all on Archival/Enhanced Matte.

The important results are, first, that the UltraChrome matte black at the
100% patch maintained its 1.73 density -- no measurable fade, outstanding.
The VM/FS black lost 0.02 units, dropping from 1.63 to 1.61.  The PT-K
dropped from 1.71 to 1.62.  (We must see if the UltraChrome matte black
works in standard old Epson printers.)

Second, the magenta pigment appears to be the weak link in both the MIS
pigments and the UltraChromes.  However, whereas the UltraChrome magenta
dropped only 0.01 unit, the MIS magenta dropped 0.04 units.

So, while the UltraChrome shift was not visible yet, the MIS test strip is
visibly shifted.

Both the UltraChrome 50% patch and the PiezoTone 50% patch dropped only 0.01
units in visual density.  An excellent performance.  The PT-S warmed 0.01
unit.  The MIS 50% patch faded 0.03 units.

Visually, the only changes are the MIS Archival inks shifting, the paper
yellowing, and the PT-K fading and warming (which is not news any more).

So, the star is the UltraChrome matte black, and the UltraChrome and
PiezoTone midtones are both excellent and about equal.

I would guess -- speculate based on what I've seen in other testing -- that
the UltraChrome will continue to turn slightly green, whereas the quad
midtone will probably tend to stabilize.  However, it would take more
testing, and that may not happen for a while.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com