Digital BW, The Print

On 10/3/02 11:28 PM, "Paul Roark" <paul.roark@...> wrote:

> Robert wrote:
> 
>> The rather disappointing thing about the matte black ultrachrome ink is how
>> poor it performs (dmax) on every paper other than EAM.
> 
> I don't get it.  Epson comes up with some hot new technology that raises the
> bar for image permanence and blackness for a black ink -- but only on a
> paper that Wilhelm says has so much acid in it that it turns unacceptably
> yellow in 30 years.  Don't the paper and ink departments at Epson talk to
> each other?

Ah yes...the genius of Epson.

> 
> That would be nice.  The Somerset I have used just doesn't have the
> smoothness of EAM that I like so much.

Put at least it would be some variety.

>> I just coated an Ultrachrome print on Museo today.  The dmax went
>> from a very poor 1.48 to silver-like 2.13 as measured by my spectrocam.
> 
> That's great.  Too bad Museo has a rough, grainy, blotchy look to me.

It is still rough, but not at all grainy or blotch after it is coated.  You
can get the same results on Eclipse...and can use the smooth side.  In fact
my coating now works well on Photorag, EAM, Somerset, Legion Photo Matte,
Merlin, etc...all with better than 2 dmax...take your choice...but it still
requires an extra step.  We need to be able to get decent matte prints
without coating as well.

 
>> ...but then again you could also just print on
>> Epson Luster.  The dmax is only around 2.0...
>> but the prints still look pretty good.
> 
> Is that one of those "RC" type papers?

Yes, its E-surface.
 
> It is ironic that RC papers may be the best solution.  I wonder what the
> interior of those papers is.  My reading indicates that lignin is not, in
> itself, acidic.  It is only when it is attacked by oxygen and other gasses
> that it breaks down into components that are acidic.  I wonder if the RC
> papers can be relatively cheap but long lasting because they are sealed.

I think they are plastic...no acid there.

> Shame I don't like the RC look either.  An acid-free EAM would solve a lot
> of problems here.
> 
What about Legion Photo Matte?  I don't think it does well with the
Ultrachromes...but it is acid free and has a smooth surface...probably does
ok with the FS/VM black.  It is brightened like crazy, though.

Robert