Digital BW, The Print

I know many of you are interested in the possibility of Fiber-Based Gloss
papers for inkjet with the hopes that we may be able to get a straight out
of the printer "digital silver print" solution.  As I've mention on the list
before Oriental (of Oriental Seagull fame--Ansel Adam's silver print paper
of choice) is currently commercializing such a paper.

This week I was able to meet with Oriental's US marketing person and was
able to get several sample sheets of the experimental beta-test paper.

Antonis Ricos and I are currently testing this paper using and Epson 2200
with photo black ink and Imageprint and Inkjet Control to make profiles.
I'm also intending to develop an Inkjet Control profile to try the new
Ultratone inks in a 1280 as well.

Posts about the ink performance will happen separately, but here are some
general observations about the paper.

First of all, the base is identical to the other Oriental Fiber-Based silver
papers.  It is heavy (probably around 250gm) and relatively rigid.  In short
it feels like a average sheet of fiber-based silver print paper.  The
backing paper is slightly off white, almost identical in color to the back
side of uncoated Hahnemuhle photo rag.  The paper is cotton as determined by
testing the back side with a black light which shows specs of optical
brighteners indicating use of old textile cotton to make the paper (almost
identical in appearance to Photo Rag).

I hesitate to talk about the surface because this is a beta-paper...but the
test sheets that I received have a smooth surface identical to Oriental's
gloss silver print papers with a very light tooth...considerably less than
the Epson Professional Glossy paper and Hahnemuhle Photo Rag.  The surface
is more like a gloss paper than a luster paper.  The test sheet has
considerably less gloss than the Epson Pro Glossy or Ilford Gallerie Smooth
Pearl, which puts the appearance of the paper somewhere between a luster
finish paper and a matte paper with respect to gloss.  I'd say the paper has
a dull sheen.  The coating on the paper is not terribly regular, but I
assume that this is because the paper is a beta and was probably hand
coated.  The coating has optical brighteners, just like fiber-based silver
papers.  I'd say the level of brighteners is nearly identical to Epson
Enhanced Matte, which puts it slightly more brightened than Photo Rag and a
luster finish paper like Ilford Gallerie Smooth Pearl.

Oriental is hoping to release the paper in late summer, early fall in both
sheets and rolls, but this is not a firm release date.  The release has
apparently been delayed by wanting to offer the paper in rolls as well as
sheets.

As I mentioned we will post further testing results as we complete them and
as further pre-production samples become available.

Robert