Digital BW, The Print

Bernie,

IMO, you'll be seriously disappointed if your approach to digital B&W printing is to try to match silver prints. B&W inkjet prints--be they quadtone, carbon, etc.--are and should be treated as an aesthetic all their own.

That said...I've used quite a few processes over the years to produce my B&W images...right now, I'm looking at an A3 size B&W print produced on an Epson 2200 using IP 5.6 from one of my 8x10 Tri-X negs, and I gotta tell ya it's stunning! My biased opinion, of course! <GG> I would venture to say that the digital print is far superior to any silver print that I ever created in the analog darkroom from this neg. Bottom line...IMO LF Tri-X, especially in 8x10 size, is ever bit a lovely as digital output when compared to silver!

Alan Huntley

> 
> From: "Bernie Ess" <albatros-@...>
> Date: 2003/11/11 Tue PM 02:58:13 EST
> To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Digital BW] silver print shock today
> 
> Today I was in the film museum here in Berlin and apart from the 
> various movies from the beginnings up to now there are many many 
> wonderful, no: breathtaking photos of the last 100 years (I always 
> get sentimental when looking at old b&w photos). Many of 
> them were obviously made with large format cameras and being with my 
> 1160 UT prints here day by day it was kind of like a "reality shock" 
> to see how beautiful and good a Baryt print, and  even if its not 
> very sharp, can actually be. There is some quality and look about it 
> that I haven't managed to even approach with inkjet and digital. Its 
> not about resolution of detail, not about sharpness, its more about 
> the tones, the rich, very rich blacks, maybe the saturation I dont 
> know...
> 
> Now, can anyone tell me:
> 
> 1. If there is a inkjet paper that has the "look and feel" of 
> classical Bary paper. Which means: not like semigloss, not like 
> matte, not really like photo glossy paper. Something inbetween.
> 2. Which archival black is actually the blackest.
> 3. Which inks look the most neutral and closest to silver prints?
> 
> The museum - for those who have a chance to come to Berlin sometimes -
>  is one of the best I have seen in my life.... 
> 
> Curious for any input, and thanks in advance,
> 
> Bernie