Digital BW, The Print

Martin,

I'm not sure when MIS will have the new monotone inks on the website.  There
are 2 groups -- plug & play (no workflow, simplicity-first) inks and
FS/Piezo-driver compatible inks.   I MIS is in a big rush to have easy to
use inks to compete with HP -- the real serious, new competitor out there.
Since these inks are all in the UT family, they will all have the same fade
resistance -- which is state-of-the-art, "Class A."

I'm also not sure what MIS will call the inks.  I think stressing the family
group -- the Ultra Tones -- might be useful due the common base and
characteristics.  Given the lower lightfastness of the FS ink, I think that
name will be avoided.  However, I'm sure MIS will note the compatibility
with the FS/Piezo workflows in text that describes the inks.

With respect to fade testing, what I would like to do is test the top
pigment ink families against the new HP.  I've been a little slow on that
front due to other activities and, frankly, the fading issue has become much
less important with the newest pigments.  The UT and PT inks are so good it
takes a very long time to see any changes at all.

I consider the Ultra Tones, PiezoTone WN & Selenium, Eboni, Museum,
UltraChrome Matte, Photo, and Light black inks to be so good I'm not sure
fade testing proves much.  It is unlikely fading will ever be a problem with
these inks.

The color pigments are the ones that fade relatively quickly.  So, the more
color, the more likely there will be visible fading.  For this, just look at
Wilhelm's rating of the UC inks in color versus B&W.  Frankly, the ">100
years" for the Epson UC "B&W," even with the relatively large amount of
color pigs the Epson driver puts in them, hints at just how good these black
& gray inks are.  With the B&W inks that use the least amount of color to
achieve neutral tone (UT, PT & ImagePrint), that could easily read, ">200
years" or "> the Epson Archival inkset."

I'm reluctant to post long fade tests that show only 0.01 differences.  They
are so minor that claiming the UT inks are the best based on that small a
difference might be deceptive.  Other factors might have caused it.  As a
consequence, I'm inclined to group inks that are roughly equal.

The "state-of-the-art" B&W inks are the UT & PT inksets, and UC black & gray
pigments.  (I have not tested the Septones yet.)  These are what some might
call "Class A" (>100 year), archival materials.

Like Wilhelm, I'm suspicious that tests that purport to show lives beyond
this or differences among this group might be pushing the test results
beyond what is reasonable.   Especially for those of us who cannot control
humidity or heat, we may be at the limits of what simple bright-light
accelerated fade testing can reliably predict.  Other factors that are
harder to test are probably going to be the limiting factors (like the paper
life, pollution sensitivity, resistance to physical damage, and who knows
what else).

But, I will continue my testing where it seems relevant.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com
______________________________________________





-----Original Message-----
From: Martin Wesley [mailto:mwesley250@...]
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2003 11:39 PM
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Digital BW] New PiezoBW upgrade / MIS



* -----Original Message-----
* From: Paul Roark [mailto:paul.roark@...]
* Sent: Monday, November 17, 2003 11:07 PM
* To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
* Subject: RE: [Digital BW] New PiezoBW upgrade / MIS
*
*
* Martin,
*
* You wrote, in part:
*
* >Even though they are more expensive I personally prefer the Selenium
* >PiezoTone over the MIS FS and they are much more fade and warm shift
* >resistant.
*
* I have sent MIS the formulas for upgraded Piezo-compatible
* inks that are based on the Ultra Tone inks -- which is
* becoming a family of inks now. They are state-of-the-art, as
* lightfast as the PiezoTone inks, and RC/glossy paper
* compatible also (like the Epson UltraChrome inks).  There is
* a neutral/"selenium" toned version and a warm, pure carbon
* version.  Tones of ink between these 2 can be mixed easily.
* In fact, if one wants different tones in different parts
* density scale (for example, warmer highlights than midtones),
* the 3 midtone inks need not be the same mix of the two
* monotone versions that now exist.  (I'm sure MIS will mix a
* medium warm version if people want it.)

Paul,

I know this has been in the works for awhile. When do you think MIS will
have them available for sale?

I was also looking though the Files section today for fade comparisons and
we don't seem to have any info up on the Eboni or the UT inks. I know you
posted some data when Eboni was first out. Can you copy me so that I can add
the data to the collection? It would also be great to have a fade comparison
between this new UT base ink set, PiezoTone, Septone and FS as a control if
you can fit such a trial into your schedule.
*
* I also have new 1160 curves for the UT monotone inks.  For
* the 1160 I have the usual fully-partitioned curves for EEM
* and PhotoRag.  For EEM I also have a "mildly" partitioned
* curve that may be more tolerant of printer differences, as
* well as a grayscale curve and Transfer Function to control
* the inks.  (The grayscale curve/TF print rougher.)
* Additionally, I will soon have new curves for the 3000.
*
* So, as far as I'm concerned the FS inks are history.

Yep, they fulfilled the need for a non-clogging ink set when they came out
but at this point with the greater stability of the UT and PT ink sets I
don't see that they have anything to offer. They have indeed passed into
history. A couple of years is a long time in this business. What are you
going to call these new Piezo compatible UT based inks? Things are getting a
bit confusing with all the inks choices and a new distinctive name would
help.

Martin



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