Digital BW, The Print

In a message dated 7/17/2004 7:16:30 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
tbaker1328@... writes:
Snip>
> So, why does't MIS hire a reputable testing facility or two? 
> Please don't tell me it cost too much. This is their responsibility 
> and it has to be factored in.
> 
> Bottom line is why should anyone trust their internal tests? In 
> terms of years, what DOES their internal testing data reveal? 
> And, yes equiveliency in years of permance does matter to my 
> clients.
> Snip>
 I really think Internal tests are all the Reseller is likely to do in order 
to get a comfort factor
in selling there inks as archival. We will never know for sure until they 
have been around at least 20 years.
Whilhelm reportedly charges 5k per ink paper combination, so its easy to say 
at MIS prices
There won't be any Whilhelm tests. This is nothing to someone like Epson but 
for MIS and Cone its the difference of staying in business or not. The latest 
inks and papers are engineered for permanence and that's about it.
That's the only real trust we have and your right! It has a shaky background. 
MIS and Cone don't make the inks themselves just just buy it for resale.
I do believe internal tests, and Paul Roarks somewhat informal tests compared 
to the Whilhelm tests On Epson Ultrachrome inks
do show that the MIS and latest Cone Generation inks are equal at LEAST to 
Epson Ultrachome inks.
One thing we do know is that ink and papers are better than ever.
It wasn't very long ago that us regulars tortured our prints buy baking them 
in a Southern exposure window for months at time.
At least with this extreme test you can see shortly any weaknesses. I have 
even completely submerged my Cone ink prints in water
and I'm very comfortable with there lightfastness and water resistance. These 
inks have been tortured internally  to extremes as well, 
and frankly they are as good as it currently gets. Things are very stable now 
with the Cone inks, I really couldn't tell you 
about MIS multi hue sets as I would think the real danger nowadays is a pre 
mature color shift.
You can only gain this trust by using the products and seeing for yourself. I 
have used 3 generations of inks now and selling prints from the past two 
generations.
Things are markedly better now and I don't even give permanence much of a 
thought anymore.
I don't know if there is any scientific proof but I/m quite confident My 
quadtone Cone ink prints will outlast and Color Paper out there including Fuji 
Crystal Archive rated at 69years or so by whilhelm.
Steve M.





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