Digital BW, The Print

Thanks to all of you who responded. I'll follow up on your clues.

For those who wonder why I have chosen to try the "Lightjet route," the answer is that what I want is the "look" that I have always preferred (air-dried glossy, with a neutral tone and a good D-max) combined with the highest practical level of "archival" permanence. Lightjet seems to offer both, while inkjet, it seems to me, at this stage, comes in slightly second best on both counts. I have seen the work of David Fokos, using lightjet with Fuji crytstal archive paper, and the print quality was equal to that of the richest of Ansel Adams' prints. Thus I know how good lightjet prints can be. What holds me back is something that Fokos himself said: "My work is the most difficult thing Calypso prints.each print requires a series of tests." He can afford that. (His prints start at $1,000 and one sold at auction for $10,000.) I can't afford to make a series of tests for each and every print. There is only one way to find out if I can get what I want with a minimum of testing.

I do think lightjet deserves some discussion on this list. The lightjet printer is directly comparable to the inkjet printer. They both take your digital file and at the push of a button they both produce the final print. The question is which print best expresses your original vision and looks the way you really want it to look. I can't answer these questions yet because I haven't yet seen what the lightjet machine can do with one of my own images. I have no choice but to give the lightjet machine a try. 


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