Digital BW, The Print

Jos\ufffd Miguel Ferreira wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> Any experience with Bergger paper? They produce wonderful paper for the wet
> darkroom. It seems like it's their own coating on Arches 300g/m2 mould-made
> cotton paper...
> 
> It's kind of expensive, so any info from users would be nice before ordering
> it.
> 
> Here's their link: http://www.bergger.com/introusa.htm
> 
> Also, what's the difference between "Hot Press" and "Cold Press" coating,
> besides the temperature, obviously.... :-)
> 
> Thanks!
> Jos\ufffd

No direct experience. I went to the booth of Bergger at the 
Photokina show and collected a print made on a 2200 with UC 
inks. Only available in sheet sizes. Quality is at the level 
of the Hahnemuhle, Hawk Mountain Condor papers. The black in 
the print measures 1.56 Dmax, paper PN33 High Definition Fine 
Art, rather rough texture and creamy colour. Do not know what 
driver they used for that print. I think the Innova papers are 
a bit better than that category but lack a bit of the feel of 
good art papers. But the last are far cheaper though.

  I also talked with the people of Arjo Wiggens, Canson-Arches 
papers and asked why they couldn't make a similar quality to 
the Bergger coating. They admitted that Bergger used their 
stock but said that the quantity the company makes isn't very 
high and in all they  were a bit denigrating the firm. I still 
am waiting for the ArjoWiggens new paper samples that I had 
asked for at the booth and later on by phone in Belgium (their 
representation in the Netherlands is nill if one asks for 
inkjet paper). The samples they showed at the booth were not 
as good as Bergger's but I was interested in a new thick 
passepartout paper for inkjet printing. Strange to see a small 
firm deliver better coatings than an international paper giant 
like ArjoWiggins.

Ernst