Digital BW, The Print

And when it works well it will return to the "fine art" world with a
vengeance. The first step is to get pigment inks that can sit well on coated
papers - eradicating the typically termed bronzing and gloss differential
issues.   Parallel development is also occurring with respect to coatings
which come closer to traditional finishes.  In my opinion, we are getting
ever closer to replicating the prior "standard" - air-dried, fibre-based,
(glossy) silver gelatin print.  There's nothing to say that this need be the
"standard" but the allure of a fully-useable 2.3+ dMax range with a
traditional "look" will be enormously strong for as long as matte printing
remains stuck down at dMaxs of 1.6-7.

Now, of course, there are others working on new inks that have already
achieved in tests dMax of well over 2.0, extending to match today's photo
black output and traditional print dMax.  It remains to be seen as to
whether these inks can come successfully to market.  The real test of what
will be the new "standard" will only come when inks on matte papers can
achieve the same useable dynamic range of the current "traditional
standard".  Until then matte paper output is playing a fill-in role while
photo paper output develops rapidly to meet its predecessor.  Personally I
would like to see a bit more balanced advances to both.  I'd much prefer a
cotton paper print over a photo/fibre print IF it had the same dynamic
range.  Unfortunately, though, this will require some very radical
rethinking of ink technology and perhaps the standards by which its
longevity is judged.  But it is still very early days in the digital
printing of photographs and we have a lot to look forward to.


> From: <claudej1@...>
> Reply-To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
> Date: Wed, 25 May 2005 08:01:53 EDT
> To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: [Digital BW] Thoughts on the new Epsons
> 
>  
> My local Epson dealer tells me that, historically, UC Photo K outsells  Matte
> K by about 10:1. Not surprising that all the new Epsons are going for  better
> color gamut, less gloss differential, a tougher surface, and color toning  in
> their monochrome modes. It's a Lustre/Semi Matte world out there. Most
> Portrait/Wedding studios want this, with an occasional "watercolor" Portrait
> using 
> Corel Painter.
>  
> Therefore, I can see this board, 3rd party vendors and all the  carbon/hybrid
> solutions staying very much alive for a long time, as there will  always be
> purists that want more affordable solutions that are less "tainted" by  the
> masses. Just think of how many 9600, 7600, and 4000's will be on Ebay before
> Xmas!!
>  
> Claude
>