Digital BW, The Print

> ...
> The warmer look is probably what most people have in mind when they think
> "platinum." Those tones probably could be closely emulated with any ink
> jet process that permits a blend of warm and carbon or perhaps just 
> warm and black. 

> However, what can't be duplicated is the tonal separation and range
> that can be achieved with platinum from a properly developed negative...

I'm not a platinum printer, but I confess I've never understood the "tonal
separation and range" reputation of platinum.  From what I've seen and read,
their dmax is not very good.  For example, see
http://www.michaelandpaula.com/mp/herbst_azo_amidol.html  where Bob Herbst
compares platinum to Azo prints.  As I read his results, the platinum had a
dmax of only 1.48.  This is about what one can expect of carbon pigment
injet blacks like Eboni on Arches Hot Press, but it's very noticeably below
the 1.7+ that Photo Rag and cheap PremierArt Premium Matte can get with even
the C86 and Epson driver.

Materials at an exhibit of selected Getty collection Edward Weston prints I
saw a couple of years ago seemed to indicate that Weston moved from platinum
to silver due to the limited platinum dynamic range.

I'm wondering if the appeal of platinum, aside from nostalgia and being
different, is from the matte look.  While many seem to think glossy is more
"photographic," I think a matte image often gives much better access to the
print's information due to the lack of distracting reflections.

I'm just speculating here and not trying to be argumentative about the
qualities of platinum prints.  I honestly would like to know where
platinum's reputation comes from.  I don't doubt that there is some
aesthetic quality to that technology that may have been lost in the silver
print, but I'm not sure what it is from a technical point of view.  When the
prints are mounted behind glass in, for example, the Weston exhibit, I just
don't see much if any visible difference between the platinum prints and the
old silver prints, which were often warmer than the platinum.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com