Digital BW, The Print

And he's got 310 years for black and white ultrachrome on Somerset with the 
9600 and Premier Art spray behind regular glass. What are we to make of 
that?  I think all of this UC stuff should be coated with uv spray or varnish, 
color and mono. I really think we are going to find out it is a necessity and 
simply a part of the process. 




--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark" <
paul.roark@v...> wrote:
> > 
> > Wilhelm has longevity ratings of the R2400 AdvancedB&W prints at 
between
> > 78 and 200 years on different papers UNFRAMED :-
> > 
> > http://www.wilhelm-research.com/epson/
WIR_Ep_R2400_2005_06_30.pdf
> > 
> > The normal color prints are rated at 34-68 years UNFRAMED.
> 
> See the note at the top right on page 3 of his PDF.  It says, in part: "The
> Display Permanence Ratings given here are based on long-term testing 
with
> the previous generation of UltraChrome inks."
> 
> So, there is nothing new here.  These are 2200 results.
> 
> The Wilhelm quote continues: "WIR testing to date with UltraChrome K3 inks
> indicates that significant increases in Display Permanence Ratings for
> black-and-white prints can be expected because the three-level highly-
stable
> carbon pigment based black inks in the UltraChrome K3 inkset largely 
replace
> the cyan, magenta, and yellow color inks ..."
> 
> OK, so the 2400 uses more of the LK and LLK than the 2200, I assume.
> 
> But "carbon" pigments?
> 
> The 2400 Material Safety Data Sheet indicates that the LK ink has ">2%"
> carbon black and ">2% 'Proprietary dyes and pigments'."  (The LLK is ">1%"
> each.)
> 
> This is an interesting change, however.  The 7600 MSDS has LK having ">
1%"
> carbon and ">9%" "Proprietary dyes and pigments."  So, they seem to be
> moving in the direction of carbon, even if they are still not predominantly
> carbon pigments and, perhaps, should not be called that.
> 
> (To get to a list of the MSDSs, just search "MSDS" on the US Epson site.)
> 
> In footnote 1 Wilhelm repeats that while the UC and UC K3 color 
permanence
> ratings are similar, "with black and white prints, the display permanence
> ratings with UltraChrome K3 inks are significantly improved because the
> three-level, highly-stable carbon pigment based black inks ... are used over
> the entire tonal scale and largely replace the less stable cyan, magenta,
> and yellow color inks ..."
> 
> Note also (as indicated on his FN 2) Wilhelm measures densities of 0.6 and
> 1.0.  As such, his tests miss the highlights, where the scans seem to
> indicate the prints are color prints.  Wilhelm's testing may also miss the
> OBA "yellowing."
> 
> Whether these misstatements are material will have to wait for further fade
> testing.
> 
> I think I'll e-mail WIR and see if I get a reaction from them. 
> 
> 
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com 
> 
> > 
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Paul Roark" <paul.roark@v...>
> > 
> > Are the numbers you posted for one of the rips with the 2400 or with the
> > Advanced B&W mode?
> > 
> > At http://home1.gte.net/res09aij/4800_ABW_5-10_1600scan.jpg I've 
posted a
> > scan of a 4800 5% and 10% test strip that was printed with the ABW 
mode.
> > The 5%, which I think is 242 on the scale you're using, seems to be mostly
> > color inks.
> > 
> > The bottom line, of course, is how the prints do in fade testing.  I have
> > one going now that should show results by the end of August.
> >