Digital BW, The Print

Scott,

> I don't have a spectrophotometer, so the "numbers" don't have a lot
> of meaning to me in terms of "real world" results.
> 
> I was wondering if when you viewed these prints side-by-side, you
> could see a difference with your "control" print...

No, I'm trying to predict the future based on very initial fade test
results.  That's why I'm having to fight the tiny spectrophotometer
variances.  That's also, perhaps, one reason Wilhelm runs the tests all the
way out to a 30% fade.  But, that just takes too long for me.  

So, while I will continue this test, I've found pigments tend to fade in a
rather linear fashion.  In the past the major exception was the burning off
of any dyes that were in the mix.  (OBAs are, in effect if not technically,
dyes also.)  In the past, I'd see those results in 1/12 the time (100 hours
with a light half the brightness).  Since the current generation of pigs has
no dyes in the ink, the "initial" (600 hour) fade rate results are probably
reasonably indicative of longer term performance.  I'll start reacting to
what I've seen now, even as I extend the test.  I'll also throw in a few
more test strips (for example, OEM ink with a rip versus with AB&W printing)
and take out other test so that I get more information from the next phase.
I do this mostly to calculate what my next move will be; the 600 hour mark
is just the point at which I've found the results are accurate enough to
make initial decisions as to that next move.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com