Digital BW, The Print

Kirk:
I just spent today printing with my first batch of Innova F-type (black 
label) on my Epson R2400 with K3 inks(PK.)After creating some I1 
profiles I compared prints to silver rag I had made. The gloss 
differential is very difficult to see on the Innova but it's obvious 
(but not bad) on the silver rag. The silver rag seems to be a heavier 
paper thickness and a few times would not load into the printer without 
some hand help. Image quality is outstanding on both papers but I 
prefer the Innova surface appearance. I didn't measure Dmax but both 
held a very rich black tone. I work in a temp/humidity controlled room 
but the Silver rag prints all had a slight but stiff curl toward the 
coating side. These were earlier production sheets and perhaps that has 
changed. The sheets of 8.5x11 Innova were quite flat and not so stiff. 
I did notice some edge "chaff" (very thin paper shreds)coming off one 
edge of some of the Innova sheets that I had to remove by hand lest it 
gunk up my printer. I printed 12 sheets and three had shreds to varying 
degree. I noticed it on just one(the same)long edge. Maybe a paper 
trimming issue? Anyway I was very pleased with the Innova prints(color 
and B&W). A couple of light coats of the Premier Art Shield spray made 
both paper surfaces very even and attractive. But here's the kicker, I 
printed the same images with my regular luster paper, Ilford Smooth 
Pearl, and the Ilford looked better than both of the "fine art" papers. 
The ink lay down was just smoother and the surface of the Pearl was 
very consistant sheet to sheet with a similar crisp resolution and deep 
black as the other papers. No gloss difference at all. Surface seems 
more durable yet its a thinner stock. Also after the fine art papers 
were sprayed, the surfaces didn't look much different from the pearl. I 
didn't want to compare the three to Matte papers since that's a unique 
look all it's own. No real conclusions just the results of todays print 
making.
Lou Meluso 
> 
> On the other hand, several fine-art photographers took a look at 
sample prints on Innova 
> F-Type (both BW & color, & both K3 & regular Ultrachrome inks) at a 
recent gathering of 
> the Bay Area Photographers Collective.  We weren't exactly 
overwhelmed.  While everyone 
> appreciated the richer blacks, nobody preferred the surface texture 
over their current 
> matte or luster paper choices.
> 
> Kirk
>