Digital BW, The Print

I collected a few sample sheets this afternoon (from the Harman stand at the
annual "Focus on Imaging" in Birmingham UK) of the newly launched
(yesterday) Gloss FB AL - Warmtone.  I've been looking forward to this paper
as I generally prefer warm papers.  The FB Al was a little too neutral for
my liking but otherwise an excellent paper.  Back at my printer I opened the
pack and compared a sheet with the non-warmtone version alongside Ilford
Gold Fibre Silk, Innova FibaPrint Warm Gloss and Crane Museo Silver Rag.
 
Apart from the original Harman Gloss FB Al, all of the others are various
shades of what you might call conventional warmtone.  I only say this as a
contrast with the new paper which is very very different.  It is somewhere
between orange and pink (I can't decide) compared with the more conventional
yellowy/creamy tints of the others.  OK, it's not actually orange or pink -
but the tint is in that direction.
 
I printed my standard test image and found it otherwise behaved just the
same as the original Harman Gloss FB Al - well described a while ago (by
Walt if I recall) about the image being in rather than on the paper.
Beautifully sharp and true with much reduced gloss differential than others
of the new PK papers.
 
My first reaction was 'oh no, I don't like this at all'.  But, and I've
learned this by experience, I'm careful not to always compare papers/prints
side be side to determine whether or not I like them.  I separated the print
from all of the others and as the memory of the side by side comparison
faded the print in fact stands up well for itself.  Love it or hate it, it's
simply another excellent option where we can exercise paper choice.
 
Steve Gledhill
www.virtuallygrey.co.uk <http://www.virtuallygrey.co.uk/> 


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