Digital BW, The Print

By the way, I just printed my Disney-1 image --
http://paulroark.com/Disney-1.jpg -- using the old 7500, Eboni-6, and Arches Hot Press, Bright White watercolor paper.  The 16x20 image is hanging behind me now next to a copy of the Ninilchick Fishing Boat --
http://www.paulroark.com/Ninilchick-Boat.html .  These are both at 16x20.  A 16x20 silver print (medium format Tmax 100) is also hanging near them.

I was most interested in the Disney Concert Hall image because it is so dependent on the deep blacks.  It works fine on Arches.

At viewing distance, the main differences I notice among these prints is the character of the light on them.  The halogen's whiter light really helps relative to warmer lights. 

The MF Tmax 100 Grain is a little courser and not as sharp as the 7500's big old dots.  But neither seriously detracts from the impact of the image.  It's an interesting question whether a smoother 7600 would be a net benefit if the 7600's smaller droplet also results in an increase in the Lab B by one unit.  I think for large format shooters who are used to really creamy smooth mid-tones, the 7600 would win.  (The highlights of the 7500 are smooth, it's the midtones shadows that show some graininess with my current profiles.)

At any rate, I really like working with this Arches (140 lb.) paper.  The blacks are not great, but it beats lots of lesser inkjet papers, and under glass in actual display, I doubt any viewer is going to be significantly affected by a dmax that is a hair below 1.60.  In fact, one viewer commented favorably on the Arches' fine paper texture in the black areas.

I think the 100% real thing -- carbon on cotton -- may be where I'm going to be happiest.  (Got to find small 3000 K CF floods.)

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com