I've just added ID#s 282 - 289 to the Aardenburg Light fade test results
database.
http://aardenburg-imaging.com/cgi-bin/mrk/_4534c2hvd19kb2NfbGlzdC80These are samples made on a Durst 51 "Digital Enlarger" outputing to
"traditional Silver gelatin" print media. RC paper versions and Fiber base
versions are in this set. Untoned, selenium toned, and Sepia toned samples are
also in the mix.
A quick result summary: The RC Digital Silver paper has high OBA content, and despite being
embedded in a swellable polymer (photographic gelatin) it burns out as quickly
as any inkjet media I've tested. The Fiber base (FB) version has medium OBA content
and therefore does better than the RC version in test. Nevertheless, no
"best-in-class" performance when compared to good choices of inkjet media and
quality inkjet inks.
Chemical toning improves the results, mainly by leaching some of the OBA content
during extended processing, and in the case of Sepia toner, perhaps adding some
UV/Blue filtering due to the brown toning of the colloidal silver. That the
Aardenburg testing methodology and the I* metric can reveal these subtleties is
something for me to be very proud of, all modesty aside. That the industry
continues to ignore the value of the i* metric is a bewilderment, because a
precise evaluation metric fairly and without bias differentiates winners just as much as it
differentiates losers.
This will be my last post for a while. The AaI&A printmaker's testing fund is depleted and not likely to be replenished any time soon, plus I want to take a break in order to go do some personal photography and printmaking
cheers
Mark
http://www.aardenburg-imaging.com