Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2013/10/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Although it may seem at odds with usual character of a Leica shooter (not to mention all my work making the most archival carbon pigment prints), I've gotten the most pleasure lately from the B&W dye prints I've been making. There is something about dyes on metallic paper that shows off the quality -- fine detail and dynamic range -- of a good B&W image file that is beyond any other medium I have ever experienced. They have knocked the silver prints off my office walls. Although I make dedicated inksets like these for my work, I've also made a profile that one can use with QTR ( http://www.quadtonerip.com/html/QTRoverview.html) and an Epson 1400, 1430 or, in Europe, the 1500 (I think), with Epson's standard Claria color dye inks. See http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/1400-Claria-BW.pdf . They may not be "archival," but they may also be almost as good as color UltraChrome on some papers and when sprayed. I recently made a post on LuLa and received this response from someone who tried the profile on his 1400: "Saw your praise of the [Red River Paper] Pearl Metalic and Claria so I gave it a try with your curves. Wow! Love the result. Far and away best bw I've done. The light coming back from the metal is special. ..." The technology is really un-forgiving. In making the largest prints I could on my 17" roll of metallic paper, I found that my old medium format film files were often not up to the task. Only the best Tech Pan mf negatives held up to the dye print medium. The good Leica files were much more often up to the task. And I guess that is the connection to Leica owners or those who appreciate the quality. This is the best way I have found to show off the quality of the files I can produce. Paul www.PaulRoark.com >