Digital BW, The Print

I've just added ID3s 282 - 289 to the Aardenburg Light fade test results database 

http://aardenburg-imaging.com/cgi-bin/mrk/_4534c2hvd19kb2NfbGlzdC80

These 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 tones samples are also in the mix. 

A quick result summary: The RC paper has high OBA content, and despite being embedded in a swellable polymer (photographic gelatin) it burns out as quickly as any product 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 differentiates winners just as much as it  differentiates losers.

best,
Mark
http//www.aardenburg-imaging.com