2007-04-07

I'm running a little behind schedule, but in a few days I will post a new data set using a standardized I* target for an I* evaluation of Epson Premium Luster Photo Paper printed on an Epson R1800 printer (note: Epson has recently renamed Premium Luster Photo Paper to Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster). The Epson R1800 is a particularly interesting prosumer model to study for a number of reasons. It does not use dilute cyan and magenta inks in addition to higher concentration cyan and magenta inks as do most other prosumer inkjet photo printers in the market today. It does however add red and blue inks to extend the color gamut. Matte paper black ink and photo paper black ink are reserved mainly for black text printing but are also used for RGB image data values below approximately 20,20,20. Thus, the R1800 relies totally on composite ink delivery of cyan, magenta, and yellow in order to achieve neutral gray balance throughout an image tone scale. These factors make the R1800 somewhat unique, and it is a very interesting printer to examine for both tone and color reproduction and for image permanence characteristics. It is a popular prosumer product and deservedly so.

I am now finalizing some aspects of the report template that will be used to post test results. Standardizing the report format will allow direct comparison to other printers and papers as the results become available. Soon to follow will be I* data for various photo quality inkjet papers printed with my Canon iPF 5000. The iPF 5000 is AaI"s latest printer acquisition. Its an interesting printer to use and the print quality is outstanding, but as many forum discussions have noted, the manuals and instructions for its use are frustrating. A great resource for helpful information on the iPF5000 can be found at http://canonipf5000.wikispaces.com. In time I plan on acquiring newer Epson, Hp, Canon, and other models of printers for use in my studio and for more print quality and image permanence studies. Purchasing the Canon iPF 5000 was a sensible choice for AaI because the iPF 5000 functions with the same inks and screening pattern as its bigger siblings, the iPF 8000 and iPF 9000. It also uses a unique 16 bit photoshop plug-in that delivers higher bit depth printer control not yet available at the system level on Mac or PC. Because the iPF5000 is identical in driver functionality and Lucia ink technology to its larger siblings, image quality and image permanence results for papers printed on the iPF5000 are applicable to the full professional line of Canon Printers that use the new Lucia ink technology.

Looking down the road a little, AaI hopes to acquire the newest round of equipment releases from Epson, Hp, Canon, and others. My short term goal is to have access to all the major pigmented ink technologies for testing and for collaborative printmaking with other photographers and digital artists. I don't mean to intentionally exclude dye-based printers, but I prefer to test the most stable imaging systems in the marketplace first. I have no preference for one manufacturer over another because I know that it is possible to make great prints on any of the latest pro quality printer offerings. However, in time specific differences in the equipment and more importantly in how various papers behave on different systems will no doubt appear in AaI research reports. AaI will report experimental facts as they are discovered and strive to clearly differentiate opinion from facts. I intend for AaI to conduct state of the art and truly independent research in every sense of the word. Together, we will learn many fascinating things about this rapidly changing digital printing technology.

Another goal at AaI is to provide as much free access to comprehensive test results as possible. I dislike internet subscription models, and I'm leary of general advertising tie-ins and pop-up ads to carry a website's profitability. Nor do I want to form unholy alliances with manufacturers for prototyping services or quid pro quo product endorsements. However, the imaging research I love to do is expensive and is going to require financial support. My long term goal is to try to make the research component at AaI self-sustaining and comprehensive while retaining true independence of science, craft, and thought. To accomplish the simultaneous goals of broad access to the information and financial support of the research, I will pursue a hybrid model where some data may have a modest charge for download while as much as possible can be viewed for free courtesy of sponsors who believe in the unique research being undertaken here at Aardenburg Imaging & Archives. The fit between sponsor and sponsored data is critical to my goal of providing free access, yet I realize that it could easily degenerate into an appearance of a conflict of interest or true conflict if mishandled. My promise to my internet audience is proceed cautiously and carefully, not allow editorial interference of any kind in the published results, and always strive to do what is true, objective, and untainted by market forces.

We live in very exciting times. Anyone can publish on the web and the information is rapidly indexed by major search engines and immediately accessible all over the world. Amazing! The downside, of course, is that the viewer is more and more called upon to determine the relevance and merits of posted material that is increasingly without the benefit of any prior peer review process or editorial board's skill at sorting out value from rubbish. We will navigate these deep waters together.