Getting the most from Fuji Deep-Matte Velvet paper

[Takkun]

Not sure if I should put this in the analog or digital subforum--it's RA-4 paper, but printed on LightJet from a digital file. Mods, please move if necessary!

For the past while I've been having my BW work inkjet printed from a local lab on a nice heavy FB paper, and it's sublime—none of the hassle that it was in the darkroom. However, I've got a few exhibitions coming up I wanted to do some BIG (20x28") digital prints done, and those would have been prohibitively expensive, so I went with Duggal.

I went with the paper noted in the title--I'd used Ilford Lustre in the darkroom fairly extensively back when I had access to one, and the color prints turned out beautifully. The BW print, however, just looks very...gray. I know the gamut will be reduced compared to a glossier stock, but it looks very murky in the mid-tones with less tonal separation. I've had good luck with the Ilford version in the darkroom, so maybe it's my post-processing technique.

Does anyone regularly work with this type of paper with BW images? is there a trick to getting it right in post-processing to get it right? For inkjet, I usually adjust global brightness to be a little more than what looks good onscreen. Maybe I lightened it too much?

 

[kjrslr]

Hi Ian,
My first question is to ask what ink set are you using. I'm not familiar with this paper but the title suggests that a matt black ink is required as opposed to the more common photo black ink which the Illford Luster would use. There is a difference in the 2 inks and photo black does not print well on media that is intended to use a matt black ink. Additionally, are you printing a gray scale image as opposed to an RGB image.

 

[Takkun]

Thanks for the reply!

I should clarify this isn't a digital paper, but a Fuji RA-4 chemistry paper. I posted in the Digital section because it was a C-print from a digital file done by a lab. Maybe I'd have better luck in the wet printing section? But it wasn't a traditional darkroom print. Hm.

 

[chipgreenberg]

Ian I've used it in color, not B/W. The lab sold it as premium, I had a great shot, thought I'd try something different I have a calibrated monitor and definitely had to boost the contract compared to just a Fuji lustre print

Thanks for the reply!

I should clarify this isn't a digital paper, but a Fuji RA-4 chemistry paper. I posted in the Digital section because it was a C-print from a digital file done by a lab. Maybe I'd have better luck in the wet printing section? But it wasn't a traditional darkroom print. Hm.