Brendan MacRae wrote: > Hum, not sure that smaller droplets always translate > to print detail. The paper is a big variable here.
Different papers, and even different surfaces or surface treatments on the same paper will make a bigger difference than a lot of people expect in the way the ink and paper interact. For example, as a general rule, a paper with a matte finish will wick and absorb more ink than the same paper with a glossier finish. The glossiest finish, transparency film, absorbs very little of the ink, most of it drying by evaporating the carrier fluid into the air, rather than absorbing it into the medium. A consequence of that extra absorption is what's known in the printing trade as (I think) the "bleed" of the ink on/in the paper. The more "bleed", the bigger a spot on the paper from the same amount of ink (whether a droplet from a printer or a layer from a plate). So, on a less glossy paper, the droplet will spread out farther when it hits the paper than the same droplet would spread out on a more glossy paper. Thus, a glossier paper will theoretically make better use of the smaller droplets. -- Thanks, DougF (KG4LMZ) -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
