Testing Fine Art Digital Prints Against Darkroom Silver Gelatin Prints

I wanted to take a fine art subject and compare prints in the digital fine art realm as compared to those via the traditional darkroom.  Based on a lot of research it appears the Hahnemuhle Fine Art Baryta paper was the clear choice.  I wanted to extend my tests so I researched a little more and decided to include the Canson Baryta paper as well.  In the darkroom I typically do all my test and working prints on Ilford RC variable contrast papers and only the exceptional prints get printed on Ilford VC fiber paper and processed via the full archival method if that is what it warrants.

My initial impression based on this single test case is that I was able to make beautiful prints on all of the papers in this test set to include the Baryta, RC, Pearl and Matte papers. Based on unique characteristics of each paper they varied slightly, but likely only noticeable to a professional.  Of course the matte, RC and glossy papers had a different coating and associated look as you would expect with any paper.   If any of these prints were professionally mounted and framed they would likely suit most anyone that was drawn to the subject matter.  I think it comes down to a matter of preference and your intentions with the finished prints.

Further testing and other subjects would have to be explored before I could satisfy my gut feeling that the blacks seem a little weak to me on all of the digital prints as compared to darkroom silver gelatin prints whether it be on RC or fiber papers.  Of course there are many trade-offs to be considered.  For example I can make the full range of edits in Photoshop as I would in the darkroom and because I have a color calibrated work-flow I could print 4 4×5 test photos on one piece of 8×10 paper and ultimately finalize my working print very quickly.  Then I would simply print a full size working print and quite possibly have made a fine print.  This uplift from working to fine print is because I have the power over my edits in Photoshop as opposed to working on them manually via the darkroom.   If not, then one more cycle of adjustments would typically take care of any issues that I wanted to correct.  In the darkroom I could spend hours making these same edits that took me minutes to make in Photoshop.  My DMAX (blacks) might be a little deeper via the darkroom and even considered more rich but that is likely a matter of opinion that has to be formed by each of us.  At this stage I do think the blacks and darker in the darkroom.  It likely also varies by subject and scene as well.

On the other hand I personally enjoy the traditional darkroom process and working with my hands.  I will never get rid of the darkroom unless I have no other option.  I have a much greater sense of accomplishment and feeling of connection to the print when I work in the darkroom.  It is an experience that cannot be duplicated in any other medium in my humble opinion.  On a rainy or cold winter day I can’t imagine a better way to spend my time.  The silver gelatin prints is largely what sets my work apart from many other photographers today.  In non technical terms I think they just look different and in most cases look “better” which is largely subjective and opinionated on my part.

The Test Image

The image for this test was taken with my Mamiya 7 Rangefinder using Tri-X 400 black and white film.  I have photographed with many cameras, digital and film, over a long period of time and my film-based images whether I print them in the darkroom or scan the negatives and print on my large format digital printers look “different” than those captured via the best digital backs or cameras.  I’ve tested and compared flagship DSLR systems as well as the top of the line medium format backs for my medium and large format cameras.  For my black and white fine art prints I am not able to produce a fine print the way I want it to look when I capture on digital.  It’s not even a close call for me. Some people may prefer that look over the film look, but that would not be me at this time.  I can absolutely appreciate and admire work that is produced and created by digital photographers, it just isn’t how I see my prints.

Test Papers

Hahnemuhle Fine Art Baryta Glossy 325gsm
There is a beautiful paper and the texture to this paper was perfect for this specific image. It would likely be a great fit for similar and any scene that would benefit from its form.  It adds a sense of depth and dimensionality that you have to view for yourself.  In my test print I had rich clouds and an abandoned building as my subject and it worked very well. This paper looks very close to a traditional silver gelatin print except for the texture in the paper.  The texture is not a detractor for me personally, just wanted to point it out.  The texture resembles the dents and dimples of an orange peel to me.

Blacks as compared to other papers:
My test print is probably not the best candidate to test maximum blacks (DMAX), but as compared to the other papers in this test set, the blacks all seem fairly equal to my eye. When compared to test prints on Ilford RC VC darkroom paper the blacks were deeper in the darkroom.  This is all based on my eye and not a scientific test.  This observation held true across all the digital papers.  I should note there was a trade off because I was able to make edits in Photoshop to fine tune the clouds in a way that I was not able to duplicate in the darkroom.  Also, when I process my darkroom prints for full archival purposes and use Selenium toning the DMAX is off the charts better as compared to any inkjet prints I have ever seen to include my own tests.  As it goes with just about everything, there is typically a trade-off with most of our choices.  I think the most effective way of determining the method used to create our final print is simple: just weigh the most important factors (e.g., DMAX, time, personal vs fine print, etc) and then make the print and be happy.

Canson Fine Art Baryta Glossy 310gsm
This paper is a very nice paper and produced a beautiful print.  It is a little bit lighter in weight, 310gsm vs 325gsm.  That might not seem like a lot from a numerical perspective, but I found it to be a fairly substantial difference.  If I were looking for a smoother finish in a baryta paper then I would choose this paper over the Hahnemuhle baryta paper.  I found the tonal range, blacks and highlights to reproduce very well with this paper.  For 20 sheets of 8 ½ x 11 Hahnumuhle paper it runs about $35 ($1.75 per sheet) and for 25 sheets of the same size in Canson runs about $25 ($1 per sheet).  The cost per sheet difference is about .75 cents per sheet cheaper for the Canson.

Canson Fine Art Premium Resin Coated Satin 270gsm
I absolutely love the Canson RC paper.  I find it to be almost identical to what I can produce with RC paper in the darkroom.  I found the cost of $16.50 for 25 sheets to be very reasonable.  As a comparison I pay about $22.50 for my Ilford VC RC darkroom paper.  For the cost conscious people you would need to factor in the cost of chemical in the darkroom vs ink and then of course how many sheets it takes to produce a fine print.  I would say if you are a darkroom printer and want to find a digital paper that is very close to what your are used to producing then I would suggest giving this paper a try.

Hahnemuhle Fine Art Photo Rag Pearl Glossy 310gsm
I found this paper to produce a beautiful print, but my preference for this specific photograph I felt was best paired with another paper.  The finish on the paper is definitely smoother than the baryta paper and the tones were almost identical to my eye.  The base to the paper is a little whiter so if you need bright highlights then I would give the edge to this paper.  I found the finish on this paper to be similar to the Canson baryta paper.  Since I had heavy gray and mid-tones in the test image I ultimately when with a different paper, but can see that I will use this paper in the future when the scene dictates its strength. This paper had a little trouble in regular paper feeder on my large format Epson 3880 printer so I would definitely want to use the manual feed tray for this paper in the future.

Hahnemuhle Fine Art Matte Photo Rag Bright White 320gsm
Besides the obvious difference between glossy and matte papers I thought was exceptional. I have to confess that matte papers in fine art work is not my paper of choice because I feel that a fiber glossy paper is usually the right selection.  The depth to the image was excellent and I did not notice any fall off on the blacks as compared to the other papers, they just had a more flat look to then as you would expect with matte paper.  If you are looking for a matte paper then I think you would be very satisfied with the results.  I’ve also used Epson fine art velvet with very good results in the past.

For this paper since it was matte I had to change my printer dialog from luster to matte in both places in Lightroom.  Inside the printer dialogue box I changed to Matte -> Ultra Premium Presenation Paper Matte.

And the Winner is…

Based on my personal tastes and also taking into consideration the subject, scene and other artistic variables I would personally choose to print this photo on the Hahnemuhle Fine Art Baryta paper if I were to mount and sell the print.  I printed this and a couple other from this photo shoot and mounted on 16×20 bright white museum mount board and they turned out fantastic in my opinion.  As far as commenting on a direct comparison between the same silver gelatin print that is difficult.  I like the clouds better on the Hahnemuhle print and the blacks and mid-tones look better on the sliver gelatin print to me.  In the end they are two different processes each capable of producing beautiful prints with noticeable differences at times and other times the gap is probably very small.  If you factor in time and complexity of creating a fine print then much more information and details would have to be discussed and considered.

This was my first real effort at starting the process to compare and evaluate the two forms of printing and as I continue on this journey I will summarize my thoughts in future articles.

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Tim Layton

© Tim Layton – All Rights Reserved – 2011. You may not republish or use any information or media of any format, in part or in whole, without my written permission. For permission and more information you can contact Tim Layton on the web at blog.timlaytonphotography.com or via email at tim@timlaytonphotography.com or via the telephone at 314.972.4900. Visit Tim’s latest photos online at Flickr.