Analog vs Digital Papers.. What's The Difference? What Similiar?

[mtbbrian]

So I bought some more digital photo paper today, not the first time I have done so.
But I bought some from Kodak, first time, and it got me wondering what the differences are between the two types of basically the same kind of paper.

Anyone care to fill me in?
Thanks!
Brian

[Photo-John]

You mean inkjet vs. chemical darkroom paper? Inkjet is made to accept ink on the surface and traditional photo paper has a light sensitive emulsion that needs to be chemically developed. That's the basic difference. One big difference now is that pigment-based color inkjet prints have a much better archival life than any traditional darkroom color process. And the droplet size and colorspace are both excellent. So if you want to make color prints, high-end inkjets are currently the way to go. At least that's what I think.

[ajuk]

My asumption was he was talking about colour light sensitive paper, the sort they use in light jets?

[mtbbrian]

You mean inkjet vs. chemical darkroom paper?

Yeah.
That's what I am talking about.
Brian

[freygr]

My asumption was he was talking about colour light sensitive paper, the sort they use in light jets?

There are two different things. InkJet photo paper is not light sensitive and photo paper is, the photo paper you exposure using an negative and maybe an enlarger and then developed and dried, the inkjet paper is jest printed on.

[mtbbrian]

There are two different things. InkJet photo paper is not light sensitive and photo paper is, the photo paper you exposure using an negative and maybe an enlarger and then developed and dried, the inkjet paper is jest printed on.

I know that...
I have FAR more experience with darkroom printing than digital printing. That's why I was asking this.
I was looking for some in depth answers. As far as structure of the papers and stuff like that.
Thanks for replying though!
Brian

[ajuk]

There are two different things. InkJet photo paper is not light sensitive and photo paper is, the photo paper you exposure using an negative and maybe an enlarger and then developed and dried, the inkjet paper is jest printed on.

I said lightjet not inkjet, As far as I know LIGHTjet paper is the same as the paper used in Colour enlargers. :mad2:

It should be perfect obvoiuse the difference between "analogue" and digital paper, one is light sensitive the other i'snt!

[Photo-John]

My asumption was he was talking about colour light sensitive paper, the sort they use in light jets?

You can use any kind of traditional photo paper with the LightJet. It's normal photo paper, processed in normal photo chemicals.

[Photo-John]

The main difference between the two types of paper is that traditional photo paper has a light-sensitive emulsion suspended in a gelatin emulsion. Inkjet paper, on the other hand, has inks or dyes applied to it. Some of the problems with inkjet paper are the longevity of the prints, color shifting, and drying time. Currently, the most sophisticated papers have a very porous, non-paper surface that sucks the dyes in to better imbed them in the paper and stabilize the image. Color shifting over time used to be a big problem as different colors of dye would soak into the paper over time, changing the color balance. So dye technology is important, too.

I don't know a whole lot about it. But there's a bit of what I do know. Does that help? If you have more specific questions I can try to answer them, or maybe find someone who can.

[mtbbrian]

The main difference between the two types of paper is that traditional photo paper has a light-sensitive emulsion suspended in a gelatin emulsion. Inkjet paper, on the other hand, has inks or dyes applied to it. Some of the problems with inkjet paper are the longevity of the prints, color shifting, and drying time. Currently, the most sophisticated papers have a very porous, non-paper surface that sucks the dyes in to better imbed them in the paper and stabilize the image. Color shifting over time used to be a big problem as different colors of dye would soak into the paper over time, changing the color balance. So dye technology is important, too.

I don't know a whole lot about it. But there's a bit of what I do know. Does that help? If you have more specific questions I can try to answer them, or maybe find someone who can.

That is helpful John.
Thanks!
Brian
:thumbsup:

[Asylum Steve]

It should be perfect obvoiuse the difference between "analogue" and digital paper, one is light sensitive the other i'snt!

Why would your think this is obvious? "Analog" is not a term that one would automatically apply to silver-halide material, paper or otherwise.

I've never heard the term used that way until today (btw, film photog for 20 years, digital for 5)...

I guess my point is: older film & paper photogs probably won't relate to the term "analog", and younger digital ones most likely aren't familiar with chemical paper, so I doubt this is obvious to many at all...

[mtbbrian]

I guess my point is: older film & paper photogs probably won't relate to the term "analog", ...

Steve,
You need to check out, www.apug.org
There are a lot of "older photographers" over there...
Brian
:thumbsup:

[Photo-John]

You need to check out, www.apug.org
There are a lot of "older photographers" over there...

Never seen that site. Looks good. Hope you're spreading the word

[Asylum Steve]

Thanks Brian. Why I can't relate personally (do NOT miss photo chemistry in the LEAST!), It looks like a great resource site for the many out there that may feel they are part of a dying breed and/or being swept aside by the digital revolution...

However, I still think referring to printing paper as "digital" or "analog" is sort of silly, and definitely uses a flawed logic.

Think about it. Modern inkjet printing papers have much more in common with traditional printing process papers (such as those used in offset, litho, or silksreen) than they do with anything else.

In fact, that's the point: modern papers have been carefully developed (no pun intended) to mimmick much older conventional papers, both photo and non-photo.

IMO, digital is not at all an aspect of the paper itself, but rather of the device PRINTING on the paper...

[mtbbrian]

I relate with this site, because if I had my way I would much rather be doing it in the darkroom. I so wish I had a darkroom, I enjoy and miss doing it "in the dark"!
I do make "work prints" with my computer, but I do have my prints I sell or exhibit done analog..

Brian
:thumbsup:

[ajuk]

You can use any kind of traditional photo paper with the LightJet. It's normal photo paper, processed in normal photo chemicals.

That is why I asumed he was talking about light sensitive paper, because it does have digital compatible or digital optimised written on it, despite the fact it can still be used in enlargers. TBH I did not think anyone was daft enough to not know the difference betwen ink jet and Trad B&W paper.

Personally when having digital prints done, I don't see the point of inkjet, I pay a lab to do it in there real printer.