Parameter
Weight sgm
Caliper microns
Dmax Colour
Dmax ABW
CII
Avg Error ∆E00
Gamut Lab3 units
Permajet
280
270
2.31
2.56
1.17
2.94
1,056,786
Ilford
290
290
2.36
NR
1.41
1.83
1,069,034
BELOW: The difference in OBA activity shows in both the UV booth and in the spectral data.
ON TEST Visual Visually (in normal daylight) the two surfaces are indistinguishable. The surface finish is a very subtle satin pearl and is very attractive as a 'photographic' finish, suitable for exhibition, album or print work. The surface is very tough as it has a supercoating; dragging a fingernail across the print produced a barely perceptible mark. The papers are of similar weight, 290gsm for the Ilford and 280gsm for the PermaJet. The thickness reflects this difference. The PermaJet is very slightly stiffer under the (highly scientific!) test of dangling both papers over the desk-edge to see which deflected the most.
Ilford Smooth Pearl 310
0.7 0.65 0.6 400
450
500
550
600
650
700
750
Wavelength - nm
MACBETH CC 24
ΔE00 ERRORS BY COMPONENT
PermaJet Smooth Pearl 25.0
20.0
15.0
Hue Saturation Lightness
10.0
MACBETH CC 24
black
neutral 5
neutral 3.5
neutral 8
neutral 6.5
cyan
white
magenta
red
yellow
blue
green
orange yellow
purple
yellow green
moderate red
orange
purplish blue
bluish green
0.0
foliage
5.0
blue flower
Overall then a top-notch performance. We also tested results printed at PermaJet using the same profile and set-up. The difference between the two prints averaged a little over 1.5 Lab points, in other words, near-identical response. The gamut volumes of our bespoke profiles were close, the PermaJet was an insignificant 1% smaller. The metamerism of the PermaJet media was lower than Ilford although both recorded low values. The Dmaxes were identical.
PermaJet Smooth Pearl 285
blue sky
Although there is no need to do so, we bespoke profiled both surfaces and then audited the output. Gratifyingly the new PermaJet product out-performed the Ilford on 29 of the 30 parameters we normally table, indeed the overall error, at 1.84ΔE₀₀ was one of the lowest that we have measured. Thus the PermaJet performed flawlessly – by way of example the errors in chroma and hue were nine hundredths of a percentage point where a difference of 1% is the visual detection limit!
0.8 0.75
light skin
Colour Audit
0.9
dark skin
The difference in the UV booth is backed up by the spectral data and the 'whiteness' measurements. The lift at 440nm was 4% higher for the Ilford media and this is confirmed by the Fluorescence values of 2.4 for PermaJet and 4.3 for the Ilford media. Despite this the Brightness of the PermaJet media is higher, 96% playing off 93.7%. The Lab coordinates of the media show the Ilford to be cooler by about 1 Lab unit. Overall then the surfaces of the paper are very similar and for all practical purposes may be considered identical.
Spectral Trace
0.85
Reflectance
It was immediately obvious when the test sample were viewed in the UV booth that there are differences in the coating. The Ilford product had a higher OBA activity and was easily identified. This did not translate to an easily detectable difference when viewing prints in daylight.
1 0.95
ΔE00 ERRORS BY COMPONENT
Ilford Smooth Pearl 25.0
20.0
15.0
Hue Saturation Lightness
10.0
black
neutral 5
neutral 3.5
neutral 8
neutral 6.5
white
cyan
magenta
red
yellow
green
blue
orange yellow
yellow green
purple
moderate red
purplish blue
orange
bluish green
blue flower
foliage
blue sky
0.0
dark skin
"…the new PermaJet product outperformed the Ilford on 29 of the 30 parameters we normally table…"
light skin
5.0
77
71