I've heard/read lots about how archival the new Fuji Crystal ARchive paper is. Supposed to be 75 years in the Wilhelm tests...which would be better than Infochrome, at least if not stored in darkness. Would like to see what it looks like, but every place I know tht does pro quality C prints still uses Kodak. Anybody have any experience with this and/or know of a good printer using it?

-- John Sarsgard (Endive4U@aol.com), February 29, 2000

Answers

I use Fujiflex paper which is part of the Crysrtal Archival family. It is the super gloss version and produce extremely sharp photographs with brillant colors that rival Cibrachrome. I do my own developing, and I know of no commerical lab that uses it. Fujiflex is a very high contrast paper and requires more dodging and burning to make a print. Perhaps that is why most labs do not use it. It has a big price tag too costing 3-4 time more than most other papers. Personally, I find the shear brilliance of clarity and colors well worth it despite these short comings.

-- Stephen Willard (willard@lvld.hp.com), February 29, 2000.

I remain a humble amatuer and am occationally off a bit in my technical descriptions, but have had elargements done by two labs that I belive to use the Crystal Archive paper. Flair Color Labs is very reasonable, has done good work, and also offers a "Super Gloss" that may be the same as the Fujiflex mentioned for a few dollars more that the standard Crystal Archive. Portland Photographics also uses Crystal Archive. They are a bit pricey for me, but have done exceptional work. I would wonder if there are different grades of the Crystal Archive. I've not done a side by side comparison to Kodak paper, but consider the Fuji papers significantly superior for photos from my NPS negs in terms of color saturation and reproduction and will not use labs that use Kodak paper. If you would like emails or phone #'s of either of these labs to verify they would meet your needs, please email me. Roger

-- Roger Rouch (rrouch@msn.com), February 29, 2000.

John-I have been using crystal archive for about one and one-half years; I make my own prints, usually from Kodak PMC 120 negs. (Given the recent demise of my favorite film, and the declining stock in my freezer, also Portra 160nc.) Have just begun 4x5, and have printed those negs as well. I like the Crystal Archive paper a bit better than Kodak Supra II (though not so much as the polyester base paper an earlier respondent referred to). Quite contrasty, moreso than Kodak Supra II in my view, but that balances to a palette I like when combined with the less contrasty films I prefer. One caution if you do your own printing--the paper base seems thinner than the comparable Kodak paper, and consequently seems to "nick" more easily during handling, wet or dry.

-- Sharon Gervasoni (lightmonke@aol.com), March 13, 2000.