Digital BW, The Print

Richard Vanek <yahoo@...> wrote:

> ...
> to explain what did I use back from 2001.
> I started with epson 890 & 1280 and few years ago I went 
> on with 2100. ... MIS inks designed by Paul Roark. 
> UT2 and UT7, two years ago I went using K4+ which I used 
> as K5+ as is described in pdf file from Paul.

See http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/4K+.pdf 

(This is MIS carbon with LM and LC (I diluted it 1:1) channels.  I used Epson LM to avoid the green shift caused by weak third party magentas.  I used the MIS LC because that is all I had a base for at that time.  Now I might use the generic C6 base with HP ink.)

 
> I have acquired last week old Epson 7500 ...
> 
> I always liked printing on mat paper and with Ut2 & UT7 
> I had very good success ... also on glossy and semi glossy papers.

> I was reading quite a lot about Ebony-5/6 or Carbon-6 ink sets. 
> What I understood they are good option for 7500 for matte papers.
>  The problem is that quite a lot of people prefers glossy paper,
> for example Epson Exhibition F Gloss paper (or as known in 
> Europe under name  Epson Traditional Photo Paper).

I used the K4+ when I needed to do glossy printing, which I did with the 7500 prior to loading the Eboni-6.  

Today I'm not sure if I'd do that or go with HP PK, the C6 base -- perhaps with an MIS LK to warm the shadows, which can sometimes get too cold with HP PK.  Note that with the 1400 with HP PK and MIS LK, I've seen some papers that don't print well.  The different ink types become apparent where they mix on the paper.  Other papers are fine with both.  Where I've used the MIS LK to just warm a predominately HP PK + dilutions inkset I have not seen this same effect.  They seem to be OK together.  The dilute HP PK inks bronze significantly more than the MIS inks.  Some have used MIS glop to dilute the HP PK.  I don't have any long term experience with this.

 
> I was thinking, while I am using K4+ on my 2100 printer, 
> maybe I should use same ink on 7500. If this though process 
> is correct would be great way.

> ... problem ... I was not able to make correct print with 
> Ebony black in K4+ set on glossy paper. 

See http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/4K+.pdf at page 2.  The C position in my 7500 with 4K + cm setup is MIS PK.  I used that as the K for glossy paper.  It then became a K3 (PK, LK & LLK) + Lc & Lm. 

Of course, the old 7500 is not able to print as smoothly as a modern printer with a K3 setup.  However, it made very good large prints.  

So, all you have to do to print glossy is to have a correct profile that cuts out the Eboni MK.  This setup allows you excellent MIS carbon plus whatever LC and LM inks you want.  There are no blended inks in this mix.  The ink in my mix that settled the fastest was the Epson LM, and it was not bad at all.  So, it's a stable and lightfast inkset.  

I did not have any significant clogging issues with it either.  However, glossy MIS carbon is not as clog free as the matte paper only carbon inks.   

If you need glossy compatible neutral printing, this approach is fine.  Like I said above, I might, today, consider the HP PK based inks.


> I am using QTR wit x-rite densitometer.
> 
> ... for 7500 and similar printers, how many
> prints (or better say how many cm^2 or inch^2) you can do 
> with one full set of standard 110ml cartridges?

(I never measured that.)


> Is there any exact (correct) procedure, how to design 
> color curves for two toner is K4+ ink set, I always 
> just used what is suggested bu Paul, but I
> guess it must be different for different papers.

I used the Bowhaus rip at the time and posted those profiles.  I'd use QTR today.  

The standard QTR profiling like with the UC inkset would do.  Aside from the LC being diluted 1:1, the setup used fairly standard inks.  The 1:1 LC can be compensated for tonally by cutting the ink limit of standard K3 profiles in half.  This gets you the basic idea, but you'll obviously have to change positions of inks and do other things to get the tones right.  I don't know of any pre-made QTR profiles for the setup.  However, the approach to profiling the 7500 with carbons and light C and M inks is pretty much the same for all such setups.  You'll be able to find lots of similar QTR profiles. 

I put a couple of basic QTR carbon profiles here:
http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/7500-4k.zip

You can put that folder in the Program Files\QTR\Profiles folder and bring them up in the Curve Creator.  They'll save to the Quad7500-K6 Quadtone folder.  That is where you'll find them after saving the files by hitting the "show curve" button.  You can start with these profiles, but you'll shut off the MK for glossy paper.  The C becomes the K -- density 100.  Do an entire workup from Calibration Mode print on to make new profiles.  I don't know how close these old files are.

I sprayed my large prints for display when I used this setup.  MIS pigments have less bronzing than the coated ones, but the artifacts are still there.

I'm not sure what I'd do today if glossy was my main target.  Obviously I've concluded that for most of my work glossy is not the way I want to go, but then I once again have MIS carbon in my printer for a special project.

Note that if you're not a comfortable profiling, a monotone inkset is much easier to deal with. 

Good luck.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com