Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., Todd Flashner 
<tflash@e...> wrote:
> on 2/13/02 8:40 AM, Carl Schofield wrote:
> 
> > Thanks for the tip Todd.  I didn't know that this was possible.  
I'm using
> > MIS VM inks with Paul Roark's curves and have been 
converting back to RGB
> > after the 8 bit conversion.  I'm wondering if I could just skip 
the
> > greyscale conversion at the end of the workflow I described 
previously, stay
> > in 16 bit RGB mode after using the channel mixer 
monochrome conversion,
> > apply Paul's curves, and then just send the 16 bit file to the 
printer.
> 
> Yup!
> 
> First off, you don't need to convert to grayscale (after your chmx) 
and then
> back to RGB. The chmx operation just made all three channels 
the same
> anyway, you'd only need to convert to grayscale for a different 
workflow,
> like Piezo. Just stay in RGB.
> 
> Then as to applying Paul's curves to your 16-bit data, there is a 
pro and
> con to this.
> 
> Pro: Paul's curves are pretty radical so applying them to 16-bit 
data should
> be much less destructive to the image than doing the same to 
8-bit data.
> (though we see from experience it typically works fine with 8-bit 
data,
> which says a lot about how large of edits CAN be applied to 
8-bit data. Some
> people are very conservative about that, but day to day use 
shows it ain't a
> big deal.) Anyway, yes, it allows you to stay in a 16-bit workflow 
for all
> it's worth. And perhaps in the future even the Epson drivers will 
utilize
> 16-bit data and you'll be well positioned to take advantage of 
that.
> 
> Con: That curve set is now "one" with your image, so there'll be 
no changing
> your mind about print tone later. In 8-bit mode you can just put 
the curves
> on an adjustment layer and change your mind over and over - 
not so in
> 16-bit. The solution is just to duplicate the file so that you keep 
one
> virgin and curve your duplicates.
> 
> I say try it all ways. Dupe your 16-bit file twice, then store the 
original
> away safely. To one dupe add your curves directly in 16-bit 
mode and send
> that to the printer directly. To the other, convert it down to 8-bit, 
apply
> Paul's curves as an adjustment layer, than print. Compare.
> 
> Whether applying Paul's curves in 16-bit mode vs 8-bit will be 
advantageous
> may depend upon how sound your 8-bit file is to begin with. In 
your workflow
> it should be fine, but for someone who works their file a lot in 
8-bit mode
> first, so that the integrity of the image is hanging by a thread, 
Paul's
> curves *could* push it over the edge. BTW, I would think the 
same is true
> with Piezo profiles (or any other profiles), though I'm not truly 
certain of
> how they work.
> 
> Todd
I've found that I can stay in 16 bit RGB workflow, all the way from 
untagged linear tiff to wide gamut to Adobe and finally to srgb 
just before applying Paul's curves and sending the 16 bit file to 
the printer.  Prints are beautiful.  Now using Pekka Saarinen's 
new linear workflow action for processing the linear tiff files.  
Includes a "chooser" function for greyscale conversion offering 3 
channel mixer options and the conversions are placed as 
previews on the history pallette.  The beauty of this approach is 
that you can easily step back to a different greyscale conversion 
or the original rgb after printing - no need for 8 bit conversion and 
adjustment layers.  Pekka's workflow actions are here:
http://photography-on-the.net/D30/linear/