Digital BW, The Print

Austin wrote:
> I don't understand how compressing blacks will make them "better"???  The
> darkest black will still be the darkest black, even if there is more of
> it...

Me neither, I prefer to have a nice linear distribution of tone.

Austin, here is my final observation in all this and I think that the bottom
line is that if people are happy with the Piezography output then by all
means use it.

If one was to compare the printed 21 step tablet that IJM supplies with
their system to a calibrated Stouffer 21 Step Sensitivity Guide I thick my
point will become immediately evident. The 21 Step Stouffer is a quality
control scale that helps the user to determine and standardize the proper
exposure and processing of photo materials. Obviously it is also used in
printing as a check to determine that the full tonal range is profiling
correctly.

The densities of each of the 21 Step Senitivity Guide each represent
approximately 1/2 - 2/3 stop.  The guide is extremely linear and obiously it
would be difficult to fully linearize a inkset and may not be entirely
necessary. If you were to measure and graph the Piezo or MIS FS  inks with
their software you would find that the highlights are expanded and the
shadows are compressed a bit. The effect of this in densimetric terms is an
increase in contrast. This is not necessarily a bad thing as it is well
established that an increase in contrast gives the appearance of of denser
blacks.

In an ideal world, my point is that I want software that produces a linear
distribution of tones. Obviously I do not want a linear distribution within
my print as it would be completely flat and lifeless. Howvere, I want the
tonal range of the 21 step table to be linear so that when I manipulate my
image on the screen and determine the density range along with lightness and
contrast, the printer prints my image exactly as I intended.

What the Piezo driver is doing is increasing contrast to the benefit of the
image and in 99% of the cases this is acceptable and appreciated by the end
user. But, for a zone system large format photgrapher such as I am, I prefer
to have my materials as linear as possible and let my previsualization of
the scene be translated to the final output without any help.

I do agree that most people appreciate the extra help.

Mike