Digital BW, The Print

pgmartinfr [pgmartin_fr@...] wrote:

>Is somebody using an Epson 1290 with FS (Fullspectrum) ink from MIS
>Associates ?
>I'm currently working on a workflow for this printer/ink but I have
>some problem for gray around 75-80% ...
>Any suggestion ?

The FS inks are like Piezo inks and, in hextone machines, will work only
with Cone Editions PiezographyBW software -- UNLESS the ink positions are
altered.
Unlike the quad (4-ink) FS/Piezo systems, there is no way to control the
Epson driver from Photoshop to distribute the inks correctly with the inks
in the positions that Piezo uses (and that any current pre-loaded carts
use).

The "problem" with the hextone Piezo system is that the light ink positions
are not light ink.  They are the same density as the full-strength inks.
Thus, as the input value calls for darker inks, the Epson driver substitutes
the full strength ink for the "light" ink.  However, with ink densities that
are, in fact, the same, you end up with a flat stop.  There is probably no
way around this problem with the Epson driver and the standard Piezo/FS ink
positions.

If you want to use FS inks with a hextone machine, you have three choices.
First, buy a Piezo driver.  Second, buy a ColorByte ImagePrint 4 RIP (check
with that company first).  Third, change the ink positions and (maybe) write
some simple curves.  (Since I do not have a hextone machine, I have not been
able to test this and have not been able to write the curves -- which may
not even be necessary.)

Here is the alternative FS-Hextone-Epson-driver ink positions I recommend.
It is based on the following observations.  First, the light inks tend to be
about 60% of the density of the full strength inks.  Happily, the FS/Piezo
magenta is almost exactly 60% the density of the cyan ink.  Second, the
current Piezo/FS ink mix is actually too light, being designed for the old
quad machines.  As such, radical curves are needed to control it.  These
curves leave artifacts and destroy grayscale.  Thus, a darker ink mix should
be better.

So, the alternative FS ink mix for the Epson driver is as follows:

Black -- Use the MIS FS (or VM) black;

Cyan position -- Use FS cyan-position ink;

Light cyan position -- Use FS magenta-position ink;

Magenta position -- Use FS cyan-position ink;

Light magenta -- Use FS magenta-position ink;

Yellow -- Use FS yellow-position ink.  (The FS magenta-position ink may work
here also.  I'd test both of them.)

This proposed FS-Epson-Driver inkset can probably be controlled either by
mild partitioning inks or just a simple grayscale workflow.  It might print
rather well with no workflow at all.

I think there is a very good chance that the FS inks in the above positions
in a 1280 or 1290 will produce the best B&W print possible, beating all
current workflows -- Piezo software included.  I hope someone will give it a
try and let us know how it works.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com