Digital BW, The Print

Hello All,

Cadlink (http://www.cadlink.com/) recently released its PhotoScript+, 
version 6 RIP (Windows only for now, Mac later) which has a special 
hexblack feature for black and white printing using six blacks in a 
six color printer such as my Epson 9000.  I've been using the beta 
release for several months now for only B/W with the Lyson Quadtone 
(really hextone for the six ink E9000) inkset and have been very 
pleased with the ink control it offers. This special hexblack feature 
allows complete control over each of the six inks, to the point of 
ink pouring down the paper if you're not careful!

I haven't had much experience with other RIPs, but PhotoScript+, 
Ver.6 gives me deeper blacks than the standard Epson driver, the 
Fiery RIP, and the ImagePrint demo I did try.  The dot pattern is 
also smooth and inconspicuous.

Using the PhotoMatch program that accompanies PhotoScript+, I can 
generate a custom set of separation curves that use the individual 
inks efficiently for different tonal ranges and paper absorptions.  
This curve set can then be further tweaked with an overall correction 
curve in PhotoMatch.

I use the Lyson Professional Photo Gloss 265gsm paper almost 
exclusively and have been printing better-looking B/W images than I 
used to in my darkroom.

I'm posting this info for anyone else doing monochrome inkjet 
printing and who might be interested in possibly obtaining deeper 
blacks in their images, 'cause PhotoScript+ certainly did the trick 
for me! (Note: I don't work for Cadlink and am not being paid to 
advertise for them - I just want to share my experience of finally 
finding a solution to achieve the monochrome tonal range I wanted)

John Lytton
www.lyttonimaging.com

(Posted in both the Yahoo Epson9000 and the Yahoo Digital B/W 
Printing Groups)