Digital BW, The Print

Thanks Mike.  That's what John P. at colorbyte has been telling me...they
are getting dmax of 0.1 to 0.15 better than from the piezo driver.  I know
that I can frequently beat the piezo driver with the epson driver...but this
is completely paper dependent. For instance Eclipse is about 0.2 better with
the epson driver than anything I can get out of the piezo driver, while EAM
is nearly identical.

Keep us posted.  I hope to have an 1270 set up with MIS inks and the
Imageprint 4 driver in the next several weeks...so I will do similar
comparisons. However, its my understanding that the piezo driver still
doesn't support the 1270?  So my comparisons maybe between a 1160 running
the piezo driver and imageprint on the 1270.

Robert

routinely On 5/10/02 8:15 PM, "mkravit" <mjkaia@...> wrote:

> For Robert and Antonis (and anyone else interested)....
> 
> I unpacked my X-Rite 810 densitometer and recalibrated it this
> evening. I am measuring the density range of digital negatives to
> try and develop a baseline for comparison with traditional
> platinum negatives.
> 
> While I had it up and running I figured I might take some reading
> from a few digital prints made on my 7000 with the IP4 RIP.
> 
> I was quite surpised to find that the greatest density I recorded
> was on H. William Turner. The dmax was along the edge where I
> printed the full frame of a 6x6 negative. The deepest shadow
> areas recorded a density reading on 1.79! and the rebate edge
> black border recorded a reading of 1.97!
> 
> Figuring I screwed up the calibration, I next read the calibration
> tablet again and it was within 0.02 du. So I read a Stoffer
> calibrated step tablet (transmission as I dont have a reflective)
> and the #5 patch wqas within .03 du.
> 
> Using the Epson driver, I get a dmax in the rebate border of 1.79.
> 
> This seems to confirm what I have suspected, and that is the
> RIP is laying down denser blacks. When I switch from MIS
> Double Density black to Epson black dye, the dmax jumps well
> over 2.0 to almost 2.2!
> 
> It is entirely possible to get very good blacks with the Epson
> 7000 and pigmented inks using a RIP.
> 
> Considering that it is late and I am tired, I will re-test again
> tomorrow when hopefully I will get the same readings.
> 
> Mike