Digital BW, The Print

Well, I'm stumped. I tried everything suggested here so far (including
the ColorSync idea) and I'm still at the same place:

Tyler's coolest curve is the nearest I can get, with only slight
posterization. D-Max is quite a bit less than with the Epson inks for
the 1280, though. Doesn't seem to have the same crispness as with the
Epson inks.

For the record, the Epson inks look fantastic--like paper copies of my
photos. No processing, easy and fast to print. A real velvety black on
Photo Rag (with a real physical velvetyness to it). Visually
wonderful. The only reason I was looking at MIS inks was to gain
longevity not that the Epson lightfast inks are bad...)

The bad news for me is that I'll have to give up tomorrow. I've got a
batch due at a frame shop/gallery on Saturday and another batch due at
a museum shop. They really don't care about the difference between 26
years vs. whatever. Plus I'm opening my own photo gallery next week
and need to produce a bunch of these to get rolling (not to mention
spending my time on things other than playing with my Epson printer).

Sigh.

On the other hand, it may make more sense this way. My inkjets are
meant to be a lower-cost alternative to my silver prints, not a
replacement for them. So it makes perfect sense that the customer
won't expect them to be as long-lived.

I'll keep monitoring what develops here, though. maybe next year.

Thanks to all who offered advice!

--Darin
www.darinboville.com


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., Jerry Olson
<jerryolson@r...> wrote:
> 
> Darin, Error Diffusion is in the same box as the media settings. You
> should have error diffusion or half tone dithering to choose from. This
> isn't one of the real important settings though. Did you say you were on
> a 1280 or 1160? Can't keep track of all the various people. If a 1280, I
> don't think there is an error diffusion choice, any more.
> 
> > First, a few questions to Jerry:
> 
> > I'm using the Adobe 1998 working space (tried others but no effect),
> > Heavyweight Matte media setting (also trying others with no effect on
> > the problem), file in RGB mode (16 bit sseems a tad better
> > perhaps--hard to tell), and "same as source" set.
> 
> So far, so good.
>  
> > However, I have not been able to find anywhere to set error diffusion.
> > My print dialog box doesn't seem to have anything related to
> > halftoning, nor could I find it anywhere else. Where should I look?
> 
> On the page where you set your media settings.
> > 
> > Also, you ask if I'm using all the inks...if this is a setting, then I
> > have no idea where to find it--I didn't realize you could select
> > anything but to use all the inks! Maybe you are on to something here.
> 
> I meant are you printing with "Color" inks, or just the Black ink? You
> should be printing with the color inks, not black only.  There's a radio
> button for black and for color.
> 
> > Second, a few observations:
> > 
> > The posterization occurs, by my observation, BEFORE printing. That is,
> > you can see it on the screen. In my sample image it is a green band
> > suddenly turning orange with a clear, sharp demarcation between the
> > two areas where in the grayscale the area shifts from medium gray to
> > white smoothly. This problem is worse (both with Paul and Tyler's
> > curves) with the warmer curves.
> 
> This is normal to see wild colors when using Paul's curves, but there
> should NOT be 
> any BANDING, just posterization between a couple colors. Orangish for
> cool, reddish for cold, green for warm.
> 
> > I'm using Tyler's neutral curve now and I've got it 95% eliminated,
> > but my prints from the standard Epson inks of the same scan are
> > flawless, with rich blacks.
> 
> I've not heard of Tyler's curves, do you mean Tyler Boley?
> 
> Do you have the new 26 year Epson inks? I used them once before I went
> to the Hextone set, and they are great! Didn't fade after 2 months in a
> south window, either! (1280 Printer).
> 
> Jerry
> 
> Can hardly wait for the new 2200 printer, IF the tanks are reasonably
> large. Or IF you can get a CIS for it, in case they aren't.