Digital BW, The Print

I make Piezography prints (original Piezo inkset) without posterization.  

Most of my prints/subjects are "portraits" and have large areas of solid greys (from a grey backdrop...not that it matters really that it is grey..wink)...and my critical observation of the skin tones is done on every print. As many of the portraits are closeups of women....skin tone appearance is important.

I use Piezography Inks and Piezography Software (v 6).  Very consistent and easy to use. 

Back last year...I was doing more testing of papers...and saw some posterization due to paper choice.  In other words, while printing the very same image from the same file and on 20 papers or so....I could see how the different papers had different qualities.  

Surprisingly, a few of the papers which have good "specs" (cotton, coated, mfc) had some posterization.  This was very disappointing as I bought boxes of this stuff...and did not get good prints from it.  But...that happens.  Materials make a difference. (grin)

I simply did not use those papers from that point forward. 
 
I currently use Hahnemuhle Photorag as my first choice for a portrait.  

If you already have the Piezo software, just try another set of papers...using Piezo inks (I suggest).  

If you are looking to change something..the paper choice is the fastest, easiest, and least expensive.  

Also try the new PiezoTone inks with the Piezo sw.  

Good luck, 

Steadman
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jeff Magidson 
  To: digital bw group 
  Sent: Saturday, June 15, 2002 12:11 PM
  Subject: [Digital BW] Soft focus / Posterization



  Hi Everyone;

  I have been making digital BW prints for over a year now and have hit
  somewhat of a brick wall.

  1/2 of my photographs are of landscapes and building. These images with
  sharp lines and distinct textures print quite beautiful and problem free
  using my Epson 1280 , MIS VM inks and Paul's curves.

  The other 1/2 of my images are of portraits and nudes. These are much
  more problematic in their printing. It seems that images that are soft
  in focus in some areas or have very delicate wondering tonal transitions
  are quite prone to posterization.  It is almost like when the piezo
  heads have detail to print the do really well but when there is not much
  detail to hold on to things go haywire.

  I am following all the well established procedures of good imaging. I am
  scanning well exposed medium format tmax-100 in 16 bit and an agfa
  T2500. My scans are so good that they require very little curve changes
  before printing. My histograms look good.

  I am wondering at this point if it is one of two things that is causing
  posterization on some of my images. (1) could it be that the set of
  Paul's curves that I am using are just not fine tuned enough to work for
  some images with my setup. Would switching to a professional RIP such as
  ImagePrint or the Piezography Plugin and other inks allow me so print
  these softer images without posterization? Have users of these RIPs
  noticed a reduction in posterization problems?

  (2) Could it be that the Piezo technology is just not capable of
  printing these kinds of softer focus grayscale images with out some
  posterization? Has anyone out there been able to print such images successfully??

  Any input would be greatly appreciated!

  -Jeff Magidson

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