Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Paul Roark" 
<paul.roark@v...> wrote:

(snip)
> 
> >...new Epson 1280 ...Perfect nozzle  checks ...
> 
> Could you tell us what the order of colors is with the 1280 nozzle 
check.
> Once there are quad inks in there, it's not obvious to users which 
nozzle is
> which.

Paul,

The 1280 black nozzle check is similar to previous versions printing 
out the three rows of 15 vertical lines. It then prints two more 
pages each with 9 boxes using all of the color inks. You are supposed 
to pick the box on each page that is the least grainy. This was 
fairly obvious with the color cartridges in but not obvious at all 
with the quad inks in.

> 
> >... the MIS VM inks so I assumed that the
> >inks were to go into the standard positions and
> >matched them to the labels on the CIS tubing.
> 
> Each bottle should be marked with the ink color position.

Then I got them in right which if I hadn't, I guess I would have seem 
very strange results.
> 
> >... The curves were all dated 7/17/01.
> 
> I have updated curves files.

Thank you for the new curves. I printed out 21-step wedges of all 
five. The neutral, nc4, and the cool, c16, look to be the smoothest. 
The cold, cc5, may have a flat spot between 50% and 60%. The medium-
warm and warm have some flat areas in the %65 to 75% range. This 
showed up in a print in the sky. Improved over the previous curve so 
you are moving it in the right direction. The neutral print looks 
very good.
> 
(snip)

> 
> I also often print at any resolution and let the driver resample.  
However,
> I've been told by people I respect that it is better to so the 
resampling in
> Photoshop.  And when it's an image I really care about and the 
original scan
> is not at a final print resolution of 360 I resample with Genuine 
Fractals.

I will give the 360 a try. Are you using Genuine Fractals for rezzing 
down and well as rezzing up?
> 
> >Where in the workflow do you resample to that resolution?
> 
> >Do you sharpen in grayscale or after the conversion to RGB or after
> >the application of the curve?
> 
> I never convert to RGB and apply the curve until the image is all 
done
> (except for split toning).  I want to save a final g/s image in g/s 
mode
> just before I print.  I consider the conversion and curve 
application to be
> nothing more than a printing function.

Thanks for the clarification.
> 
(snip)
> 
> I just received my first box of Legion Photo Matte.  I'll do a fade 
test
> soon.  (Museo is currently in the fade tester.)

Let us know what you think of the paper.

(snip)
> 
> If the curve you used is final and works with the papers we know are
> compatible, use the 21-step test file and either a scanner or eyes 
to match
> the densities to a known output that looks good.  The Transfer 
Function in
> the print driver can be used to profile a paper.  That way you 
don't have to
> mess with the actual curves, which are much trickier to modify.
> 
> If a paper becomes very popular, I may re-write some of the curves 
to avoid
> this.  I will also be writing some notes on the little tricks I've 
found
> help for modifying curves.
> 
> I sure hope others will help do this profiling and share their
> results/files.

As I get a better understanding of the process, I will pass on 
anything I work out.

All your work is greatly appreciated!

Martin Wesley