Digital BW, The Print

Norbert,

Welcome to the group! 

I see Paul and Todd have tackled most of your questions let me see 
what I can add.

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., robkay100@y... wrote:
> Hi 
> First let me thank you all for your knowledge, and willingness to 
> share it with so many. The time spend by Paul and others has saved 
my 
> time and made my choices much more informed. Again, thank you.
>      I am a 26 year old amateur landscape photographer who made the 
> leap into the digital world about 2 years ago with a very limited 
> budget, an Epson 750 and a Canon FS 2710 film scanner.
>      For the past 6 years I've been using a Canon Ellan II 35mm and 
> Velvia or Provia Film with good results, including gallery 
> exhibitions. Due to the ease of color/BW transformation in 
Photoshop, 
> I have discovered over the past 2 years, I prefer many of my images 
> in BW. I received as a gift the Epson 880 printer and using all the 
> information on the net, I have transformed it into a quad 
> print,getting better and better results. I believe I got as far so 
I 
> can on my own without asking for help.
> 
> So it is now, I turn to you for farther guidance.
> 
>      I am using MIS v inks on my Epson 880 with EAM and with Paul's 
> 1160 curves getting good results. But I think I can do better.
>      
>      a) If Paul's curves are printer/paper specific, how do I 
adjust 
> them ? I scanned a 21 step gradient on my flatbed and set the white 
> and black point in Photoshop. My values are off especially in 
> highlights and shadows. Is this something I should now adjust with 
> transfer curves ? Or do I touch Paul's curves ? Is scanning and 
> setting white/black point the way to check the gradient in the 
first 
> place ?  Is the relatively low dynamic range of my flatbed a 
> consideration in this testing process ? Will Paul's curves work 
with 
> all papers or should they be adjusted. Does anyone have such 
transfer 
> curves done already ?

Paul has done a monumental effort in building up the curves for the 
ink set. It looks like each ink, paper, and printer will ideally need 
its own curve and Paul is going to need a lot of help on this. He is 
even seeing some differences between the PC and Mac drivers for the 
same printers.

At the moment he is standardizing on Epson Archival Matte to build 
the curves. I have found that I can use these curves to print on 
Legion Photo Matte and Eclipse Satine but there are some small shifts 
in tonality. Paul suggests creating a transfer function to feed to 
the driver. Another possibility might be to work from Paul's curves 
and creating a second curve to modify Paul's, once you feel you have 
it nailed down add the two curves together to create a new curve.

> 
>      b) I am getting a small amount of dots in highlights but I 
think 
> they are related to the curve adjustments I need to do as discussed 
> above.  

Are these dots you see at normal, 12-14", or something you see with 
magnification? 
> 
>      c) If I use the 2880 dpi, Photo Paper setting with the fine 
art 
> paper should I see better prints or just more ink on the page ?

This falls into the try and see mode. I know in color the feeling was 
that there is no quality gain in going to 2880 but a loss in speed. 
At that setting I would expect the Epson driver to lay down less ink.

> 
>      d) I don't think I see much difference while scanning velvia 
in 
> color or grayscale. Is there a preferred method or is it all the 
same 
> as long as it enters grayscale at some point and the prints in RGB 
> using Paul's curves ? 

A lot of people, myself included, scan in RGB to make sure we extract 
all the information from the image possible. Even B&W. Some feel that 
one channel may be sharper than the other. I develop in pyro staining 
developers and have different density information on each channel so 
I believe there is a value to me to stay in RGB as long as possible. 
You could stay in RGB and simply Desaturate. I believe the only 
requirement is that each channel have identical histograms before you 
print with Paul's curves.

> 
>      e) Since I will be shooting more black and white, should I use 
> B/W negatives film, or color print film or should I stick to my 
> reversal Provia ? If you think one film type or particular brand 
> scanes better, please let me know. 

Not all agree but I opt for B&W film. Color films, including C-41 
process "B&W" films, have three emulsion layers and are not as sharp. 
Generally B&W neg film has the largest dynamic range, followed by 
color negative film and lastly color transparency film. I believe the 
transparency film has a sharpness advantage over color negative film.
> 
>      f) For split toning, I use two layrs adjusted with two 
different 
> curves. I then cut out a feathered section of the top one. Is this 
> the best way to do it ?
> 
>  So there you have it.Many questions. Please share your knowledge 
> once again. Any and all comments are greatly, greatly appreciated. 
If 
> I asked something already answered please forgive me as I made much 
> effort looking up the archive and must have missed it or am trying 
to 
> clearify particulars.  

Ask away. That's why the group exists.

Martin Wesley