Digital BW, The Print

Martin Glader wrote:

>What advantage do you expect from the 2100/2200
>compared with the 1290/1280 when printing quadtone/hextone?

Jo Brunenberg wrote:

>...
>Do not know if 2100/2200  has any better technical
>or quality performance compared to 1290/1280.

I considered this issue and opted to go with a 7500 as opposed to more
expensive (and chipped) 7600.

If there is a RIP that can control all 7 tones/jets separately, then that
would be great -- if affordable.  More independently-controllable jets could
definitely be useful.

With the Epson driver, however, I'm not sure the 7th ink -- the light
black -- is going to have much positive impact.

Epson-driver/RGB "quad," and analogous hextone, workflows that usually use
partitioning curves loaded in Photoshop that are rather steep.  This is how
ink jets are controlled.  The RGB image files that the printer "sees" after
the application of the curves would probably be seen by the 2100/2200/7600
(UltraChrome/"UC") driver as composed of very saturated colors.  As such, it
would likely withhold the light black as long as possible.  So, in most RGB
workflows, I think the light black would play a minor role that would
probably not increase the quality of the print.  It would probably be used
mostly in the dark shadows where the black is already used (and with good
quality).

I have not used a UC machine yet, and I'd bet that is the wave of the
future.  However, in addition to a price differential there were some other
factors that caused me to go with the 7500 over the 7600.

One factor that would not apply in most situations is the avoidance of
chipped carts.

A second factor, however, was my concern over how the UC driver might react
to partitioning curves.  Built-in cross-overs can be a source of trouble for
partitioning curves.  Sometimes the built-in crossovers fight what the
curves are trying to do.  It can cause unevenness in a grayscale ramp that
is hard to get rid of.  So, the fewer crossovers the better, in my view.

(This is not a recommendation of the 7500.  I have not yet had success with
it either, but for unrelated reasons.)

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com

_________________________________________

DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com,Internet writes:
>What advantage do you expect from the 2100/2200 compared with the 1290/1280
>when printing quadtone/hextone?
>Martin Glader
>
>> Considering to buy 1280 for Piezography BW.
>>
>> Or.... should I better wait untill Quadtone will be available for Epson
>2100/2200?
>> Is there any development in that direction you know of?
>>
>> Best regards,
>>
>> Jo Brunenberg
>> http://www.jobrunenberg.com