Digital BW, The Print

I have my latest version of the VM inkset running on the 7500.  UC VM 4.3
(my terminology) is 100% MIS UC clone inks.  By sticking with a
carefully-engineered inkset, the banding of my last experimental effort is
gone; there are no signs of any incompatibilities.

I've been using the 7000 driver with the 7500.  The curves needed to control
the inks appear to be smoother, resulting in very few artifacts and smoother
ramps that I was getting with the native driver.  The printer monitor (ink
levels, etc.) doesn't work, but the driver prints fine anyway.

The output is not as smooth as a modern desktop hextone printer. On very
close inspection I can see some dots or slightly rough dither.  In small
prints, this might be objectionable.  For display prints it's probably
irrelevant.

I'm not sure why the 7500 with the 7000 driver is producing slightly more
prominent dots than the 7000 and 9000 do with the MIS VM inkset.  Factors
could include the 100% pigment (no dye) composition of the UC VM 4.3 inkset.
I suspect the small amount of dye that appears to be in the older inkset
could have softened the edges of those dots.  Also, the VM 4.3 base gray ink
(mostly MIS 7600 Light Black) is warmer.  As such, the color contrast
between the toner and the base gray ink is greater.  Finally, it could be
that the 7500 uses an increased head voltage that pumps out more ink per
dot, making each dot darker.

If the last factor is the source, for display prints I'd opt for the 7500
due to its better blacks, even if it is a bit rougher than the 7000.  I'm
getting 1.68 on new EEM with MIS 7600 matte black (like Museum black) versus
1.59 for the 9000 MIS VM-k on old EAM.  (This would be even lower with new
EEM.)  The 7000 and 9000s I wrote curves for always had weaker blacks than
the desktop units.  This 7500, however, is right up there with the 3000 in
terms of good blacks.

I might add that UC VM 4.3 is balanced to give a print that matches the
lightly-selenium-toned silver print with the "nc" curve.  It's virtually
identical to the PiezoTone Selenium.  On the warm side, it's twice as warm
as the old MIS VM.  The tone matches the albumen prints (good reproductions
I was able to buy from the Getty) of Gustave Le Gray, although the
saturation of the UC VM 4.3 warm is half that of the old albumen prints.  It
cannot reach to full sepia warmth.

So, for display prints, I think this combination -- 7500 & UC VM 4.3 --
makes a good match.  For small prints, keep your modern desktop hextone
printer.

I assume MIS will mix the UC VM 4.3, but that is their decision.  I'm not
sure what name they will assign to it.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com