Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Mitch Alland 
<malland@x> wrote:
> For: Jim Hayes
> 
> > I have been having luck either assigning (not converting) gamma 
2.2 to
> > file,
> 
> Thanks. I tried assigning Gamma 2.2 and it works! Very close to the 
> original PiezoBW print.
>

Weird huh? I've learned not to question why anything works in the last 
2 1/2 years...
I find that I have had to rarely make a minor adjustment, usually the 
middle slider in levels on a minority of my prints.

> 
> >  OR dropping the profile in IP5- while making sure it's default
> > greyspace is set to gamma 2.2
> 
> Do you mean saving the file w/o a profile and then placing in IP 
while 
> the default grayspace is set to Gamma 2.2?
>

No, I mean keep the saved file intact with the original embedded 
custom dotgain tagged to it. Then yes, set the default greyscale space 
in system tab to "gamma 2.2" in IP5 and either "prompt" or ignore for 
what it does if the image has a profile coming into IP5 from Pshop. 
Make sure that the custom dotgain is ignored (or "not used" if 
prompted). IP5 will then use "gamma 2.2"....the profile in the system 
tab. I least that's how it's supposed to work.

I suggest this second method in case you want to keep the old custom 
dotgain associated with the file for record keeping. Once you assign 
gamma 2.2 to everything, of course how will you know it's history, 
unless you maybe add a note to the image (I like those yellow things) 
with a history of it's prior embeded curve.
  
> 
> Now, what do you do for new files that you've just prepared in PS? 
How 
> do you make sure the PS view matches the print from IP5?
>

Here's what I do, see if it works for you-

After I figured out the above, I standardized on using gamma 2.2 for 
my embeded and working space. I found it matched my particular 
monitor/windows2000 very closly with the 2200/IP5/gamma 2.2 output 
print. I got lucky.

BUT, if I found that I needed to have a custom dotgain curve to get 
the print to match monitor I would go ahead and  print an image/ step 
wedge with the gamma 2.2 in IP5. After drying sample I would compare 
it to monitor and start generating a custom dotgain curve to match the 
sample done in Imageprint/gamma 2.2. Then I would save the profile and 
use it as default greyspace in pshop, and embed it into all my images. 
BUT, importantly, I would ALWAYS ignore profile when opened in IP5 and 
make sure that the system tab was always set to gamma 2.2. In this 
way, you always get output in IP5's gamma 2.2 space for your original 
sample and subsequent prints into the future. SInce this output 
corresponds to your monitor now with the custom dotgain you worked up, 
it will match.

In this event your third option might be to save the file not by 
assigning gamma 2.2 to it, nor keeping your original dotgain embedded 
curve, but choose instead to assign (not convert) your new to-be 
used-in future custom dotgain curve to your old files as they come up 
for printing one by one. You would be moderenizing them to view 
properly on your current monitor, matched to IP5/gamma 2.2 output. Of 
course you must ignore profile once in IP5 in favor of gamma 2.2. 

Of course, keep your basic monitor calibrated (Photocal, Adobe gamma) 
and keep updating the file in imageprint by copying the file over if 
you use a CRT since they do drift over time.

This procedure is outlined by someone and written up as "softproofing 
in greyscale" or some such, except that there gamma 1.8 is the space 
of choice.
Jim H.

> --Mitch/Bangkok