Digital BW, The Print

I didn't write down all the settings, as I was doing it, but I was 
following the instructions on the MIS site to the letter, using the Roark 
NC curve.  I went through the instructions a couple of times to be sure I 
hadn't missed anything.  (Yes, I'm sure I converted the file to RGB ;-)  )

So I decided to start again from scratch and make my own curve.  (I'm an 
engineer, I just couldn't help it).  The dots are gone, the sharpness is 
back.  (It's not quite neutral, but I'm very close).  Prints are very 
good.  But, there is still something about the Lyson print that is 
better.  Close examination with a loupe shows more "depth" -- hard to 
describe, but definitely visible.  I have a theory about this, which I'm 
investigating.

Given that Evelyn also had poor results with the Roark curves, I wonder if 
some printers (of the same model) have different enough characteristics 
that the "standard" (ie. roark) curves don't work, but other curves 
do.  Once I get my curve completely neutral, I wonder if someone else with 
a 1280 that the Roark curve *does* work with, could try my curve.  That 
would be an interesting experiment and help eliminate simple operator-error 
on my part (and that the time I've spent figuring out how to create curves 
wasn't wasted, but was used to profile my particular printer :-) ).  If the 
world makes sense, then my curve should not work as well as the Roark curve 
on their printer.  Any volunteers?

Keith Douglas