Digital BW, The Print

Steve,

>... Eboni K ... swab tests of that, [and] Museum K,...
> the ebony was just a tad lighter. ...

It's possible the sample of Eboni I have is an earlier one and that MIS has
changed the formula a bit.  However, I suspect there might be a different
reason the inks are not totally identical.

I think both MIS and Cone might do some final mixing and processing of these
pigments.  While I suspect the input, raw pigment source is the same, the
processing -- filtering and mixing to get the desired viscosity, etc. --
might well be different.

What I found to be the same was the dmax, the tone of the inks, and the fade
test results.  I, too, detect some differences -- the Eboni is a hair
lighter at the 50% spot in black-only printing of the 21-step test file.

MIS may not be as comfortable with pushing the load up as high as the Museum
black.  Perhaps such a difference would show up at the 50% patch, even
though the 100% patch tested out as identical with the X-Rite.  As one
approaches the dmax point, the amount of pigment needed to get any density
increase goes exponential.  As an example, I tried double printing the Epson
Archival black.  With one layer, the dmax was 1.50.  With a second layer --
twice the ink -- the dmax was 1.52.

>... for 7k
>printer owners faced with changing inks: If you take the dampers of
>the head, apply a syringe w/ bottom fill adapter, and suck out 15ml
>of ink, you be into the new ink. ...

I have not gone this far into my 7500.  How easy is it to take off the
dampers and do this.  I have images of ink all over the place and springs
flying across the room -- followed by a very expensive service call.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com