Digital BW, The Print

I'm not sure that this approach...using CMYK controls...will ultimately work
for the BW printing with the ultrachrome printers...you need single channel
control...it may be less critical with a VM like set of inks.  The problem
is that when you alter the K you are leaving it up to gimp print to decide
how to make this from the black and light black.  This give you no way to
optimize dmax...which requires careful control of these inks and also
doesn't give you good control over shadows...which is also critically
dependent on balancing light black and black.  The dmax results that I'm
getting on RC papers are poor compared to what I'm getting using either
imageprint or ink jet control.  In these cases colorbyte has carefully
balanced the two inks and inkjet control, by giving you single channel
control, allows you to balance them yourself.  In addition I'm getting a
strange type of wavy vertical banding from the QuadtoneRIP that I do not get
with the same printer using Inkjet control or Imageprint.  It isn't
microbanding...you can't see it with a loupe...but it is easy to see with
your naked eye looking at a step wedge.

Robert

On 3/17/03 10:57 AM, "Carl Schofield" <scho@...> wrote:

> I've been struggling with the same problem.  In fact, the 21 step
> wedges printed with the QuadToneRIP look very similar to wedges printed
> with the Epson driver using the No Color Adjustment setting (with a
> profile), which is known to be non-linear.  I've also tried lowering
> density to get better shadow separation but as you have noted this
> results in a lower black dMax.  However, you can get away with a lower
> density and better shadow separation using the Photo black on RC papers
> without losing as much Dmax.  I don't know of any other ways to resolve
> this problem, but perhaps Roy or others might have some suggestions.
> 
> On Monday, March 17, 2003, at 01:45  PM, thericker88 wrote:
> 
>> Hello,
>> 
>> This is my first post.
>> 
>> I thought I was the only one who liked the look of Black Only prints,
>> then I found this list.  I didn't realize that so many did it and that
>> it was talked about so frequently the abbreviation "BO" was coined for
>> it.  By the way, I don't mind that 2200 matte black is a little warm.
>> 
>> I downloaded Roy Harrington's QuadtoneRIP because I wanted to try the
>> Black and Light black only print on my 2200.  Now that is warm!
>> Actually, in comparison, my black only prints look totally neutral.
>> 
>> Now, here's the question that I have.  I've tried a bunch of different
>> densities along with printing out the 21 step grayscale step wedge..
>> The problem is I can't get deep blacks that still separate. When I get
>> the 100% and 95% to separate, the blacks just don't look that dark.
>> How can I fix this?  The step wedges I've printed with the black only
>> look great despite the slight roughness.  I've set everything
>> according to the recommended.  The highest density I can set while
>> still getting shadow separation is about 1.1.
>> 
>> The more tests I make, the more I feel like I'm running around in
>> circles.  Help please!
>> 
>> Thank you!
> 
> 
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