Digital BW, The Print

On 3/19/03 5:53 PM, "jim hayes" <jimhayes@...> wrote:

> I did have the foresight to compare a print that has a sharp
> transistion in it- it jumps from maybe 75%k to maybe 30%k along an
> maybe 1/16 inch wide line. In the past I've had abrupt changes using
> VM depending on paper used; with IP5 it blends better. So if I was to
> base it on that alone, my guess is that IP5 is not more contrasty.

Have you looked at step wedges/gray ramps for these two workflows?

I don't know about the RGB workflow for VM, haven't used it, but I can say
with absolute certainty after a lot of testing and densitometer readings
that IP with the 2200 is no where close to an Ames curve.  Shadow detail
from 90 to 100% is completely non-existent.  Transitions in midtones are
very smooth with the 2200 and IP. Because of the shadows IP radically
increases contrast (just like the epson driver).  Apparently Colorbyte and
Epson don't know that fine art photographers want shadow detail...correction
Colorbyte knows...I've told them a dozen times, but they refuse to correct
the problem. I've sent them hard data several time illustrating the problem
and they refuse to work on it because "commercial photographers want punchy
images".  The idiotic part of this argument is that if a commericial
photographer wants more contrast he/she just needs to add it in photoshop!

Using another driver (Ink Jet Control) to run the 2200 you can get beautiful
step wedges with just two inks (light black and black) that perfectly follow
an Ames curve.  They look very similar to Cone's Sepia Pieztones...however
slightly warmer.

The main problem with the 2200 that will effect some people, depending on
the paper they use are dots in the hilights.  While this isn't a problem
with a paper like German Etching, it is with Photo Rag or smoother...and
particularly glossy papers.  IP helps to minimize this by adding photo cyan
and photo magenta...but the cost is a significantly reduced tonal range.

In the end the best solution seems to be the new Ultra-quad inkset...taking
advantage of the advantages of the Ultrachromes...but putting them in a
variable toned quad...of course if they don't turn out to clog our printers.
The best results with this inkset will be with a 1280/1290 or with a
2200/7600/9600 because of dot size...ideally driven with a RIP like Ink Jet
Control where you can build your own profiles.

Robert