Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Roy Harrington" <
roy@h...> wrote:
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Reinier 
> van der Ryst" <rvdryst@t...> wrote:
> > Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2003 10:12
> > Subject: [Digital BW] QuadTone RIP 2.0 and Gimp 4.2.5 with 
> Epson 2100
> > inkset.
> > 
> > 
> > > I just tried using both QuadTone RIP 2.0 and Gimp 4.2.5 for 
> the first time
> > with
> > > my Epson 2100 inkset.
> > 
> > QuadTone RIP 2 needs Gimp-Print 4.3.5 (or later?) to work 
> correctly.
> > I asked the same question of Roy. QTR2 needs certain 
> functions which is only
> > available in the Gimp-Print 4.3 unstable series.
> 
> Maybe I should clarify the situtation.
> 
> On the Mac download, QuadToneRIP 2.0 contains all the
> Gimp-Print 4.3.5 code that IT needs, so there's no need to
> download a 4.3 version.
> 
> You can still download a Gimp-Print 4.2.5 for color work or
> actually who should be able to use the QuadToneRIP
> drivers for color as well -- just select Color in the print
> dialog under QuadToneRIP Settings.
> 
> Roy


Thanks Roy.  I  uninstalled the latest (4.3.17) version of Gimp because I could 
not get it to work with my 2100.  It would spool the job to the printer as though 
everything was fine (albeit very quickly) but then nothing would come out.  So 
at the moment I am only using 4.2.5.  I guess I could go to 4.2.6 pre1.  

So far I have just run 3 test prints using the settings suggested/corrected in 
earlier postings (now print space in PS "same as source", 1440x720 Highest 
Quality etc): Roy's QTR (2200) neutral and warm and then a straight Gimp 
4.2.5.  

In the 2 QTR prints I found I lost a lot of detail in the shadows vs using the 
Epson driver (defining the print space in PS as the ICC profile for watercolor 
paper with the matt black and no further "color" mgt).  The prints were as if 
there was a loss of about 1/2 - 3/4 stop exposure.  However, the Epson driver 
tends to be plagued by a degree of metamerism as we all know.  Tough trade 
off as in the test print I did the metamerism was not that bad and the loss of 
shadow detail in QTR was.  I guess this is because with QTR the use of color 
is restricted to govern metamerism and hence tonal range is reduced?

The Gimp print came out really badly.   It is as if the printer skipped a half 
millimetre every half millimetre creating an effect not dissimilar to that on 
some bank notes ie very fine horizontal lines where no ink was placed.  (I did 
this print twice because I thought I had made a mistake the first time).  I don't 
know what is up with this.....