Digital BW, The Print

> > 
> > --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "ccolbertbw" 
> > <ccolbert@u...> wrote:
> > > Hi all.
> > > I bought a set of MIS VM quadtones before checking in detail which 
> > workflow 
> > > to use. Appears that there is no workflow for the Epson 980 for 
> > these inks on 
> > > the MIS site. I am using the latest 980 Epson driver on PC. Doesn't 
> > seem to 
> > > have the halftone option.
> > > 
> > > I started with the Roark 1160 workflow using EAM paper. A  5% 
> > increment 
> > > step wedge looks reasonable although perhaps the 95% and 100% are 
a 
> > bit 
> > > close. However, I can see darkish dots in the 5% easily without a 
> > loupe. 
> > > Interestingly, all but the 90-100% look grainy. Almost like each 
> > density is 
> > > marbled.  The nozzle check looks fine. This is at 1440 and set for 
> > the Matte 
> > > paper per the workflow. Going to 2880 helps a bit but not much in 
> > the overall 
> > > look. The resulting prints have an obvious inkjet print look to 
> > them because of 
> > > the coarseness.
> > > 
> > > Finally, the question. Is this coarseness what I should expect from 
> > this printer/
> > > ink combination?  I recently saw some prints in a show that were 
> > labeled 
> > > carbon pigment digital that looked like platinum prints. They were 
> > very warm, 
> > > but subtle and had a delicate glow. Far from the inkjet look I am 
> > getting now.
> > > 
> > > Costa Colbert
> 
> For information purposes only; it won't solve the problem.
> 
> I use the 980 along with the 1160 but with the MIS FS ink set.  John 
> Woolf has a workflow for both machines.  Both work very well in that 
> there are no visible dots unless you use a loupe.  For the 1160, I 
> prefer the workflow by Jeff Randall, no dots even with a loupe.
> 
> The Roark flow also gives good results on the 1160 with the FS inks, 
> but dots are visible with a loupe.  Randall's workflow is the best, 
> IMHO.
> 
> Harry Lockwood

I was wondering about the differences between the Vm and FS inkset. Does 
the Vm set basically make it with three black dilutions (plus blue) vs four for 
the FS inkset? Does that make it more prone to dots (for those that insist on 
looking with a loupe?). 

Let me reiterate that the 5% has dark dots in it. Seems unlikely to me that the 
darker ink would come in so soon.  I wonder if  I either have a problem with 
ink positions or dilutions. Kiefer's post above suggests maybe I do.

Costa