Digital BW, The Print

Don,

>Do you have any examples online of the colors possible
>with this inkset?

Good idea -- I'll see if we can get some samples and, perhaps, comparisons
to Piezo and the Septones that I just received from Martin.

Here is where I'm at with this new inkset:

I'm up to my "UT Dual v. 7" now, and I think I'm real close to -- if not
at -- the final mix.  The formula I previously gave is not the final
formula.

The inks are all simple mixtures of the existing UT inkset and the MIS 7600
inks and base (from which the UT inkset is derived).  As such, there are not
likely to be any unpleasant surprises regarding compatibility, separation,
etc.  This is really just a re-working of the existing MIS Ultra Tone
inkset.

The most important new characteristics of this inkset are that it can be
printed from a grayscale file, and only the Epson driver and it's sliders
are needed to control it.  Photoshop, Photoshop curves, plug-ins, RIPs, etc.
are not needed -- although they can give even more control.

When all sliders are in their "0" position and the Mode on "Automatic" (the
default settings for the 1280 driver, I believe), the print tone is equal to
PiezoTone Warm Neutral -- 0.03 units warm.  This is also very close to MIS
FS.  The grayscale ramp that is produced at this default setting is
outstanding.

With the sliders set to +12 magenta and -25 yellow, the print tone is almost
identical to the PiezoTone selenium (C=Y, & M is slightly elevated).

With the mode set to Vivid and the sliders set to +25 yellow and -15
magenta, the print is equal to the warmest UT ink -- about -0.10 warm.  The
new Septone system at 100% warm is 0.08 units warm -- i.e., not quite as
warm.  (With PS curves, full sepia is possible with the new UT inkset.)

The system seems to work best when the paper type is set to "Premium Glossy
Photo Paper" in the Epson driver when I'm using the default EAM/EEM test
paper or other matte papers.  With Epson Glossy Photo Paper, the Photo Paper
profile seems to work.  With other papers, differing paper types and slider
settings will have to be experimented with.

When the sliders are set to the neutral/selenium or the warmest positions,
the primary deviation from an ideal grayscale ramp is the 95% spot.  It is
0.04 units lighter than my ideal target.  However, each 1% difference in
input is separated by at least 0.01 density unit.  So, while there is a
minor deviation from ideal in the deep shadows, there are no flat spots.
(There may be slider settings that correct this.)

Aside from the above deviation from the ideal, the Epson driver shows a
visibly smoother ramp than the Piezo driver or the new Septone RIP.  (Thank
you Martin for sending the samples.  I'll get a fade test going ASAP.)

In the neutral range, the new UT Dual 7 shows no significant metamerism.  In
the very warm and sepia ranges, it has the same color tone changes we see
with the existing vm-s sepia tones or the new Septone warm prints.  In
tungsten light it is warmer -- more reddish or magenta.  In daylight it is
more of a light yellowish sepia.  In no case is there an unpleasant green
tone.  The tone changes are very appropriate to the light sources.

I don't know the extent to which normal paper profiling techniques and tools
will be able to further control this inkset.  I'm suspicious that those who
have the knowledge and equipment might be able to do some interesting
further refinement.  Perhaps this is the sort of approach Cone is taking.

There is more than enough coolness in the inkset to handle the warmest RC
shadows.  For these papers, however, I think the Photoshop curves or some
other profiling approach may be needed to pour in more cold toner where the
shadows go unduly warm.  (Epson Glossy Photo Paper appears to print fine
with just the Epson driver.  I have not done much experimentation with RC
papers yet.)

My real interest is to open the B&W digital printing field up to a broader
audience and more applications, and this approach does it.  It is so simple
that I think any beginner is going to be able to stick a pre-filled cart
into a 1280/90 and get excellent B&W prints from any image editing (or
other) program, with virtually no learning curve or additional up-front
expenses aside from the printer.  Yet, those of us who are comfortable with
curves, etc. will be able to have the usual control and print from full
sepia to icy cold.

I will recommend MIS fast-track the new inkset.  One person has already
stopped by and seen samples.  He's going to be on the phone to MIS ASAP to
order some ink, so they'll have to figure out some way to handle the calls
that will start next week.  (Hope they didn't have a vacation planned.)

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com
_____________________________________


--- Paul Roark <paul.roark@...> wrote:
> Well, it works.
>
> I have a modified Ultra Tone inkset that can do both
> sepia and cool toning
> with the Epson driver.  The cool toner has also been
> doubled in strength so
> that even the warmest RC paper shadows (like
> Pictorico) can be cooled down.
>
> The inks are all easily available or easy to mix.
> No clear base is used.
>
> C = MIS 2200/7600 light K
> PC = MIS UT Hex yellow (the lightest gray)
> M = 58% MIS Light (Photo) Magenta &
>     42% MIS Light (Photo) Cyan
> PM = MIS UT Hex M
> Y = MIS UT sepia toner
>
> I have draft curves that print neutral/selenium,
> carbon (both toners turned
> off -- until 75%, where they dive to the 100% spot
> to turn on the black),
> and sepia that is 0.25 warm -- that's a true sepia.
>
> The curves are very easy to make, because the Epson
> driver does the
> cross-overs.  No more roller-coasters.  (The curves
> are so simple that I
> suspect the sliders could be re-activated and would
> work, but I have not
> tried this.)
>
> Because the toner is stronger, the inkset can print
> ice-cold, for those who
> like special effect.
>
> On RC paper 1440 shows some roughness in the shadows
> on close inspection,
> but at 2880, it smoothes out to the point I don't
> think anyone would be
> concerned.  I may mix a denser PC ink to see if that
> helps the 1440 RC
> roughness.  (I'm not particularly patient with the
> 2880 slowness.)
>
> At any rate, I think the concept of a dual-toner
> inkset in a 1280/1290
> works.  The one above is a first shot, with
> readily-available inks that
> anyone can experiment with.
>
> I may move on to some custom mixes to refine it, but
> I like the idea of
> using off-the-shelf inks.  It opens up the system to
> more alternatives.  The
> different RC-compatible inks (MIS v. Epson) have
> shown different
> characteristics on various papers.  One is not
> clearly better than the
> other, but their bronzing and other surface
> characteristics differ.  So, for
> a particular paper, there may be a new way to
> optimize the inkset for the
> particular paper.
>
> Also, different people will like different tones.
> With off-the-shelf
> components to make the toner, people can mix
> different ratios of the PM & PC
> to get the shadows tone they prefer.
>
> Have fun.
>
> Paul
> http://www.PaulRoark.com
>
>
>
>


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