Digital BW, The Print

paul, thanks for all the good info.

Assuming that the output of the 1280 is similar to the 1270, the 1280 
clearly has an edge over the 1160:

http://www.inkjetart.com/news/13_comp/8.html

I read your post about the used 7500 (check out my reply) - I wonder 
if that is a good way for a newbie to go? I do not expect to do WF 
very often, once in a while, but I like the idea of the large 
cartridges and the freedom to print wide at home. The other option is 
to buy a 1280, for good small size quality and send out for larger 
prints.

I'll try the UTs. I can talk a lot about it, but nothing better than 
getting my hands dirty and learning the process.

The info on the inks and the industry is not good news, but I hope 
the any differences are barely noticeable. My question about 
monotones and consistency was if a manufacturer produces just a 
monotone, it may get better QA, than the variable-tone system. I see 
that's not true but the curves are what I will need to focus on. I 
have experience with PS, but not with curves. Do you know of any 
internet resource/ tutorial on producing or manipulating curves?

Thanks for the info!




--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark" 
<paul.roark@v...> wrote:
> Alfred,
> 
> >...
> >I've been told that MIS offers quality for a low price.
> 
> > - Is there any difference on using the 1280 over the 1160? ...
> 
> I used the 1160 for quite a while, and it has a great reputation.  
However,
> comparing the 1160 prints to the 1280 Ultra Tone prints, I think 
the 1280
> has a quality advantage.  The light toner gives the highlights a 
little
> smoothness advantage.  Also, the shadow tone ramp is a bit 
smoother.  As a
> practical matter, since I and others use the 1280 more at this 
point, it'll
> be better supported.
> 
> I've had no clogging problems with either one of them.
> 
> > ... I like the selenuim, ...
> 
> As an old silver printer who toned with selenium, that is the 
specific tone
> the UT inks are mixed to replicate with the "neutral/selenium" 
curves.  The
> main difference between the silver print tones and the ink tones is 
that the
> black ink is warm.  As such, we can't get the cold deep black tones 
that
> some selenium-toned silver prints have.  And, of course, different 
silver
> papers and toning procedures produced different tones.  In general, 
however,
> the "selenium" tone -- of my silver prints, PiezoTone Selenium, and 
UT with
> the neutral curve -- is characterized by midtone spectrophotometer 
readings
> where the cyan and yellow channels are equal, the magenta channel 
reads 0.01
> units higher.
> 
> >I wonder if Piezo not being variable
> >tone that the prints will be more consistent over time.
> 
> I don't think so.  If you're talking about fading, both the 
variable-tone
> and monotone approaches have to use color pigments to tone the warm 
carbon
> inks.  Whether it's in separate dots or mixed into the gray ink 
probably
> makes no difference.  In my fade testing the PiezoTone selenium is 
not more
> stable.
> 
> In my view, the flexibility of the variable-tone system allows one 
more
> control over the tones among the various paper types.
> 
> > On the Piezo forum people use a lot Hahnemuhle and photorag,...
> 
> Hahnemuhle PhotoRag has been one of the most popular "rag"/cotton-
based
> papers, which are recommended for archival storage.  There are 
other cotton
> papers that "flake" less (PremierArt Fine Art Hot Press, also sold 
as Epson
> Scrapbook paper, once called "UltraSmooth" in beta) and papers that 
are less
> expensive (Moab Entrada).  The Ultra Tones will print fine on all 
these,
> with there being specific profiles for the latter two.
> 
> One advantage of the open Photoshop curves approach is that you can
> fine-tune the curves to fit your precise printer and other 
variables.
> 
> >... If I buy the 1160 or 1280 with ultratones, will I
> >get consistent prints?
> 
> I think they are as consistent as any other inkset that we have 
available to
> us.  Unfortunately, I've measured differences in all of the ones 
where I've
> collected samples from different sources.  I'm not impressed with 
the ink
> industry's quality control, and this applies to all of them that I 
have
> experience with.  Usually, however, they are close enough that the 
prints
> are fine.  In a darkroom setting, one has inconsistencies also.
> 
> > If 5 years from now I decide to print the image again
> >(new PS, inks, printer, etc...), can I get the same result?
> 
> Who knows?  So far, new Photoshop versions have been able to use 
the same
> curves.  I matched my curves to the average PiezoBW densities, 
because that
> is what I was printing before switching systems, and I wanted my 
files to be
> compatible.  I've noticed that most of the test strips I've 
measured that
> were printed with the common RIPs use a close enough midtone target 
that the
> files should be useable with only minor adjustments on almost any 
of them.
> 
> > If I need a print larger than 13" wide, do you know of any
> >commercial service to ship this to that uses the same MIS-UT inks?
> 
> I suspect any number of us on this list would be willing to print 
for a fee.
> 
> > Longevity is important to me - is UT the best option?
> 
> I consider both the Ultra Tone and PiezoTone inksets to be
> state-of-the-art -- and that is very good indeed.  In my initial 
testing,
> they do better than the Epson Archival color inkset, which has been 
rated by
> some at 200+ years of display.  (I have not tested all of the 
inksets out
> there.)
> 
> I hope this is helpful.  Obviously I may have some biases, but the 
UT inkset
> is the one I'm using.
> 
> Paul
> http://www.PaulRoark.com