Digital BW, The Print

>... used 7500 ... I wonder
>if that is a good way for a newbie to go?...

It may be a bit of overkill for a newbie.  It's a lot easier to use smaller
printers if the output is sufficient for you.

>... the curves are what I will need to focus on. ...
> Do you know of any internet resource/ tutorial on
>producing or manipulating curves?

The Files section of this forum has some information.

I just read a tutorial that Dirk Hobman has put together.  It combines the
information out there in about the best and most readable form I've seen.  I
hope he's able to post it soon.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com
____________________________________



--- 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



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