Digital BW, The Print

Thanks for the feedback Paul, I'm curious on a couple of things - if 
the new printer has a smaller dot size, is it not theoretically 
possible to run a grey quadtone inkset next to a four colour inkset 
and still be able to run perfectly good prints from both.  I know 
this is dedicated RIP stuff - but is it feasible?

Secondly, I find significant shifts in colour due to different 
papers types with my UT inks at the moment.  For example, my Imajet 
matt has a slightly green tinge, the somerset velvet slightly 
magenta and PR/EAM neutral.  If the UT2 for the 4000 or whatever has 
greater toning range, how can it be 'easier' to control the shifts 
and tones than today with a relatively narrow tone set?

Jumping the gun entirely, any idea how quickly MIS / yourself will 
respond to the 4000 release?  We are due the printer here (UK) in 
January according to Epson and my local dealer.

Steve


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark" 
<paul.roark@v...> wrote:
> Steve,
> 
> >I just can't wait to see what the Epson 4000 will bring in terms 
of 
> >specialist B&W inksets.
> 
> >I am pretty sure Paul will already have been rubbing hands 
thinking 
> >of wonderful ways to make the most of its eight inks.  
> 
> Well, actually the matte and photo blacks and the attributes you 
are
> describing below are the main advantages I see.  The light K may 
be more of
> a problem than benefit.  I'll take the Epson driver approach, so 
it's
> another out-of-control ink.  So, it's basically going to be a UT-2 
with a
> light K that is probably tones slightly to neutralize it.  I'm 
afraid the
> shadow tones for the neutral prints will be too warm otherwise.  
(It's going
> to take some experimenting to get it right.)
> 
> >The thought of self aligning heads and auto nozzle cleans are 
enough 
> >for me on their own!
> 
> >I guess that first port of call is something like the UT2 set 
with 
> >Photo and matt black installed, perhaps with an additional grey 
> >position?
> 
> The UT-2 is now a two-toner (cool and sepia) setup.  I'll continue 
that for
> the 2200 & 4000.  
> 
> The sepia toner spot (yellow position), however, is really 
designed for
> custom toning.  The sepia I use is just 8% y, 8% m and 84% UT-2 
light
> magenta.  (Magenta is the raw carbon ink position in UT-2.)  I 
suspect some
> will want to not only mix different shades of sepia -- e.g., 
change the
> ratios of the y & m -- but also mix their own toners.  The cold 
ink is so
> cold (c - y = 0.14 at 50%) that it wouldn't take much of an 
additional cold
> toner to make a cyanotype tone.  The old carbon/carbo prints seem 
to have
> hues that are determined by the pigments that were used.  The 
yellow spot in
> the UT-2 inkset can, similarly, be used to achieve any number of 
subtle (or
> not to subtle) tones.  It's wide open, and since the inkset 
depends on the
> Epson driver to do most of the cross-overs, the curves are much 
easier to
> deal with than the older partitioned curves.
> 
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com