Digital BW, The Print

Paul Roark wrote:

>The new R800 will lay down clear glossy balls ("blanks"?) that I assume are
>the same as the clear coating on their pigments -- but without a pigment
>inside.  This is said to help with bronzing.  However, I don't see any way
>to control this material with the controls that are available with the
>normal Photoshop-Epson driver controls.  The Print Shield sprays probably do
>as good or better job, while protecting the print, probably, better.  The
>Epson approach will, of course, be easier.
>
>  
>
Paul,

You should probably check the documentation from EPSON on this..

To quote them:

"More specifically the glossiness in very light or no colour areas may 
occasionally appear less glossy/flat and therefore create an uneven 
gloss finish. By placing Gloss Optimizer in the areas of low ink duty, a 
uniform gloss finish is achieved."

You can see the actual data sheet in HTML form at:
http://www.photo-i.co.uk/News/Nov03/Epsondata.htm

Since bronzing typically appears in high ink usage area, the way the 
gloss optimizer works would seem to be the very opposite of  laying a 
coating over areas of heavy ink coverage, as on those areas the gloss 
optimizer lays down NO particles..

The use of the gloss optimizer is simply because the new EPSON HG UCs 
have a glossy character of their own.. That glossy character should 
reduce some of the bronzing.. However, it brings its own new issue of 
low gloss in areas of low ink duty.   Then, the gloss optimizer is laid 
down on low ink areas of the image  or on both those areas AND blank 
areas of the page to achieve either:

a)   a uniform gloss across the image area

b)   a uniform gloss across the entire media

By the way.. Mac OS X users should note this:  option 'a' is not 
available under OS X.. only option 'b' is..

 
Keith Krebs

"Just some guy," caretaker of the Multiverse's largest EPSON printer 
User Community (highly recommended by Vogon Poets and MegaDodo 
Publications), at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EPSON_Printers/
and  the Multiverse's largest Canon printer User  Community at:
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"For the rest of you out there, the secret is to bang the rocks together 
guys"