Digital BW, The Print

Thanks Paul!  I'll wait for the new inksets to become available and 
ask you more then.  Since I'm currently pumping out excellent 8x12s 
from my hp 7660 it isn't an urgent purchase, but I will really look 
forward to having both systems up and running so I can print from the 
most appropriate one for each image (both have different strenghts).  
I didn't think about trying to apply curves in 16bit mode, but it 
makes sense that it could help.  I usually just tried to push my 
tones away from the difficult transitions and was usually able to get 
a good print.

mark

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark" 
<paul.roark@v...> wrote:
> >> ... 1160 and I'm ready to go with a new inkset.  
> 
> >Unfortunately, the UT2 inkset will not work on the Epson 1160.
> 
> >Before using the UT inkset I used the FS-N inkset and would not go 
> >back. The UT inkset has a better longevity rating and my printer 
is 
> >now pretty near clog free.
> 
> >But, maybe Paul has another inkset to replace the present FS-N 
inkset 
> >that would work on the Epson 1160?
> 
> Yes, there I've formulated "UT-FSN" and "UT-FS-Warm" (carbon) 
inksets (as
> well as intermediate tones), but MIS needs to get them on the 
website before
> they'll be available for sale.  (Don't bother calling MIS before 
then.  They
> can't process the orders.)  
> 
> The UT-FS-W (carbon) is warmer than the current FS or the old VM 
warm.  For
> a "neutral-warm" tone/hue mix 1/3 warm with 2/3 neutral.  For 
warmth equal
> to the old VM warm curve, mix 1:1.  I'm not sure if MIS is going to 
have
> these intermediate tones pre-mixed.
> 
> I have new curves for the 1160 (and 3000) for the UT-FS inks.  Even 
though
> they are the same densities as the old FS (& Piezo) inks, I wanted 
to re-do
> the curves.
> 
> I am not a fan of the old partitioning curves.  Some partitioning 
can't be
> avoided with the 3000, and the 1160 will still give very slightly 
smoother
> highlights with partitioning.  However, the radical partitioning 
curves were
> the source of lots of the posterization problem.  They fight the 
Epson
> driver's built-in partitioning, and they accentuate the production
> differences between printers.
> 
> So, for the 1160 in addition to fully partitioned curves for EEM and
> PhotoRag, I have a grayscale curve and a "mild" RGB partitioning 
curve
> (RGB-EEM-2).  
> 
> This mild partitioning curve, I think, hits a good compromise 
between
> smoothness and not interfering with the driver's attempts to 
control the
> inks.  It should be relatively tolerant of printer differences and 
easy to
> modify for different papers.  All the individual color curves start 
at the
> (0,0) and end at (256,256), and there are no reverse slopes.  The 
approach
> puts predominantly light inks in the highlights, then has those 
curves go to
> a very low slope in the midtones, where the dark gray (cyan ink, 
red curve)
> goes into a nice even and manageable slope. 
> 
> I hope that this approach solves some of the partitioning problems.
> 
> Another thing to try whenever you see vertical lines in the smooth 
ramp of
> the 21-step test file (don't just look at the steps -- those mild 
looking
> vertical lines are trouble) or you have some flat spots in a print 
is to
> convert the RGB file to 16 bit before applying the curve.  Once the 
curve is
> applied the file can be re-converted to 8 bit for printing.  
Whenever the
> main curve that is laying down ink has a low slope, the Photoshop 
curves
> algorithm seems to need the 16 bit mode to avoid stair-steps.
> 
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com 
> 
> For UT2 information, curves, and settings see:
> http://home1.gte.net/res09aij/