Digital BW, The Print

Hi Sandy,
which GretagMacbeth system are you using?

Ed R.


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, 
"sanfo2003" <SandyCornelius@c...> wrote:
> Purchased the new R800 from Epson. Only printed BW so far 
on EEM 
> using Windows. Tried printing using "monochrome" and 
results were 
> disappointing to say the least. Print came out so cold it was 
almost 
> blue. Downloaded the Gregtag Macbeth profiles included on 
the 
> supplied CD and printed a 2.2 gamma greyscale 21 
step/gradient using 
> color management and Relative Colormetric rendering with BP 
> compensation OFF at the "Best Photo" setting. Greyscale was 
neutral 
> but blocked up over 85% black. Tried again, this time with BP 
> compensation ON and got a neutral wedge but blocked up 
over 90% 
> black. Tried again with BP compensatin ON with Perceptual 
rendering 
> and voila, a beautifully neutral greyscale with every 5% wedge 
> discernable from 0 to 100% and a nice smooth gradient. I was 
ready.
> 
> Printed some files and results were excellent, and I mean fine 
art 
> quality excellent. Metamerism was less than 10% of that on my 
2200.
> You have to really know what you're looking for to even see it, in 
> fact I had to rapidly move the print back and forth between 
daylight 
> and tungsten to see it. You could sell prints from this printer at 
an 
> outdoor venue (art fair) and be confident that the print will 
appear 
> the same when taken home and viewed under incandescent 
lighting; that 
> is, if you were shown the print cold in either daylight or 
tungsten 
> you would not see any metamerism, in my opinion.
> 
> I have the ability to make a custom profile at home with some 
pretty 
> fancy equipment/software but don't think I'll bother, that's how 
good 
> the included profiles are.
> 
> I then converted a greyscale file to duotone in Photoshop and 
> customized an ever so slight tint application thru the duotone 
> curves. Out came a print exactly like on my screen with no 
unwanted 
> hue changes across tones. Tried a heavier tint and results 
were the 
> same. Its because of the lack of metamerism in tinted prints 
that 
> obviously use all inks that makes me think there's something 
> different about these inks that minimizes metamerism, and 
that its 
> not all in the driver.
> 
> If it sounds like I'm enthusiastic about this printer, well I am, 
and 
> I haven't even printed color yet with the gloss optimizer. Clearly 
> the downside of the printer is its small size. But here we have a 
> printer that prints archival fine art quality BW out of the box, 
> prints color glossy without bronzing (gloss optimizer), has 
increased 
> gamut, no need to swap out cartridges when switching 
between photo 
> and matte black inks, and I can drive down to the local store to 
get 
> more ink when I need it (major manufacturer distribution).
> 
> Put this technology in a 7600-type printer, and wow, put me on 
the 
> waiting list!