Digital BW, The Print

Steve,

I'd say that what you are seeing is in the ballpark of the differences.

I did a page of dots too:
http://harrington.com/dotscans/dotsdots.html

My 1270 UT2 vs 1160 VM is very similar.   The bottom line is that the VM
ink or the new UT-VM has a much lighter light-gray.   I think most people
would say to the naked eye both are "good enough" but if you get the loupe
out you will see the difference.

Roy

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Stephen P. Veillette" 
<stephen@v...> wrote:
> 
> For anyone who is interested, I've posted some sample images that illustrate what I 
have 
> tried to describe:
> 
> http://www.savagesteve.net/ut2
> 
> The stepwedge images show the dot patterns the best.
> 
> Again, I'm interested to know if this is just me (hardware problem, curve/driver 
problem, 
> brain matter problem) or if this is normal.
> 
> -Steve
> 
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Stephen P. Veillette" 
> <stephen@v...> wrote:
> > 
> > Paul,
> > 
> > I'm printing on EEM with the Matte Paper setting (also tried Photo
> > Paper), both 1440 and 2880 dpi, with the neutral curve.  Also, I'm
> > using the Eboni black ink-- haven't tried photo black yet.
> > 
> > I'm going to make some scans tonight and post them on the web so you
> > can see exactly what I'm talking about-- I think a picture in this
> > case will really be worth a thousand words.
> > 
> > Thank you for your offer for the test strip.  I'll send you my address.
> > 
> > -Steve
> > 
> > 
> > --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark"
> > <paul.roark@v...> wrote:
> > > Steve,
> > > 
> > > >... 1280 printer and a set of UT2 inks.  ...
> > > 
> > > >In the prints I've made with the UT2 inks, I've noticed, under a loupe 
> > > >and with the naked eye, obvious dot patterns in the highlights, 
> > > 
> > > Under a loupe one might be able to see some dots on some papers
> > under some
> > > lighting conditions.  Looking at a test strip of PremierArt 205 under a
> > > loupe, I see the paper texture and not dots, at least in reflected,
> > overhead
> > > light that is at a fair angle.  With another magnifier and more
> > straight-on
> > > light I might be able to distinguish the dots from the paper
> > texture, but
> > > it's not clear to me.  With back lighting I see some roughness, but
> > it could
> > > be the paper and not dots.  
> > > 
> > > Other papers might show more dots.
> > > 
> > > >...it appears that UT2 does not have a light gray (toned or
> > untoned) ink 
> > > 
> > > The system uses a black ink, 2 dark gray inks (cool and warm
> > carbon), and 3
> > > lighter gray inks (cool, warm [carbon], and sepia).  Then there are 3
> > > different dot sizes for each of these due to the variable-dot
> > technology.  
> > > 
> > > The system is much like the OEM inks in the density distribution. 
> > However,
> > > the UT2 inks are very low gamut, thus giving them far less color
> > contrast
> > > than the color inks.
> > > 
> > > I'm sure you've checked the resolution and other settings.  
> > > 
> > > What paper, black ink, and media type setting are you using?
> > > 
> > > There are, of course, trade-offs between number and lightness of the
> > inks,
> > > and other factors.  The lighter inks in my previous efforts, for
> > example,
> > > tended to flood glossy papers.  The light inks often cause the worst
> > > bronzing.  BO printing with the new neutral photo black mix, for
> > example,
> > > has less objectionable bronzing than the UT2 inkset.  In the R800
> > there are
> > > no more light inks.
> > > 
> > > But, back to your issue, I can't tell what you're looking at.  Send
> > me your
> > > address off list and I'll mail one of the PA 205 UT2 Medium Warm
> > test strips
> > > I printed today.
> > > 
> > > Paul
> > > www.PaulRoark.com