Digital BW, The Print

The new MIS PKN and UT7 LK neutral inks are performing very well in my  
Epson 4000 for both B&W and color.  I've tried PKN only printing with  
the Epson driver, PKN + LKN neutral profiles with both QTR and IJC/OPM,  
and PKN+LKN+LM+Y sepia profiles.  All yield a dmax of about 2.46 on  
Kirkland Signature Glossy paper.  I was surprised at how good the  
linearity was for the 4000 Epson driver printing BO with the PKN  
(compare density plots below for the linearized QTR PKN+LKN profile and  
Epson driver PKN only).  After making some adjustments in the LKN:LM:Y  
ratios I also have a very nice sepia tone with deep, rich blacks.  I'm  
still working with a mix of Epson UC inks in the color positions and  
MIS PKN and LKN so I won't  re-profile all my  papers for color until I  
have all inks switched over to the MIS UC equivalents.  However, I did  
print the Kirkland with a new RGB profile and colors were very close to  
the original prints with straight UC inks so I don't expect any  
problems printing color with the neutral PK and LK inks.  I'm also  
still evaluating different glop overlay application rates on the 4000  
prints by running them through my 2200 and printing with a glop only  
overlay profile.  My initial test were done with an IJC glop only  
profile (glop in 2200 LK slot) with glop ink limit set to 50%.  There  
was almost no bronzing and only some slight gloss differential to begin  
with on the Kirkland PKN prints and after glop application both  
bronzing and gloss differential were completely gone.  See last density  
plot below for post glop coated PKN+LKN print.  Slightly higher dmin  
from the glop but a terrific dmax boost to the highest dmax (2.602)  
I've ever obtained for any ink/paper combo and beautiful artifact free  
gloss finish.  I'm still considering my options for installing glop in  
the 4000 that will also enable me to print both B&W and color, but  
these prints are so good I'm leaning towards dumping matte paper  
printing completely and just using glop in the matte black slot for  
overcoating prints.  The matte prints on cotton rag with dmax levels in  
the 1.7 range just look dull and pathetically weak next to these new RC  
prints.

Carl

QTR Profile for PKN + LKN:
Step	Density
0	 0.053	**
5	 0.109	***
10	 0.168	*****
15	 0.234	******
20	 0.305	********
25	 0.369	**********
30	 0.444	************
35	 0.523	**************
40      0.607	****************
45	 0.687	******************
50	 0.786	********************
55	 0.893	***********************
60	 1.006	**************************
65	 1.130	*****************************
70	 1.263	********************************
75	 1.401	************************************
80	 1.567	****************************************
85	 1.740	********************************************
90	 1.907	************************************************
95	 2.161	*******************************************************
100	  
2.456	**************************************************************


Epson driver PKN only:
Step	Density
0	 0.051	**
5	 0.094	***
10	 0.147	****
15	 0.202	******
20	 0.268	*******
25	 0.328	*********
30	 0.404	***********
35	 0.463	************
40	 0.540	**************
45	 0.620	****************
50	 0.697	******************
55	 0.789	********************
60	 0.909	***********************
65	 1.022	**************************
70	 1.157	*****************************
75	 1.291	*********************************
80	 1.456	*************************************
85	 1.717	*******************************************
90	 1.928	*************************************************
95	 2.301	**********************************************************
100	  
2.456	**************************************************************


QTR Profile for PKN + LKN+GLOP overlay:
Step	Density
0	 0.061	**
5	 0.121	****
10	 0.181	*****
15	 0.244	*******
20	 0.313	********
25	 0.376	**********
30	 0.452	************
35	 0.527	**************
40	 0.608	****************
45	 0.686	******************
50	 0.780	********************
55	 0.882	***********************
60	 0.988	*************************
65	 1.108	****************************
70	 1.237	*******************************
75	 1.371	***********************************
80	 1.538	***************************************
85	 1.712	*******************************************
90	 1.886	************************************************
95	 2.131	******************************************************
100	  
2.602	 
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