Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Richard"
<richard@r...> wrote:
> 
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Steve Gledhill [mailto:stephengledhill@y...]
> > Sent: 18 February 2005 06:58
> > To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
> > Subject: [Digital BW] Re: MIS shipping to UK
> > >
> > 
> > An Epson 4870 using Silverfast to scan 5"x4" sheets film.
> > 
> > Steve Gledhill
> > http://www.virtuallygrey.co.uk 
> 
> They claim (Epson)a 16 bit image - is that really true? I ask that
because I
> am looking at the latest of their 4000 range at this very time and
16 bits
> are a lot better than 12 bits.

The only way I have of knowing is that once the image is in Photoshop
it acts like it has far greater bit depth than an 8 bit image.  But
otherwise I can't give an authoritative answer.  How can anyone tell
the actual bit depth?

> Thank you for that reply by the way and I should have asked the
following
> question last time out but forgot to so do......
> 
> Are you dish developing or have you so much money you can afford a full
> blown nitrogen burst tank system.

I'll ignore the rather nosey way you asked the question - "have you so
much money ..."' and answer in a way that may be of interest in this
forum - I use a Jobo rotary tank (manually rolled, not machine
processed) to process up to 12 5"x4" sheets at a time.
 
> I also assume that using the RIP that you do and the inks under
discussion,
> you must have a spectro and/or a densitometer in regular use.
> 
> Richard

I don't routinely use any RIP software.  I have tried and like Roy's
QTR.  Most of my work is printed with UT7 inks adjusted to my liking
using the sliders in the Epson driver.  And I don't have any density
measuring equipment.

My approach to producing my work is very very simple.  Tried and
tested products used in a standard way.  Once I find a combination of
settings by trial and error that I like I adopt them as my standard. 
I don't forever fiddle.  I concentrate on capturing the images rather
than finessing all of the multitude of printing options available to me.

Steve
http://www.virtuallygrey.co.uk