Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "davidpichevin" <davidpichevin@y...> wrote:
 
> Actually, I'd like to reformulate the question differently.
> 
> While I'm sure there are many experienced people that get great
> results with QTR, I feel like I am currently creating new issues while
> trying to fix another one.
> 
> Let's go back to the start. Instead of looking at it as QTR giving me
> low contrast prints, is there another way to fix the metamerism
> problem on the Photoshop print? Since the Photoshop print has the
> right contrast and all the rest, eliminating the metamerism while
> keeping the rest equal would be pretty good.

No. Metamerism is caused by the mix of inks that the Epson drivers use to print grays. They use as much colored ink as black and light black. All the colored ink causes metamerism.
 
> Is there any 3rd-party profile that could be used in PS when going
> through the "print with preview" instead of the ones I am using right
> now (SP2200 EHM 1440MK or 2880MK) that would eliminate the metamerism?

Not if you're using the Epson drivers. You need a program that gives you full control over the cyan, magenta, yellow, and black channels. Then you need the 3rd party profile to reduce the CMY used in the grays, and try to make them mostly from black and light black.

> Also, if using an external program, by-passing any nice but
> unnecessary thing such as toning etc...is there any program that would
> print the same way as PS (if PS can do it simply, why is it so
> complicated with QTR?) without the metamerism?

Short answer, printing with PhotoShop is like shooting with a point and shoot camera. Auto everything, and little control. (It's no coincidence that PhotoShop and "point and shoot" are both initialed "PS"). QTR, ICM/OCP, ImagePrint, etc. are like using the camera on manual, exposing via the zone system, and paying attention to your darkroom procedures. You don't get a "master print" from the drug store.

But most folks don't seem to see QTR as being quite as difficult as you seem to be finding it. I'm having trouble "debugging" you on the forum. If you want to mail me a print, I might have more insights...

Ciao!

Joe