Digital BW, The Print

Hello Paul,

>I'm trying to re-think this issue.  Some feedback would be most 
>appreciated.
>If the monitor and print look different, there would seem to be two
>basic approaches that could get them to match better:  
>First, the view on the monitor can be altered to match the print.  
>Second, the image file can be printed so that the print matches the
>monitor's view.

I haven't used a monitor calibration device so I can't speak to that,
but FWIW my workflow with a new image is to first do the rudimentary
levels adjustments, then make a print.

If there is a mismatch, I adjust the monitor profile (printer profile
is always kept "Same As source") to adjust the screen image to more
closely match the print.  I've found that Dot Gain 20% is a bit too
dark and 15% a bit too light, in most cases.  So now I use a custom
DG18% curve as the default and it is fine for 95% of my images and
have very good WYSIWYG.  This works well with both techniques, BO and
UT7.

As for the monitor, I use a Samsung 710 LCD and it clearly shows
differences in the 90-95-100% patches of the enhanced step wedge.  In
the 1% squares, at the low end I can see the difference in 99 and 100,
but 96-99 are difficult to distinguish.  At the high end I can see
differences in all five squares, 1-5%.   HTH.

Regards,
Clayton


Info on black and white digital printing at    
http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm