Digital BW, The Print

Shilesh Jani wrote:

>
> Many on this forum use QTR on Epson UC printers (2200, 400, 7600,
> 9600)
> using OEM inks.  We know that the "warm" profiles use only the black
> and light black inks, while the toned prints additionally use various
> mixtures of light cyan, light magenta, and yellow.  Because density
> across the 0-100% ramp is built up primarily from two desnity inks,
> QTR
> OEM ink prints in general will be less smooth and more dotty in
> highlights.  This is only true at VERY close viewing distances and of
> no consequence for a print hanging on the wall or even prints viewed
> on
> had at half arm's length.  Sadly I am one of those "print to the
> nose"
> guys (perhaps I need to get a life!).
>
> So what does it take to get better prints?  The original Piezpgraphy
> (and now PiezoTone) and MIS FS inks use 4 shades of gray (black, dark
> gray, medium gray, and light gray) to produce the absolute in ramp
> smoothness and dotless in highlights.  I asked myself is this
> necessary?
>
> The approximate ink density relative to black for Piezotone and MIS
> FS
> inks are:
>
> Black = 100%
> Dark Gray = 55%
> Medium Gray = 10%
> Light Gray = 5%
>
The defaults for the PiezoTone inks densities from StudioPrint 10 is:

Black = 100%
Light black = 50%
Very light black = 20%
very very light black = 7%

This is what I'm using (that is, I haven't changed the default settings) 
printing on an Epson 7600 using PiezoTones on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag 
308gsm, with StudioPrint.

If you really want dotless, I think you need to consider either the 
PiezoTones, or the MIS Ultratone inks for a seven channel printer like 
the Epson x6xx printers.

I would have to take issue with your statement that "This is only true 
at VERY close viewing distances and of no consequence for a print 
hanging on the wall or even prints viewed on had at half arm's length." 
I've run some unscientific tests, and people other than myself (that is, 
non-photographer, non-printer neighbors) can see the difference between 
PiezoTones printed at 1440 and at 2880 from farther away than "normal 
viewing distance." The only difference I can see with a loupe on these 
test prints is the level of dotiness. I think less dotiness is clearly 
visible (at least off my printer) from normal viewing distances.

And, as Tyler says, hex tone inksets are even smoother. The difference 
being the distance between the dots.

Is it necessary? I think it is, yes. Of course, YMMV.
--
Bruce Watson