Digital BW, The Print

Paul,

On my 4000, I can hit 1.7 or better with EEM using IJC or QTR.  I 
know, it's not a 7600, but they seem to have the same Dmax issues, at 
least with Epson's matte paper settings in their driver. IJC 
previously had narrow ink limits on the 4000, but Joe opened them up 
and it is easy to hit these numbers now.  I typically reach the black 
ink limit at about 50-55% on my 4000 now.  This was with the UC 
inkset, but I have gotten similar Dmax numbers with UT7 inks on my 
2200.  

Lou

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark" 
<paul.roark@v...> wrote:
> 
> Ernst,
> 
> > What is the Dmax you get with both drivers ?
> 
> 
> On EEM with Eboni installed the dmax with the Epson driver is 
usually about
> 1.60 - 1.61.  IJC produced the same initially with one of their pre-
made
> curves.  QTR hit 1.62.  The Epson driver set to Premium Glossy 
paper (PK
> chip on Eboni cart) with 2880 and High Speed UN-checked hit 1.63.  
With IJC
> and some dark cool ink added to the Eboni I've seen 1.66 in some 
tests, but
> I have not been able to replicate that in a curves set yet.  On the 
7500
> with this batch of paper 1.67 is typical (and a whole lot easier to 
achieve
> -- I'm seriously thinking of dumping the 7600).  (These are all 
initial
> readings that typically will increase by 0.01 overnight.)
> 
> > With Eboni and a 9000 I can't get higher than 1.7.
> 
> I should be so lucky.
> 
> With UC ink in the 7600 I could do a little better than I'm not 
doing with
> it by having the dark cyan supplementing the UC MK.
> 
> > In general it is more the ink that is at its max than anything 
else.
> > Reflection of the ink surface limits the Dmax, how much ink you 
pour on
> > doesn't matter.
> 
> Yes, clearly just pouring on more ink is not the answer.
> 
> The dither pattern, speed, and other factors seem to be working 
here.  The
> 4000 appears to be even worse.  It'll be interesting to see if the 
newer
> 4800, etc. have cured the problem.  The R1800 is capable of very 
good dmax
> from what I've seen.  I'll bet they are using some cyan and/or blue 
to do
> it.  That might account for there not being a "BO" mode on those 
printers.
> 
> With the 2200, the best dmax I've been able to achieve is by having 
a second
> Eboni in the printer and using a rip.  However, at this point the 
rips still
> have too many problems for me to be enthusiastic about having an 
inkset that
> can only be run by them.  On the other hand, maybe if I used a rip 
I could
> just forward all the e-mail I'd get about printing problems to 
those who
> wrote the code! ;-) 
> 
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com