Digital BW, The Print

I just wanted to add some observations of my own as to what Carolyn 
is seeing. I think it is better to call them "linear artifacts" if 
you will since I am not talking true banding that is easily seen at 
normal viewing distances.

First, the linear patters, light or dark, only appear in smooth areas 
of the image. Any kind of small pattern to the image will tend to 
break them up and render them invisible even under magnification. 
Even a moderate grain pattern will mask it. This may not be 
completely true if the linear pattern is very strong but generally 
explains why some prints show the pattern and others do no. This is 
why Carolyn didn't see any linear artifacts in my print. It is very 
grainy.

Second, the patterns tend to be limited to a certain tonal ranges. On 
my 1200 with Piezo it was white or light toned banding as you 
describe in the 25% to 50% tonal range. Using the Epson driver on my 
1280 the banding is a dark or corduroy banding in the 60% to 80% 
range. Using the Piezo driver (with the MIS VM inks installed) I get 
the least banding with dark banding in the very darkest tones 90% to 
100%. All of them have a faint look of linearity in the direction of 
head travel.

Third, it is not always consistent. Sometimes it is there and 
sometimes it is not. Some lucky people seem to have perfect printers 
and get perfect Piezo prints without any banding ever. Very 
frustrating situation.

Overall I think that the pattern or patterns are always there it is a 
matter of factors that determine how noticeable they are. The nature 
of the image and the paper used are big factors.

I think the reason we do not see these patterns with the OEM inks is 
the difference between dyes and carbon pigment inks. The dyes may 
blend together more smoothly and penetrate the paper more. The 
pigment inks may not mix as well and sit mostly on top of the paper 
revealing a "spray" pattern in the way the ink is laid down that was 
never anticipated by the designers. Some one tried pigment inks in a 
2000P a while ago and reported seeing less of this linear pattern 
than in other printers.

Martin Wesley


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., Carolyn  Frayn 
<carolyn@u...> wrote:
> Dear Group,
> 
> I installed the Piezo system on my 1200 this week, after a couple of
> frustrating days with clogs and the banding due to the clogs it is 
running
> well. My first clog free prints however had a different banding 
pattern. I
> call this a linear pattern, more than a band. Feeling overly picky 
about it
> I took out the print exchange package again.
> 
> I went over the print exchange prints again with a loupe. I would 
like to
> start a conversation about the various types of output I see and 
perhaps
> have people varify what I'm seeing or tell me where I'm wrong.
> 
> My first clog free piezo print has a linear, soft, fine band 
throughout all
> tones and the whole print. It travels in the direction of the print 
head. I
> do not get this banding on prints from this printer with OEM inks.
> 
> Exchange prints:
> 
> I see a similair banding in all prints from the 1160 using the cone 
driver,
> whether they use cone inks or MIS. I do not see this pattern with 
the Epson
> driver.
> 
> I see the exact same linear pattern that I get in prints from the 
1200 using
> the cone driver, so it is not just my 1200.
> 
> I do not see this pattern in Mike's print from the Pro 7000 using 
Cone's RIP
> but in this print I see a very very subtle weave pattern (sort of 
banding in
> both directions but very soft and fine) that I find much nicer than 
the
> 1200's banding.  
> 
> So is this banding? Is this print head travel? Is this only 
avoidable if I
> were to go to the 7000 with Cone's Pro RIP?  Or go back to the 
Epson driver?
> 
> I see no linear pattern in prints using MIS inks and the Epson 
driver. I see
> very little in the way of dots from 1160's and 1280's using Paul's 
or Wolf's
> curves but do see dot's in the 3000 prints without the loupe.
> 
> I read somewhere that the software RIP Mike K was talking about is 
being
> downsized for some of Epson's desktop printers. I wonder if this 
will help
> for the smaller printers to achive dotless prints without the print 
head
> pattern.
> 
> I very much like the output from Martin's print, 1280 @ 2880 using 
MIS  VM.
> But I did not want to play with curves just yet...
> 
> My output from the 2000P while displaying very subtle dots in the
> highlights, does not display any linear pattern at all... One day I 
hope to
> use this printer for monochromes/duo/tritones with non OEM inks. 
Darn that
> metamerism! 
> 
> If I migrate the Piezo BW system to a 1280 will this get rid of 
this wee
> linear pattern (banding) issue?
> 
> Curious,
> Carolyn
> 
> PS:  I do not find this at all objectionable from norman viewing 
distance...
> and sorry for being so verbous. ;-)