Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Steve Kale 
<stevekale@b...> wrote:
> I don't disagree with the goal of opening up linearization to all.  
But many
> people don't want to go down that route.  But even if they don't 
there is a
> lot to be gained from profiling whatever greyscale they've got.  For
> example, black only printing has been very popular for many.  I 
would argue
> that the principal reason for this is its simplicity.  But the 
greyscale
> output of black only is anything but linear.  If one could profile 
it,
> though, then those users could get the benefits of a CM workflow (or
> luminance managed workflow) even if the baseline isn't able to be
> linearised.  The CMM has to do more work but at least it can do 
some work.
> 

I've said this a couple of times, but will repeat one more. If you 
are running a RIP that uses CMYK output profiles, you can build a BO 
profile in Xrite's ColorshopX. Might also be possible to build it 
from measured values, never tried that. You now have a "color" 
managed workflow for BO printing. I've used it, it works, and makes 
the print much better since everything now fits with in the BO 
dynamic range, as well as its linearity characterists. No it isn't 
for the average user, but it can be done. 14 day demo is available 
from the Xrite web site, it's hidden pretty well, but can be found if 
anyone is really interested. 

> The greyscale on my 4800 with Epson Adv B&W is really very linear.  
I don't
> see the need for QTR with it for photo paper (assuming I stay with 
the
> standard inks).  For matte paper I would like to try increasing the 
ink
> limits to see if I can get a better dMax.  So with the 4800 and 
Epson inks I
> am not going to be using QTR for its linearization.  Nonetheless, I 
would
> like to be able to profile the luminance axis of its output and use 
CM to do
> the dynamic range compression.

Remember that your 4800 has been linearized at the factory, so you 
should have it's nice linear output. That also measn there must be a 
way for the "normal" to re-linearize the new pro printers (sorry the 
2400 may not be included).