Digital BW, The Print

Carl-  

Many thanks for the response.

I have none of these differences between and ICM flow and the "No 
Management" ABW flow and I have gone through the multiple light 
sources, viewing angles, etc.  I am however sending grayscale files 
from a 2.2 workspace and printing only on EEM (on which I do not get 
acceptably even blacks by the way) and on Epson Velvet (on which I 
get terrific, smooth, deep lacks).  I am using only MK.

For now I am staying with the ABW, largely because I have a better 
screen match--an excellent & consistent one, surprisingly--by using a 
profile with 30% dot gain and Preserve Numbers.    

Do these differences account for the differences in our 
observations?  I am a digital neophyte, but I have been priting B&W 
since 1965 and have a pretty good eye for a print.

Good wishes,
Walt


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Carl Schofield" 
<scho@m...> wrote:
> The ABW and RGB-icc workflows do produce similar looking prints, 
but there are some 
> subtle differences.  Looking at paired prints on premium glossy in 
both halogen or 
> incandescent and then daylight I can see some slight metamerism in 
the form of a faint 
> magenta cast in the midtone grays in the RGB print - also a little 
magenta/green 
> crossover.  Measured dmax is also higher for the ABW print (2.47) 
vs the RGB-icc print 
> (2.28).  Neutrality is slightly better with the ABW print as well 
(see data in linked file below) 
> and just looking at the two side by side suggests a slightly more 
bluish hue overall in the 
> RGB print.  All of these difference are subtle and not significant 
unless you are looking at 
> side by side prints generated from both methods.
> http://homepage.mac.com/scho/abwrgb.jpg
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "wwodets" 
<odets@c...> wrote:
> > I'm wondering about the use of the ABW Mode and what advantages 
it 
> > provides over a regular ICM flow using the supplied Epson paper 
> > profiles or custom profiles.  The latter, of course, allows a 
soft 
> > proof mode in PS, which the ABW (to my knowledge) does not.   I 
realize 
> > that the ABW mode allows toning, but other than that does it 
offer 
> > something?  I had understood earlier on that ABW provided special 
> > dithering and a minimal use of color inks.  I have printed both 
ways 
> > (but only on matte papers with MK), however, and I can see no 
> > difference in dithering, ink usage or appearance of the prints.  
I have 
> > examined the prints by eye and with a 7-35X zoom microscope and I 
> > believe they are identical, the ICM prints very closely matching 
the 
> > ABW "Neutral/Normal" (not "Neutral/Darker") prints.  Both work 
flows 
> > are providing excellent prints, but ICM system provides a better 
screen 
> > preview.  
> > 
> > Any comments or thoughts on this would be *much* appreciated.
> > 
> > Walt