Digital BW, The Print

> Is there a pure, no color pig, carbon set from MIS to compare? 

The only pure carbon inkset, as such, from MIS is the C86 EZ-Warm inkset.
Among other things, it was made for and is used by the genealogy
aficionados, who want maximum longevity.

However, MIS variable-tone inksets have carbon positions that have been
tested and show the relative strength of the carbon. 

MIS had its original UT-1 inkset fade tested and posted the results at
http://www.inksupply.com/utfadedata.cfm.  In this inkset UT-C is a pure
carbon, dark gray.  It is the PiezoBW C density and a basic ink in most of
the UT inksets.  UT-LC is medium gray, and UT-Y is light gray, just a bit
darker than the Piezo Y.  In the UT-1 inkset the "toner" was a high - gamut
blue composed of mostly cyan and magenta.  The tested version of UT1 used
the old magenta and not the new R800 blue, so the results are substantially
worse than they would be today.  Nonetheless, looking at how the UT-C ink
did shows the strength of the carbon pigment.  

My test results are similar.  No toned carbon ink has ever matched the pure
carbon UT-C.  In fact, no other midtone ink from anyone has matched it,
although PiezoTone NW is close, as is the UC inkset, but only if sprayed
with a UV-containing coating like PremierArt Print Guard.   Eboni and UC MK
in my tests are in the same league with UT-C.

The variable-tone UT2 and UT7 inksets use UT-C in the M and C spots,
respectively.  In general, having a pure carbon channel has been a basic
feature of my approach because I think purists will want to print either
pure carbon or as close to it as looks good with the image and paper.  The
other 2-ink channels (C or M, respectively) are cool-toned carbon (still
predominantly carbon) of the same basic densities.  The Y channel in the UT
2 & 7 is a sepia ink in the default inkset, but I often put a lighter warm
ink (UT-FS-Y, about equal to Piezo Neutral-warm Y).  Note that one could
easily take the pure carbon inks (UT-C and UT-LC, for example) and put them
in both the C and M channels.  Then with Y channel could be UT-Y, making a
pure carbon hextone inkset. 


Paul
www.PaulRoark.com