Digital BW, The Print

Mark,

You wrote:

>at least one person has said that for a 1160 without a Cone driver
>that you should use MIS original instead of FS inkset, any
>concurrence?

I think both the FS and original MIS quads need some kind of workflow to get
a good, even grayscale ramp.  If they were just printed with the Epson
driver and no adjustment curves or tailored workflow, I would guess that the
original MIS would look better than the FS inks.

>  Also, I have heard that the MIS original will not
>produce a deep black on Somerset Velvet, any work around or
>concurrence on this?  Also, how does Epson Archival Matte compare?

Somerset Velvet is an uncoated paper that produces weak blacks with all inks
relative to the modern coated papers. Epson Archival Matte is an excellent
example of a modern coated paper (specifically made for pigments), and it
has a much better black and overall image, in my opinion.

If you are just starting out, I'd recommend you try various inks and
workflows.  There are quite a few free workflows out there.  Check out the
MIS website for the various ones available from that outfit.

In trying various inks, do so from cartridges before you put anything in a
continuous inking system.  The MIS, Piezo and Epson inks are compatible
enough that sampling them does not risk clogs.  Lyson inks have a different
pH, I'm told, and flushing fluid needs to be used before then are sampled.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com