Digital BW, The Print

I've found that my prints get better contrast and seemingly deeper
blacks -- using QTR on my 2200 with the UC inkset -- when I convert my
image in PS to the QTR Gray Matte Paper profile, which Roy at one
point provided, and then editing the image for printing. When printing
in QTR I, of course, use the paper profile for the paper I'm printing
on, along with other specific settings. However, printing with (again
UC inks) using the Epson driver does seem to produce smoother prints
with fewer dots in the highlights. The problem, as you mention, is
color casts. It would seem that the new Piezo K7 inkset might give an
equivalent, if not superior smoothness, and the scant reports that
have appeared on the web seem to bear this out.

Chris Hargens




--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, David Keenan
<ausdlk@s...> wrote:
> After reading here about the long lost Epson ICC profiles for matte
paper, I tried using one (the 2880 dpi, mk one) and printing some
11x17 images that I had been printing using QTR for an exhibit that
I'm hanging this weekend.
> 
> Now, I'm no expert QTR nor digital black and white printer (yet) but
I'm astonished how much better the ICC prints are. There is no
comparison in the blackness and depth of the blacks. The ICC print
leaps out at me compared the flat QTR print. 
> 
> The blacks in the QTR print have a distinctly grainy look. The ICC
blacks are tight and solid with no grain. Maybe the 2880 dpi setting
makes a difference here since I've been using "1440 super" in QTR. 
> 
> I know that QTR is very highly thought of so I'm probably not doing
something as best as it could be done but I'm not sure what it could be. 
> 
> I was the guy who asked about the inherent value of BO printing last
week. 
> 
> I also printed the same image using black only using the UC ink.
(Eboni on the way.)
> 
> Another revelation. The ICC print has a distinct green color cast to
it visible in the midtones that was not so obvious when compared to
the QTR print but is very obvious compared to the BO print.
> 
> I like the ICC print except for the green cast and I'm not inclined
at this point to fiddle with anything to try to correct this. So, the
more I look into this the more questions that arise but it looks like
BO is the way for me to go for my 10 exhibition prints -- not what I
thought I'd be doing when I started this project.
> 
> If any one has any comments on why my QTR blacks might be so weak
I'd welcome them.
> 
> Dave.
> -- 
> David Keenan, ausdlk@s... on 9/28/2005