Digital BW, The Print

> >... I can't understand how come Epson have
> >selected their DARKER setting as the default.
> > ... it blocks up the shadows far too
> >much with little separation...

I'm not sure if this relates, but I've been thinking about what working
space ought to be the default space for EZ systems.  I've always preferred
the long scale with well separated shadow tones.  It's close to the Dot Gain
20% space, but I've always just used a custom dot gain curve for the monitor
and left the Gray Gamma 2.2 as the gray working space due to its being the
old PS 5 (and most common) default space.

Now, however, I'm leaning more toward Gray Gamma 2.2 with no custom dot gain
curve.  Gray Gamma 2.2 continues to be the default spaces in most systems,
including Elements (which has an elegant and simplified Color
Management/Color Settings menu) and for the Web.  I think there may be
advantages to it, even with the compressed shadow tones.  Moreover, with
most of us now working in 16 bit, the need to have the most efficient use of
256 steps is not so critical.


Do you suppose Epson was simply setting up a default print in its ABW mode
printing that more closely matches the default Gray Gamma 2.2 view on the
monitor?

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com