Digital BW, The Print

Greg,

Excellent idea, thanks.  

> ... it would probably be best to always compare the printed
> patches to some kind of "standard",

Yes, finding the standard is the current issue.  This scanner procedure
started from my setting up an R220 workflow, but it clearly has wider appeal
and is evolving.

As a practical matter, I've been assuming, in part to make things easier,
that if we set the end points and the gamma, based on some known midtone,
we'd be close enough.  That seems to be the case with my Epson 1600, at
least.  The end points are relatively easy, but the midtone point for
setting the gamma is a bit more difficult.  The Kodak gray card just
occurred to me last night as one rather common standard many would have.

> ... just like you do when making a scanner based color ICC profile. 
> Those use an IT8 target scanned along with the printed target.

Frankly, since my efforts at the scanner-based color profiles was not
particularly memorable, I'd forgotten about this target.  But, I suspect
many that have a scanner also received with it one of these targets.  So,
this may be an excellent reference target.

> Since the IT8 target has a standard
> layout (until you get into the extended IT8 formats), would it make
> sense to find a value(s) on the chart to set the scanner too?

Yes, it makes a lot of sense, and I'll do it.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com