Digital BW, The Print

Whoa - what a pleasant problem to have; well other than the hassle of 
creating new profiles. Now if only Epson would release such a 
Firmware, Driver update for the 4000 MK inks!

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "wwodets" 
<odets@c...> wrote:
>
> I have been regularly using USFA on the 4800 for a while now and 
> recently I did a firmware update (to A0045A.800).  Since that 
change 
> a few days ago, I've had less the perfect screen to print match and 
I 
> decided to reprofile the USFA (using two targets).  The prints had 
> become significantly "crisper" and somewhat darker than the Soft 
> Proof.  The surprise in measuring the new targets is that the dmax 
> for the K3/USFA is up from an average around 1.64 to 1.70.  Having 
> profiled the USFA three times since I got the printer, the USFA 
dmax 
> was consistent to this time.  The change in firmware did not occur 
> during any ink changes (except for a light magenta) or paper batch 
> changes.
> 
> So here are the USFA figures:
> 
> Old target, original measure:  1.637 (LAB 17.02)
> Old target, remeasured today:  1.649 (LAB 16.71)
> New target, number 1:  1.712 (LAB 15.18)
> New target, number 2:  1.702 (LAB 15.42)
> 
> I have not yet reprofiled the EEM (which I use for proofs) or the 
VFA 
> (which I use occasionally for final prints), but these are also 
> obviously crisper than before, expecially the VFA.  I imagine the 
VFA 
> is pushing 1.8 or better by the look of it.  Even the EEM looks 
> surprisingly good (the "smoke" and most of the mottling is finally 
> gone from the blacks).
> 
> The single other firmware change I made about five weeks ago 
produced 
> no such changes.  What do others think of this issue?  I'm hoping 
> Epson is actually on to something with this.  Visually this is a 
> significant difference.
> 
> Walt
>