Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "ginnylady33" 
<ginnylady33@...> wrote:
>
> Oh?
>  I was unaware I could do BO with my 2400.
>  Could you elaborate, please, Clayton?
> Best Regards
> Ginny
> 
> > In combination with digital printing, especially now with the 2400
> > adding to the BO printing, it has given me a whole new 
photographic
> > life.  Truly an amazing time for photographers.
> >
>

I' m interested too. 
I'm currently doing BW print with iQuads/QTR/1290/Pulse. The profiled 
output is satisfying, but the printer gives me headache and I dislike 
it.

I tried on a MK loaded 4800 to test BO (e.g. the use of only 
K,LK,LLK, all other inks not being fired). Initially my purpose is to 
see if K3 PK could be a valid glossy option (bronzing and gloss 
differential set aside at the time being). I'm expecting a print made 
like this to evaluate it.

I would say that the hue of the 3 greys is pretty significant, though 
not disturbing to my taste, but also not even from hilghlights to 
sahdows. It can reach on EEM up to a*2 and b*4. Dmax can reach 1.73 
on EEM and very slighly lower on HPR, that is close to what I get 
with piezotone Museum K WN ink set.

Where I've been really annoyed is at linearizing the greyscale. I get 
perfect linear greyscale with piezotone with very even steps on a 
21stepwedge. When it comes to K3 BO I just can not get a linear 
output. Should my own competence be reasonnably questionable, the 
thing is that I'm doing exactly the same with piezotones and K3. 

It's my understanding K3 MK is the formulation of the previous 
generation, while the new one resin-coats the pigments. Does this 
affect, I can't say. Are 3 dilutions not sufficient, I can't either 
say, but doubt this is a valid reason. I found LK and LLK to be 
respectively about 20% and 10% (depending on EEM and HPR) relative 
density of MK. So MK starts firing pretty early : the darkest part of 
the greyscale is where you have the most uneven linearization, but in 
midtones you do experience the same (probably when K is becoming in 
use).

I'll be re-doing my measurements for the sake of double-checking. 
I'll try also to increase overlap to output more lighter ink to a 
partition and eventually increase "shadows" to have MK fired the 
latest possible though I'm unsure of the actual effect on the 
linearisation.

I'd be happy to have more experienced people feedback and eventually 
advises on better partitioning with QTR.

Olivier
France