Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, CDTobie@... wrote:
>
> I've just tested PrintFIX PRO 2.0 for profiling the MIS UT7 inks. For
those
> who have expressed interest in this combination, here are my
observations:
>
> First, amazingly, it actually works. I would have bet money it
couldn't be
> done.
>
> Next, as Paul Roark predicted, it doesn't work as well as profiling
the UT3D
> inks. Given that most, if not all, printers that support UT7s also
support
> UT3Ds, I would agree with Paul, that moving to the UT3Ds is the right
thing for
> those interested in using ICC profiles to control MIS inks.
>
> Now the details:
>
> Target prints on the 2200 and Entrada Bright paper showed a real break
> between black and dark tones, so I was not suprised to see issues in
the final
> profile in this area. Moving the ink density slider all the way to +20
reduced this
> issue significantly. This adjustment is not necessary with the UT3Ds.
>
> Default results are not ideal, as the inkset (on this media) does not
> actually capture the neutral axis, so the software is working towards
"best
> substitition" for an out of gamut condition. Again, the UT3Ds offer a
bit more range in
> this direction, reducing this issue.
>
> Using the profile under Custom Proof Setup in Photoshop, and using
curves
> VISUALLY (ignore color channel names, they don't relate to ink
colors!) to adjust
> to a smoother result, with some tonality of interest, the results can
be
> quite good. This also smooths the shadow to black trasition nicely.
UT3Ds also
> have switched color channels, but they do not require adjustment to
get smooth
> results; you only adjust the image with UT3Ds to get a non-neutral
tint of your
> choice, not to attempt to move into an in gamut range, and achieve
visual
> smoothness.
>
> Gloss/luster papers should actually be easier to profile, but I didn't
try
> the PhotoK ink, so I can't comment beyond that speculation. Other art
papers may
> be easier as well, as they may offer more neutral default results,
causing
> fewer out of gamut issues. Ironicly the older formulations of Entrada
printed
> cooler, and would probably have reached the neutral axis with these
inks. The
> newer, warmer, coating (which I requested, and for most uses very much
prefer)
> happen to push this warm inkset over the edge into always warm, never
neutral.
>
> So the conclusion is the same as the introduction: its amazing that
these
> inks can be controlled by 3D   LUT style ICC profiles, but the UT3Ds
will perform
> more stongly in all areas, so switch to them, if you want to use
PrintFIX PRO
> as your method for controlling MIS B&W printing.
>
> C. David Tobie
> Product Technology Manager
> ColorVision Business Unit
> Datacolor Inc.
> CDTobie@...
> www.colorvision.com
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>