Digital BW, The Print

"frankbickelmeyer" <bickelmeyer@...> wrote:

> I also think of buying an epson 1400. Beside the BO option i really
> would like to print with tones varying from sepia to cool. Did i
> understand Pauls article right, that the UT14 inkset can exactly do
> that: printing BO and if needed with all 6 cartriges in different
> tones?

The 1400 MIS UT14 inkset -- written up at http://www.paulroark.com/BW-
Info/UT14.pdf -- is a variable tone B&W inkset that, in its default 
setup, uses Gloss Optimizer ("Glop") in the yellow position.  The 
curves and ICCs I've made assume this default ink arrangement.

Glop is useful in glossy prints, but the 1400 with MIS pigments has a 
low level of reflective artifacts even without glop.  As such, the 
yellow ink position can be used for a custom ink setup for those who 
want to go beyond the UT14 default setup.  

With the default Y=Glop setup, the print tones range from neutral 
("cool" in traditional B&W terms) to warm.  See the curves on pages 6 
(matte paper) and 8 (glossy paper) of the PDF, above, to see what 
this range is -- in graphical form.  The warm values shown are less 
that what I call a true sepia.  They are a warm carbon (and very 
lightfast).  

Putting UT2 or UT7 sepia in the yellow position is the most obvious 
custom ink setup.  I did not do this as the default ink arrangement 
for several reasons.  First, glop is useful for the very best glossy 
prints.  Second, the print tones are better in the "plug and play" 
Epson driver workflows if no sepia ink is in the mix. And, third, 
true sepia tones, with Lab B often closer to 25, require a lot or 
color ink.  These true sepia tones are about twice as warm as the 
warm carbon can achieve.  However, the UT2/7 sepia images are not 
particularly lightfast.  They are mostly color images and do not 
achieve the lightfastness levels that I'm currently comfortable 
with.  In short, I no longer want my images or name associated with 
that level of performance.  I have a UT7 sepia image in my living 
room, and it looks nice (even if slightly faded).  But I would not 
sell such an image professionally.  

So, I recommend people see if the warm carbon tone is sufficient for 
them before installing sepia ink.  If sepia ink is installed, 
different curves/profiles will be needed.  

> And if it cannot which would be the best inkset to achieve
> these 2 options? 

I think you'd find the UT14 inkset can achieve most of what you'd 
want, but not a true sepia.

While the UT7 inkset -- either just the UT7 Y-position ink in a 1400 
or the full UT7 inkset in a k2 printer -- can reach true sepia, I 
doubt this is the "best" way to do it if you want the best 
lightfastness.  While the MIS sepia will look fine for years in 
normal display, as I indicated above, it's not up to the standards I 
now try to achieve for my B&W prints.

I have not run fade tests of enough sepia options to know which is 
most lightfast, but in my view the Epson Y and M inks are the best of 
those types of color inks.  As such, the best true sepia with an 
inkjet might use an Epson K3 printer.

I have not used Piezo sepia, but my impression is that it's not a 
true sepia tone, being more similar to the warm carbon in the UT14.

I, personally, find that the warm carbon of UT14 on glossy paper 
makes a sufficiently warm print, and I know it'll be extremelly 
lightfast.

Hope this helps.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com