Digital BW, The Print

pr_roark wrote:

> I can't tell from this just what workflow you're using.

Not sure that I am following one of your pdf workflows precisely but the 
process goes like this:

1. Scan film negatives w/ Silverfast SE at 3200 dpi(usually 3200 for 
35mm and 1600 for 120mm), using Silverfast's internal 16bit>8bit 
conversion, saving as uncompressed TIFF.

2. Import into Lightroom 2.2, crop, spot, sharpen, minor tonal adjustments.

3. For QTR printing I export to TIFF w/ Lightroom.  For Epson driver 
printing I am using Lightroom's internal print module set to 360 ppi,
usually standard print sharpening, and have it set to have the profile 
managed by the printer.

4.In the Epson Driver I am using the settings that are outlined here:
http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/R260-BW-GS-Eps.pdf

I'm proofing using Epson Ultra Premium Presentation Paper Matte.

I think the nozzles and such are likely ok as I can take a non difficult 
image and get a great print and then immediately go back to a grainier 
image and have it look bad.  I made 4x4 and 8x8 prints of a well 
exposed, natural light head and shoulders portrait I shot on HP5 120mm 
on both the Epson paper and PhotoRag and it turned out fantastic. 
Intricate details of hair were rendered well but there was fairly little 
visible grain in the negative.  My success with this image gave me the 
impression that I couldn't be too far off with workflow/settings.

35mm negatives of HP5 that have a fair amount of grain seem really 
problematic.  For example, a man's 5'oclock shadow ends up looking more 
like he has polka dots or chicken pox than a beard when printed with the 
Epson driver but not in the scan, not in a wet print and not when 
printed with QTR BO.  Really well exposed 35mm with less apparent grain 
seems less problematic.  I've printed some of the problematic images 
from 4x6 up to 8x10 and it behaves the same way.  Very distracting.

I don't know if it worthwhile but is there a way to try printing with 
all 6 cartridges under QTR rather than just BO?